Culture and History of St Kitts

The earliest written history of St Kitts is in the account of the second voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1493, although he didn't actually bother to land. Apparently he thought the shape of the island resembled St Christopher carrying Christ on his shoulders, but there is some doubt as to whether he named the island after the patron saint of travellers or himself.

In any case the name stuck and over the centuries the island gained the affectionate nickname of St Kitts. The original inhabitants were Carib Indians who called the island Liamuiga which means fertile land. Nowadays the island's dormant volcano which gave St Kitts its productive and volcanic soil goes by the same name. The volcano's legacy can be seen in the lush tropical vegetation and the characteristically black sandy beaches which are found predominantly in the north of the island.

St Kitts has quite the history and has been the scene of many bitter battles between the native Carib Indians, the British and the French. Very early on in his history the entire native population was wiped out in a massacre at Bloody Point.

This left the island to the mercy of the English and the French, and many became very rich from their sugar and tobacco plantations, bringing in African slaves to attend to them which paved the way for St Kitts rich cultural history.

St Kitts is also distinctive in having made room for just about every religious conviction, and it has the oldest Masonic temples in the Caribbean as well as a very old Jewish Temple. Although the early history of St Kitts is somewhat bloody thristy, it is one of the most culturally and historically fascinating Caribbean islands.

Exploring St Kitts for the First Time

There is such a lot to see and do on St Kitts that it can be difficult to know where to start if you are visiting the island for the first time or if you have a limited amount of free time available during your trip, but an excellent way to orientate yourself is to take a trip on the Scenic Railway.

This is a three-hour, 30 mile tour around the island which is completed partly on the train and partly on sightseeing buses. The historic railway was built between 1912 and 1926 to transport sugar cane from the plantations around the island to the sugar factory in the capital city of Basseterre. It is now one of the few remaining railway lines in the eastern Caribbean and is an excellent way of seeing the scenery and culture of this pretty island.

The train takes visitors through fields of sugarcane and passed Mt Liamuiga, St Kitts dormant volcano and offers tantalizing glimpses of crumbling plantation estates, volcanic black sand beaches as well as scenic views of the nearby island of St Barts, Nevis, St Maarten and Saba.

As it passes through a local village, sightseers can get a quick view of local life and culture. The bus tour takes passengers passed Brimstone Hill Fortress and through numerous other little villages and towns before returning to the capital city.

It's a very nice and relaxing way to see the island and offers some great photo opportunities. Brimstone Hill Fortress tends to be on most people's ‘must see’ list as it is of both cultural and architectural significance. It is a monument to the engineers who designed it and it took nearly 100 years to finish.

Things to do on St Kitts

Many people travel to St Kitts simply to take advantage of all the beautiful beaches and warm azure water, and it is easy to see the attraction of this refined Caribbean island. However there are plenty of things to see and do around the island, and it would be a shame not to discover something of St Kitts natural beauty and rich cultural history.

St Kitts is very easy to get around, as you can choose to tour the island with your own private driver, book a group tour or hire a rental car. The Scenic Railway provides a unique view of the island and is a very relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

You can also hop on the ferry and visit St Kitts sister island of Nevis. Ferries to the island run several times a day and you can tour downtown Charleston, the galleries and museums and plantation inns and Nevis botanical garden.

Lots of people come to St Kitts for the watersports, and the clear blue waters are certainly very inviting. You can choose to snorkel or scuba dive or can go windsurfing, deep sea fishing or sailing.

There are plenty of full day and half day trips for keen divers. St Kitts is incredibly beautiful as it has an expanding and very healthy rainforest. This is ideal for trekking through or you can choose to hire a mountain bike. There are a number of easy or more strenuous trails, and you can even trek all the way up to the top of Mount Liamuiga, St Kitts very own dormant volcano.

St Kitts Visitor Bookings up by 16%

St Kitts Minister of tourism, the Honourable Richard Skerritt recently visited the Excel exhibition centre in London as he was leading the St Kitts and Nevis delegation to the 2011 World Travel Market.

He revealed that bookings to St Kitts are up on the same period last year, and advance bookings are up 16% compared to the same time last year. Visitors from the US account for 60% of visitors arrivals to St Kitts and Nevis, while visitors from Britain account for 10% as do travellers from Canada. The remaining 20% of visitors come from the Caribbean market.

Minister Skerritt said "We come to the World Travel Market because we can meet a lot of travel trade and the travel media who we do business with on an ongoing basis. We use it as a sort of a meeting point and as a networking point, but we also use it to refresh business contacts and we try to get new business.

We constantly look into introducing our destination to the British market." The London-based St Kitts tourism office has three staff members, while the entire St Kitts and Nevis delegation consisted of 13 people exhibiting from a single booth.

The tourism office partners with British Airways and does a lot of joint programmes. British Airways currently has two direct flights a week to St Kitts from London Gatwick to Robert L Bradshaw International airport. The weekly flight on Saturday will be three years old in January 2012 while the midweek flight on Tuesdays will be three years old in 2013.

According to Skerritt these flights have made all the difference in the country's ability to market in the UK. St Kitts is often promoted as being an upmarket travel destination, and this view is certainly borne out as British Airways has seen most growth in the number of business and first-class seats being sold for travel to the island.

