St. Kitts

St. Kitts is a volcanic island, a fact to which it owes its dramatic central mountains, its rather unpredictable geologic history, and its lush tropical vegetation. In fact, St. Kitts' pre-Columbian Carib inhabitants knew their island as Liamuiga, or "fertile land," a reference to the island's rich and productive volcanic soil. Today that name graces St. Kitts' central peak, a 3,792-foot extinct volcano.

The recorded history of St. Kitts begins with the second voyage in 1493 of Christopher Columbus who sailed past the island but did not land. There is some doubt as to whether it is this island that Columbus gave the name St. Christopher (after himself ). In any case, by the time the Englishman Thomas Warner arrived with fourteen other settlers in 1624 to found the first non-Spanish European colony in the Caribbean, the island was known as St. Christopher's.

Thomas Warner chose St. Christopher for its abundant forests and fresh water, its fertile easily worked soil, its accessible physical structure, and the presence of salt.

And yet nature is only a small part of the wonder of these small, relatively undiscovered destinations. Long ago, St. Kitts and Nevis were the pearls of the British Caribbean, rich and enormously important islands that were celebrated throughout Europe. Nevis, the "Queen of the Caribbees," possessed unimaginable wealth from its super-productive sugar industry, while on St. Kitts the impregnable fortress of Brimstone Hill stood as the Gibraltar of the West Indies. In this venerable history is plenty of romance as well, for it was on Nevis that the dashing young Horatio Nelson met, courted, and wedded Fanny Nisbet, all the while attending to the whirling social life of the island's prosperous plantation estates.  

Today these islands are esteemed more for their long stretches of sugary sand than for their sugar cane. Basseterre and Charlestown, the islands' capitals, are among the most captivating and picturesque of the Caribbean's colonial harbour towns. The law here holds that no building here may be taller than the surrounding palm trees, and on both St. Kitts and Nevis natural preservation is a major value. Activities include outstanding hiking through the islands' rain forests, golfing on internationally ranked golf courses, fishing, boating and diving or snorkeling through underwater reefs and unexplored wrecks. There is also an exceptional wealth of historic points of interest, including restored fortresses, haunted plantations, and ancient petroglyphs. In the midst of all of these attractions are many of the finest and most welcoming plantation inns in the Caribbean. Still largely undiscovered, despite their extraordinary beauty, their remarkable history, and their unmatched charm, St. Kitts & Nevis offer a rare opportunity to visit the "Secret Caribbean."

St. Kitts is located in the Eastern Caribbean at 17 20 North, 62 45 West, roughly 1,200 miles from Miami, 1600 miles from New York, 4,000 miles from London and about 45 minutes by plane from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

The island is 69 square miles with a population of 31,880. Basseterre is the capital.

Time:
Atlantic Standard Time throughout the year. 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-4 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.

Economy: Agriculture, tourism, light manufacturing.

Language Description: English.

Currency:
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD$). U.S. bills are accepted by most stores and businesses and change is given in E.C. currency. U.S. coins are not accepted.
Exchange Rate: $1.00 USD = $2.70 XCD

Travel Documents and Entry/Departure Requirements:
Citizens of Canada and the United States need only to present proof of citizenship – preferably a passport or birth certificate with the raised seal – in order to enter St. Kitts-Nevis.  If the birth certificate is used, it must be accompanied by a government issued photo ID (a drivers licence, for example) showing the same name.  Where applicable, documentation of a legal name change (for example, a marriage certificate) must also be presented.   

 Additionally, proof of sufficient funds and a return or onward passage might be required. There is a departure tax of $60 XCD (about $22 USD) payable in cash, or by credit card, at the airport.

Phones:
Cable & Wireless serves 17, 000 telephone lines in St. Kitts & Nevis. Direct Dialing, Leased Circuits, Internet, Class Services, Voice Mail, Caller ID and other features are currently offered. ISDN and DSL services are also available. The area code for St. Kitts is 1-869.

Emergency Numbers:
Police / Ambulance - 911
Fire - 333
Air Ambulance - (869) 465-2801
JNF General Hospital - (869) 465-2551

Internet Service:
Internet services are available at all of the hotels, as well as from an Internet Cafe in the city. Broadband connections (DSL & Cable) are also available, as are Web developing and hosting technology.

Electricity:
The domestic market is served by a 230 volt single phase supply. However, a 117 volt supply is available in most hotels.

Water:
The water is of good quality and suitable for drinking. It is collected from direct precipitation, mountain springs and wells, and is chemically treated for purification. Locally bottled water is also available.

Health:
There are no particular health concerns associated with St. Kitts. Therefore, special vaccines are usually not required. Modern ambulatory services are available and there are specialists in most fields of medicine. A brand new state of the art hospital was opened in 2003, and emergency 911 services are available.

What to Wear:
Light summer clothing may be worn all year. Dress is informal, even at elegant hotels and plantation inns, though you may want to dress up a bit for a nice dinner. Nudity is not permitted at any beach. Swim wear or scant clothing should never be worn in towns or villages.

Tipping Overview:
A 10% service charge is normally included in hotel bills. In restaurants, leave 10%-15%. Tipping taxi drivers is not customary.

Educated Workforce:
St. Kitts has a labour force of about 22, 000. Unemployment in St. Kitts- Nevis is among the lowest in the Caribbean. According to a survey of the labour force, conducted jointly by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government, the rate was confirmed at 4.3%. The country also enjoys a literacy rate of over 98%..