St. Kitts: History, Views, and Beautiful Beaches
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Marcus Garvey
4/8/20268 min read
We have been to St. Kitts twice and loved it both times. It is one of those islands that offers a mix of history, natural beauty, and easy exploration without needing a structured excursion.
St. Kitts, officially known as Saint Christopher Island, has a deep colonial history and was one of the first Caribbean islands settled by the British in the early 1600s. It was also shared with the French for a period of time before eventually becoming fully British. The island played a major role in the sugar trade, and much of its early wealth was built on plantations. Today, it is an independent nation, part of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and still reflects its British influence in its culture, language, and infrastructure.
For this port, no excursion is required. Everything is easy to organize on your own. The island accepts both U.S. dollars and Eastern Caribbean dollars, making transactions simple. There is also an ATM located in the casino area right at the beginning of the shops at the cruise port, and it dispenses U.S. dollars.
We also recommend bringing an umbrella. Pop up rain showers are common, but they usually pass quickly.
On our first trip, we had heard that it was easy and fairly inexpensive to rent a car. There is an Avis location about 700 meters from the cruise port. We walked there, but they were sold out. There is also a Hertz about another 1,500 meters away. Lesson learned, book in advance if you plan to rent.
The base price for a car is around $60 per day, but you are required to purchase a local driver’s license for $15. The rental company handles this for you. Once you add taxes and fees, the total comes closer to $100 for the day.
Since we were not able to rent a car, we walked back to the main port area and started looking for a driver.
We ended up meeting an extremely nice gentleman named Ivor. We asked him to take us to a few key spots, including Brimstone Hill Fortress and Timothy Hill Overlook, along with anywhere else he recommended. He agreed and charged us $80 for the day.
If you want to contact Ivor, he can be reached via WhatsApp or text at +1 869 669 0756.
The drive to the west side of the island toward Brimstone Hill Fortress takes you through areas where many locals live. It is less developed than other parts of the island, but the drive itself is beautiful, especially along the coastline. We even stopped at a bird nesting area for egrets, and since it was April, many of the babies were only a few days or weeks old.
Once you arrive at Brimstone Hill Fortress, there is a $10 per person entrance fee. We recommend going early, as it gets hot quickly and there is limited shade.
Brimstone Hill Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often referred to as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies.” It was built by the British in the 17th and 18th centuries using enslaved African labor and served as a key defensive stronghold to protect the island from French attacks. The fortress sits high on a hill and offers incredible panoramic views of the island and surrounding sea. There is a short climb up some stairs, but it is absolutely worth it for both the history and the views.
After visiting the fortress, we drove to Timothy Hill Overlook. This is one of the most unique viewpoints in the Caribbean. From this spot, you can see both the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other, with a narrow strip of land connecting the two. The views are stunning and make for great photos.
This area is part of the Frigate Bay region, which is more developed and considered one of the wealthier areas on the island. There is a large Marriott resort located on the Atlantic side. The resort has built sea walls to help reduce the impact of the waves. Directly across from the Marriott is Frigate Bay Beach, which is lined with restaurants and bars and offers a lively beach atmosphere.
On our second trip to St. Kitts, we contacted Ivor ahead of time to arrange transportation again.
This time, he took us to the southeast part of the island to South Friars Beach. It is about a 30 minute drive from the cruise port and is one of the more popular beaches on the island.
We chose to spend the day at Carambola Beach Club. The facilities were excellent, with clean restrooms, a fully stocked bar, and a restaurant. However, it was also one of the more expensive beach experiences we have had in the Caribbean. Beach chairs were $12 each, and an umbrella was $15.
The day we visited was a bit windy and overcast, so it was not the most picture perfect beach day. Even so, we still enjoyed ourselves and appreciated the overall experience.
St. Kitts offers a great mix of history, scenic viewpoints, and relaxing beach options. It is easy to explore on your own, and having a local driver like Ivor can make the experience even better.
If we return to St. Kitts, we will plan to visit its sister island, Nevis, to see even more of what the area has to offer.
