My Favourite Watery Places on St Kitts

Of course I love the beaches, the abundance of great restaurants and lively bars on St Kitts, but I also love the fact it has such a rich history, and when I get bored of lying on the beach, which I can assure you does happen from time to time, I like to go exploring.

One of my favourite places to go, and it's somewhere I recommend to all first time visitors, is the Wingfield River and Water Works. This dates back to the 17th century, which is when the English first settled in the lands and began cultivating cotton, ginger and tobacco.

However it was the introduction of sugar which really put the island on the map, and Wingfield was one of the major sugar plantations of its time, and was also ahead of its time in that it used water to power its factory, being one of only a very few on the island to do so. Its aqueduct is a unique architectural feature, and allowed Wingfield to provide for all its fresh water needs. Nowadays it is incorporated into the public water supply system, and provides water for people living on the leeward side of the island.

Staying within the watery theme, when travelling around St Kitts you might notice that there is a system of public cisterns which can be found in each village. These are made out of stone, and each are individually designed depending on the community. They enabled villagers to collect water, and interestingly enough the majority of these have a post box embedded into one of the walls, and many of these are still in use.

International Monetary Fund Approves Stand by Arrangement for $84.5 Million

A loan to St Kitts and Nevis, worth $84.5 million has just been approved by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund. Apparently this loan is to help restructure debts, to support the economic programme within the islands, and to help build sustainable growth. This three-year Stand by Arrangement will give the island's immediate access to the funds, which in total are equal to around 590% of the islands IMF quota.

This was good news for the island's Prime Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas as it will enable his government to restructure existing debt and will ensure that the financial system within the islands remains healthy. It will also enable him to plan for sustainable growth within St Kitts and Nevis.

St Kitts and Nevis were impacted by the global economic downturn as the islands are largely dependent on tourism and foreign direct investment. During 2009 both tourism and FDI decreased by around 25% each, and the economy contracted by 9%, and by another 1.5% last year. However now the outlook is much brighter and the economy is predicted to grow by around 1.5% during this year and the next.

Both islands are relative newcomers to tourism, and they have been at pains to ensure developments are in keeping with the islands beauty and culture. St Kitts in particular has some extremely nice developments which are aimed at more discerning tourists. The island is growing in popularity, and as such is attracting more international flights which will boost the property sector as well as the tourism industry. Low-cost Barbados airline, REDjet is also negotiating to operate flights between Barbados and St Kitts, and to fly from St Kitts to St Maarten.

Getting the Very Best Out Of a Visit to St Kitts

More and more people are choosing to visit this small Caribbean island, and although the beaches are obviously fantastic, I hope that most will take the opportunity to discover a little more by taking time out to explore. It’s well worth doing, and even though there are a number or new, luxury developments springing up, they do not detract from the natural beauty of this island, as you don’t have to travel far from luxurious surroundings to find untamed scenery.

I love visiting Brimstone Hill Fortress, not only for the historic interest of the place, but also to take in the wonderful views. It is possible to see six different Caribbean islands from this vantage point, which I suppose proves how well placed it is.

Anyone visiting the island for the first time should be sure to take a trip on the railway which was once used to transport sugar cane to the factory, as it goes through some spectacular scenery.

The more active will probably enjoy hiking through the forest, and it’s a great way to work up an appetite for the flavour packed West Indian food served on St Kitts. Curries are big here, as is goat stew, and no visit is complete without sampling the local rum punch.

Although St Kitts is promoting tourism, it is being done in a very sympathetic manner so that the unspoiled feel of the island remains, while all the amenities expected by up market travellers are already in place. It’s easy to see why so many people are choosing to invest in property here, as it is still cheaper than other larger and more well established Caribbean islands, and in my opinion, a lot nicer.

St Kitts Offers Something for Everyone

St Kitts has an incredibly rich history, as it was originally discovered by Christopher Columbus who named it Saint Christopher after the patron saint of travellers, but eventually this name was shortened to St Kitts. One of the most interesting historic sites on the island is the beautifully preserved Brimstone Hill Fortress, which is a UNESCO world Heritage site and was originally one of nine forts guarding the coastline.

