In our ongoing coverage of the Caribbean islands, we come to one that is surprisingly often overlooked compared to some of its larger cousins in the area.

St. Kitts, one of the two islands that comprises the nation of St. Kitts & Nevis (alongside the island of Nevis, obviously), is part of the leeward islands. It’s a midway point between the Virgin Islands and Guadeloupe, somewhat further north than St. Lucia. It’s also quite small, covering only about 65 square miles, which means it’s possible to explore and enjoy what the island has to offer in just one day.

So, whether you’re trying to visit every inhabited Caribbean island, you’re island-hopping between major destinations and want the stop-over, or you just decided that St. Kitts is the place to visit, let’s talk about what you can see and do on this tropical getaway.

Key Facts About St. Kitts

Aside from being a relatively small island and part of the leeward islands, what is there to know about St. Kitts?

The island has one airport, which is how you’ll reach the island unless you’re coming in on a cruise or other boat. That airport is located in the capital of the island nation, Basseterre, alongside the nation’s largest port, where cruise ships dock. It’s very likely where you’re going to find a resort to stay, though there are a few resorts scattered around the rest of the island.

The island itself is a volcanic rise, with the main peak of Mount Liamuiga – an extinct volcano – forming the center. There are a total of three ranges of peaks on the small island, including the Mount Misery range, the Verchilds range, and the Olivees range. Mount Misery, incidentally, is the former name of Mount Liamuiga. Understandably, the name was changed, a renaming that took place alongside the island nation’s independence in 1983. Many older residents still refer to it by the old name out of habit, though.

Due to the dense jungle and the steep elevation throughout the interior of the island, the majority of the island’s inhabitants live in towns around the outer ring. A ring road can take you all the way around the island, mostly along the coastline, similar to Iceland’s famous ring road.

St. Kitts, during the 1600s, was colonized by first the British and then the French. The two nations repeatedly fought for control of the island for hundreds of years. Initially, it was used for farming tobacco, but switched to sugarcane when other tobacco producers grew in production. In 2005, sugar production was closed out, and the island now relies almost exclusively on tourism.

St. Kitts Fast Facts

Let’s go over some of the quick details to know about St. Kitts.

• Currency: The Eastern Caribbean Dollar, which is fixed at 2.7 ECD to 1 USD. The USD is also very widely accepted on the island.
• Language: English is the primary language due to hundreds of years of British rule.
• Safety: St. Kitts is one of the safest places you can visit; it’s still good to take normal precautions, but there are no areas to avoid or serious threats to consider.
• Transportation: You can rent a car and easily visit nearly anywhere you want on the island. You can also take a tour on the Scenic Railway, though it’s more for tourism than transportation. More on that later.
• Preparations: Make sure you have sun protection. Tropical islands can be brutal, and the last thing you need is a painful sunburn! Sunglasses, water, swimwear, and other items are great to have as well, depending on what you want to do while you’re visiting.
• Weather: The high season is from December to April. It’s by far the most expensive time of year, but the weather is the nicest, and you have the least chance of rain. May through June is a sweet spot between the heat and the rain, and the famous St. Kitts Music Festival takes place in this season. The low season, from July to November, is the rainiest season, and there’s always the chance of a hurricane coming through. Some attractions close down during this season as well. Temperature-wise, the island hovers around 80 degrees all year round, with humidity being the biggest change between seasons.

If you have any other questions about St. Kitts, feel free to ask in the comments!

Before we get into the specific places to visit and things to do, we have one important note to make. If you’re visiting St. Kitts as part of a cruise, you’re likely only going to have about eight hours to spend visiting attractions on the island. You can still do most of what you might want to do, but you may feel rushed, and you might not get to really experience the island the way you might want. Unfortunately, that’s just the way things are with a cruise.

On the other hand, if you’re visiting via flying in and staying at a resort at your own pace, you can spend a day, or two, or three, and make sure you take your time and truly appreciate everything St. Kitts has to offer. This is definitely our recommendation if you can swing it, but for people who want to visit more islands and take a cruise, that’s fine too. Just be a little more choosey with your destinations.

Top Attractions and Adventures in St. Kitts

Whether you’re hopping off a cruise ship or flying in on your own, you want to make the most of your time on the island. Here are the most interesting things to do and places to see.

Ride the Scenic Railway

The St. Kitts Scenic Railway, also known as the sugar train, is a railroad built in the 1910s and 1920s to transport sugarcane to sugar mills. Since the closure of the sugar industry, the railway has been transformed into a tour for visitors. It takes you on a winding journey through the countryside, where you can see the rainforests and the sea, enjoy some drinks on the observation cars, and see – but not stop at – some of the other great attractions on this list.