We have been to St. Kitts twice and loved it both times. It is one of those islands that offers a mix of history, natural beauty, and easy exploration without needing a structured excursion.
St. Kitts, officially known as Saint Christopher Island, has a deep colonial history and was one of the first Caribbean islands settled by the British in the early 1600s. It was also shared with the French for a period of time before eventually becoming fully British. The island played a major role in the sugar trade, and much of its early wealth was built on plantations. Today, it is an independent nation, part of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and still reflects its British influence in its culture, language, and infrastructure.
For this port, no excursion is required. Everything is easy to organize on your own. The island accepts both U.S. dollars and Eastern Caribbean dollars, making transactions simple. There is also an ATM located in the casino area right at the beginning of the shops at the cruise port, and it dispenses U.S. dollars.
We also recommend bringing an umbrella. Pop up rain showers are common, but they usually pass quickly.
On our first trip, we had heard that it was easy and fairly inexpensive to rent a car. There is an Avis location about 700 meters from the cruise port. We walked there, but they were sold out. There is also a Hertz about another 1,500 meters away. Lesson learned, book in advance if you plan to rent.
The base price for a car is around $60 per day, but you are required to purchase a local driver’s license for $15. The rental company handles this for you. Once you add taxes and fees, the total comes closer to $100 for the day.
Since we were not able to rent a car, we walked back to the main port area and started looking for a driver.
We ended up meeting an extremely nice gentleman named Ivor. We asked him to take us to a few key spots, including Brimstone Hill Fortress and Timothy Hill Overlook, along with anywhere else he recommended. He agreed and charged us $80 for the day.
If you want to contact Ivor, he can be reached via WhatsApp or text at +1 869 669 0756.
The drive to the west side of the island toward Brimstone Hill Fortress takes you through areas where many locals live. It is less developed than other parts of the island, but the drive itself is beautiful, especially along the coastline. We even stopped at a bird nesting area for egrets, and since it was April, many of the babies were only a few days or weeks old.
Once you arrive at Brimstone Hill Fortress, there is a $10 per person entrance fee. We recommend going early, as it gets hot quickly and there is limited shade.
Brimstone Hill Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often referred to as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies.” It was built by the British in the 17th and 18th centuries using enslaved African labor and served as a key defensive stronghold to protect the island from French attacks. The fortress sits high on a hill and offers incredible panoramic views of the island and surrounding sea. There is a short climb up some stairs, but it is absolutely worth it for both the history and the views.
After visiting the fortress, we drove to Timothy Hill Overlook. This is one of the most unique viewpoints in the Caribbean. From this spot, you can see both the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other, with a narrow strip of land connecting the two. The views are stunning and make for great photos.
This area is part of the Frigate Bay region, which is more developed and considered one of the wealthier areas on the island. There is a large Marriott resort located on the Atlantic side. The resort has built sea walls to help reduce the impact of the waves. Directly across from the Marriott is Frigate Bay Beach, which is lined with restaurants and bars and offers a lively beach atmosphere.
On our second trip to St. Kitts, we contacted Ivor ahead of time to arrange transportation again.
This time, he took us to the southeast part of the island to South Friars Beach. It is about a 30 minute drive from the cruise port and is one of the more popular beaches on the island.
We chose to spend the day at Carambola Beach Club. The facilities were excellent, with clean restrooms, a fully stocked bar, and a restaurant. However, it was also one of the more expensive beach experiences we have had in the Caribbean. Beach chairs were $12 each, and an umbrella was $15.
The day we visited was a bit windy and overcast, so it was not the most picture perfect beach day. Even so, we still enjoyed ourselves and appreciated the overall experience.
St. Kitts offers a great mix of history, scenic viewpoints, and relaxing beach options. It is easy to explore on your own, and having a local driver like Ivor can make the experience even better.
If we return to St. Kitts, we will plan to visit its sister island, Nevis, to see even more of what the area has to offer.
info@allinglobaltravel.com