If you like watching birds then this is definitely the place to visit, as you might be lucky enough to spot frigate birds, cattle egrets, black whiskered vireos and black faced grass quits. Scuba diving enthusiasts will love the abundance of wrecks and reefs, while those who prefer to stay above the ocean may want to experience some of the beautiful golf courses.

Even though St Kitts stopped production in 2005, you're still likely to see fields of sugarcane. The narrow gauge railway which was built to transport the sugarcane harvest to the factory is now a scenic train ride operating between October and May.

The majority of hotels and resorts are located around the south of the island, especially around Frigate Bay, as this is one of the most beautiful parts of the island. The beaches in the south are white sand, while the further north you go the darker the sand gets due to the volcanic history of the island.

St Kitts is still being developed for the tourist industry, and what makes it stand out from the rest of the Caribbean is the high standard of accommodation being built. High-end resorts such as Oceans Edge are being built with the luxury travel market in mind.

Must see sights on St Kitts

Although St Kitts is one of the smaller Caribbean islands, it still has a considerable number of attractions and historical sites which are well worth a visit. I always suggest that first time visitors to the island begin by visiting the capital of Basseterre.

It is easy to see the colonial influences in the old buildings, and one of the most important landmarks in the city is Independence Square. This was originally called Pall Mall Square and is infamous as being the area where the slave auctions took place during the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Nowadays there is very little to betray its bleak history, as the auction block is thankfully long since gone.

The Circus can also be found in Basseterre, and it’s a circular shaped space at the intersection of several streets. At its centre is the Berkley Memorial Clock, which was built in memory of Thomas B.H. Berkley who was the former president of the General Legislative Council in the 19^th century.

Another must see on St Kitts is Romney Manor, which has the reputation as being one of the most beautiful houses on the island. It supposedly once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, and the house is surrounded by six acres of beautiful gardens. Nowadays it is home to Caribelle Batik, and it’s pretty interesting to watch artisans hand printing fabric using a technique which was originally developed 2,500 years ago.

There are many other attractions to visit on St Kitts, but as you will want to spend time exploring its gorgeous beaches there is only one sensible solution, and that is to visit again. This may be part of the reason why so many people are choosing to buy property here, as there is always something new to discover.

My favourite places to visit on St Kitts

St Kitts obviously has beautiful beaches, and it's well worth spending some time exploring and relaxing on some of the dramatically beautiful black beaches in the north of the island and the picture perfect golden sands in the south, but there's so much more to do and see.

There are lots of historic sites to visit including the largest fortress in the eastern Caribbean and beautifully restored plantation houses. Visiting some of these attractions will give you a very good idea as to what life may have been like in during the colonial period. For an even earlier view of this island history why not visit the petroglyphs which give a fascinating glimpse of life before European settlers. Independence Square which is located in the capital city of Basseterre is an excellent way to learn about the slave trade which used to exist on St Kitts.

If you don't particularly like looking round old buildings and then another excellent way to get to know this pretty island is to explore the shores and to enjoy the peace and tranquility offered. St Kitts is being carefully developed to make sure that it doesn't become overcrowded, so you'll always be sure to find that perfect desert island beach. If you enjoy nature then you'll love this island as it has a wide variety of birds that are lucky enough to call St Kitts home.

Those visitors seeking a little nightlife may be interested to know that there are a couple of excellent casinos on the island, so if you are feeling lucky then why not give them a go. There are lots of options on St Kitts so that people can enjoy an interesting and fun filled holiday.

Getting around St Kitts

I think St Kitts is a great island to visit, as it isn’t particularly big, but there is a lot to see and explore. It doesn’t matter if you own property there and visit regularly, or if you are planning a one off visit, you are always likely to find something new and interesting, and getting around is easy as there are numerous car rental companies, and the roads are relatively quiet.

One fun attraction is the Sky Safari, which has five zip lines, and has ferried hundreds of passengers across the canopy since it opened a couple of years ago. It’s very eco-friendly as the lines are anchored to rocks rather than trees. Everyone receives a safety briefing on a short practise line which is just 10 feet off the ground, before embarking on the real thing. Although I find the initial ‘take off’ slightly unnerving, the gorgeous scenery is so distracting that it’s difficult to be frightened. After going on the initial zip line, you’ll find that subsequent zip lines are shorter and faster, and it’s possible to reach speeds of up to 45 miles an hour.