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The railway tour takes about three hours, so keep that in mind if you’re pressed for time; you won’t really have the time to take the train out and back, then hop in a car and drive back out to some other things you’d want to see. You don’t want to miss getting back on your ship, after all!

Hike the Rainforests

For outdoor adventurers who love to enjoy nature while staying on well-marked trails and avoiding the feeling of roughing it entirely, the Central Reserve National Park is an excellent option. Over a quarter of the island is covered by this national park, and trails wind all throughout it. You’re free to explore on your own, but there are also guides you can pay to tell you about the plants, animals, history, and geography of the island as you go.

Like the train, this is going to eat up a lot of your time, so we recommend it as an option if you’re spending a long day, or more than one day, on the island. A thorough walking tour is around four hours.

Climb the Volcano and See it All

Mount Misery – Mount Liamuiga – has been dormant for centuries, and you’re able to hike all the way up to the highest point on the island along well-marked trails. There are some steep sections and a few places you may be scrambling, but you won’t need climbing gear or even really a guide if you don’t want one.

At the peak, you can look into the caldera, a mile-wide crater full of rainforest known as the Giant’s Salad Bowl. Turn around, and you can see the whole of the island stretch out before you and the seemingly endless sea beyond that. It’s absolutely stunning if you have the energy for the three-hour hike to do it.

Get the Blood Pumping on the Zip Lines

St. Kitts is home to a bunch of adrenaline-pumping zip lines, including some of the longest zip lines in the whole of the Caribbean. Their biggest line is 1,350 feet long!

Being able to hop on a line and see the island from above may not be for everyone – it’s certainly terrifying in a way – but if you can stomach it, it’s an incredible experience.

Look Over History at Brimstone Hill

Brimstone Hill isn’t just a hill; it’s the Fortress National Park. It’s the place where the British Army built their fortifications for their centuries of fighting with France (and, occasionally, Spain), though those fortifications have now fallen into ruin.

Today, Brimstone Hill is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can explore some of the fortress, see ancient cannons and stonework, and see wide stretches of island and sea.

Pro-tip for cruise visitors: if you get up early enough, you can disembark and head to the fortress right away and get there before the crowds. It’s by far one of the most popular attractions on the island, so if you wait too long, you’ll barely be able to see the scenery for all the people.

See Nevis from Timothy Hill

Timothy Hill is a slight rise in the scenery along the southern edge of St. Kitts and marks the narrowest point of the island. From it, you can look north and see the capital in its glory stretched out over the countryside. Looking south, you can see the stretch of the peninsula of St. Kitts, and beyond it, Nevis peeking through the clouds. In a single glance, you can see both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where they almost meet.

There’s not a ton to do here, but it’s an absolutely gorgeous view, and many people fall in love with the island when they see it.

Rest and Relax on the Beach

St. Kitts is effectively ringed by incredible beaches, and while the ones closest to Basseterre are the most well-maintained, others further afield can give you a bit of a more relaxed, less crowded atmosphere. If you want to soak up the sun in relative privacy, head out; if you’re fine with the crowds and want to enjoy being attended, stick close.

There are also quite a few professional masseurs who set up shop on the beach and who may come by to ask if you want to partake in their services. Feel free! What could be better than a pleasant massage on a tropical beach?

Should You Visit Nevis Too?

St. Kitts and Nevis are broadly called “two islands, one paradise.” Nevis is very much an extension of St. Kitts, but because it’s separated by a couple of miles of water, relatively few tourists make the hop over. Is it worth it?

If you’re here on a cruise, it’s a very tough decision. You have to take a catamaran to Nevis, and that eats up a lot of your time. You essentially lock yourself into Nevis and nothing else. If that’s fine by you, by all means, go for it! If you want to do anything else on St. Kitts, maybe save it for a return trip.

If you’re spending longer in the country and can give most of a day to Nevis, go for it.

Nevis is home to some of the best beaches in the country – and even in the Caribbean, according to some. It’s also an “open secret” vacation destination for some celebrities, so you have a chance of seeing a few familiar faces.

You can hike to the peak of the Nevis volcano as well, though be aware that it’s a lot less well marked, and a lot steeper, than the equivalent hike in St. Kitts. Be well prepared.

Overall, both St. Kitts and Nevis have a lot to offer, and while you can see most of the sights in a single day, if you want to truly appreciate everything the island nation has to offer, it’s better to spend a few days instead. Either way, if you visit, let us know! We love to hear about your travels.