This is a great way to see the jungle, but to really explore you do need to be on foot. I particularly love the trek to the summit of Mount Liamuiga, which is a hike of 3,792 feet, and is easily achievable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. It is a dormant volcano and there are numerous rare orchids and ferns in the shaded forest. In addition to seeing the island by car, zip line or foot, you can also choose to explore by quad bike or even horseback.

Three things I love about St Kitts

St Kitts is a relatively small Caribbean island which has a huge amount to offer, and there is a lot to recommend St Kitts over more developed islands. The first thing I love about this beautiful island is its climate. It has a pleasant year round climate, so there isn’t really a bad time to visit. Even when the weather gets really hot, it is tempered by the cooling breezes of the trade winds. The temperature hovers around a comfortable 80 degrees, winter and summer, and the winters are especially pleasant as they tend to be dry. The winter season is generally between November and April, while the summer season is between May and October.

The second thing I love about St Kitts is the abundance of flora and fauna. There is a wide variety of tropical flora including hardwoods and flowers. Common flowers include bougainvillea and hibiscus, while popular varieties of plants and trees include lemon trees, tamarind, white cedar and sweetwood. There are some rare varieties of fauna which can be spotted on St Kitts, but you are almost guaranteed to see the black faced vervet monkey. Marine life is equally exotic, with queen conch, hawksbill turtles and green sea turtles being on most keen observer’s lists.

This brings me on to the next thing I love about the island, and that is the excellent diving. It is a bit of a well-kept secret as it isn’t nearly as well publicised as other better known Caribbean islands, and as such has an abundance of virgin reefs and blissfully un-crowded dive sites. It doesn’t matter if you are an experienced diver, or a complete novice as St Kitts has something for everyone.

Discovering St Kitts

Although I am slightly biased, I think St Kitts is one of the most beautiful of the Caribbean islands. When it was first spotted in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, it was populated with native tribes, but wasn’t colonized by Europeans until 1623. It quickly became one of the most luxurious islands in the area due to its strategic location and lucrative sugar trade.

When the sugar cane industry finally closed its doors, the government turned its attention towards developing the tourism market, but unlike other Caribbean islands it has been at pains to ensure all developments are of the highest quality, so that St Kitts will remain an unspoiled paradise, and the delicate ecosystems are protected.

Anyone who enjoys nature will love it here, as there are various tours through tropical forests, lava formations and coastal lagoons. There are some great boat trips to take from the island, and of course scuba diving. One of my favourite things is to explore the tiny towns and quaint shops, and much of the colonial architecture still remains to this day.

If you are looking to purchase property here then one of the most beautifully developed areas is around Frigate Bay. The developments here are sympathetically designed to blend in with the natural environment, and one of the advantages of buying a condo or villa in this resort is the close proximity to both the Atlantic and Caribbean seas, so you will get the best of both worlds. This also means that property here will have greater appeal as holiday lets.

St Kitts incentive schemes for overseas investors

The St Kitts government has been very pro-active in making the country as attractive as possible to overseas investors. In the past, the country has had a reputation for money laundering and drug trafficking, but the introduction of new laws cracked down on this problem, and they have attracted more mainstream businesses.

The St Kitts Investment Promotion Agency was set up in 2007, and it actively promotes the island as being a centre for international finance, and it is able to arrange local and foreign investment projects.

The most important sources of income for the island are still offshore finance, tourism and service industries. St Kitts and Nevis also have a total of eight industrial and commercial free-trade zones, and another four fully developed industrial sites, where investors can choose to have production facilities constructed to their specifications. It’s expected that the amount of factory space will continue to increase in coming years.

These specially designated export processing free zones give investors exemptions from custom duties for exports and imports, and investors are also exempt from any St Kitts and Nevis tax for fifteen years. Commercial treatment zones tend to be located near the jungle frontier, and give investors the benefit of exemption from VAT, a reduction in customs duty and accounting in foreign currency.

Although tourism is one of the most important sectors, and most overseas investors will choose to buy property, this island has a lot more to offer than just fabulous luxury living, year round good weather and gorgeous beaches.