It's Hard Not to Fall in Love with St Kitts

It’s very difficult not to fall in love with St Kitts, as it is an incredibly beautiful island with lush rainforest and numerous beaches. However there's much more to discover, as it's great for history lovers.

It was originally discovered by Christopher Columbus who was so taken with the island’s beauty that he named it after the patron saint of all travellers, St Christopher, a name which was later to be shortened to St Kitts. Nations have fought over the island, and many people became extremely wealthy due to the sugar plantations.

It's quite difficult to imagine that such a peaceful and tranquil island could have been the scene of so many battles, but a visit to the world UNESCO heritage site, Brimstone Hill Fortress can be pretty enlightening.

Take a trip on the scenic railway to familiarise yourself with the island, as this will take you through several small villages and past the remains of the sugar plantations, giving you a glimpse of the rich cultural history. If you really want to experience the culture of St Kitts then visit the island during Carnival time during Christmas.

It's easy to get swept up in the whole romance of the island, and many people choose to get married here as they can choose to say their vows on the beach, in a historic church or even in historic ruins.

Some of the most popular locations include Romney Manor which is a tropical plantation garden which is a beautifully maintained and very colourful. The centrepiece of the garden is a 350-year-old Saman tree. Those who truly love history may well choose to get married on Brimstone Hill, while Turtle Beach is ideal for those who are always wanted to exchange vows on a beautiful white sandy beach.

Popular Activities on St Kitts Beaches

One of the main reasons for visiting such a beautiful Caribbean island is to enjoy the gorgeous beaches. Although a fair amount of your time is bound to be spent just relaxing and maybe doing a bit of swimming, there are lots of beach activities available for those looking to be more active.

Popular watersports include body surfing, water skiing, windsurfing, snorkelling and diving. Some beaches are more suited towards certain activities than others so it's worth doing your research.

In fact it is quite nice, because if you just want to find a quiet spot in which to relax and sunbathe, or want to catch up on a bit of reading then you'll find plenty of choice, especially on the Atlantic side.

The Atlantic facing beaches are also ideal for a pleasant stroll, or you can even try your hand at horseback riding. If you are visiting St Kitts with your family, then many of these beaches are ideal for enjoying a picnic, and you'll find the local supermarket is packed with suitable goodies, but if you don't wish to do this then you'll find plenty of bars and restaurants which would be more than happy to serve you delicious local cuisine and cooling drinks.

The most popular beaches are located around the south-east peninsula, and one of the liveliest is Frigate Bay. If you visit the island in May your find it is full of activity at this time of year, as this is when the St Kitts International ITU Series Triathlon takes place. Competitors get the chance to earn points towards world rankings, and it's certainly a nice place in which to enjoy a relaxing break afterwards.

What Can Visitors Expect from the Island of St Kitts?

First-time visitors to the Caribbean island of St Kitts are likely to be surprised by how much this little island has to offer. Although relatively new to tourism, St Kitts has all the necessary infrastructure in place to offer visitors a luxurious yet very friendly experience. The island has seen a significant number of new developments over the past few years, many of which have been aimed at the luxury market.

It's a great destination for anyone who loves nature, as there are many opportunities to track through the expanding rainforests, and to see the natural flora and fauna of the island. Mount Liamuiga is the highest point on St Kitts, reaching 3,792 feet into the sky. It was formally named Mount Misery and was renamed on Independence Day in 1983, but you'll probably find many older residents still refer to it by its original name. You can climb all the way to the summit, but should hire a local guide.

A more relaxing way to see the island is to hop on the narrow gauge train and take a scenic tour through old sugarcane plantations. It's a great way of seeing the beautiful landscapes as well as learning about the island's history.

Snorkelling and diving enthusiasts will want to visit Bloody Bay Reef which is well-known for its underwater grottoes. Coconut Tree Reef is the place to go for spotting diverse marine life, and then of course there's the Talata shipwreck in Sandy Point Reef. The beaches here are stunning, and one of the nicest is that Frigate Bay, but if you prefer something a little quieter then try Sand Bank Bay.

Experience island Life on St Kitts

St Kitts is one of the Leeward Islands, and enjoys a tropical climate with average temperatures of 28°C. The driest months are between November and May, but St Kitts benefits from having one of the most desirable climates in the Caribbean. It's a relative latecomer to the tourism industry, and has learned from other islands mistakes.

The types of developments taking place on the island are low-density and high quality as St Kitts is interested in attracting high-end visitors looking for a luxurious and relaxing escape from everyday life. The developments are attracting investment buyers, holiday home buyers and even people looking for a retirement home.

It's easy to see why as the island is dramatically beautiful, with lush rainforests, beautiful beaches and it even has its very own dormant volcano.

Visitors to the island can enjoy a huge range of activities including watersports, rainforest tracking or visiting some of the many historical sites. Up until 2005, much of the island's revenue was generated through the production of sugarcane, and over the centuries many people became extremely wealthy through this industry.

It's still possible to see signs of this wealth in the beautifully preserved colonial buildings in downtown Basseterre, as well as in the restored plantation homes which dot the island. St Kitts was the scene of many fierce battles, and Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is the only man-made UNESCO world Heritage site in the eastern Caribbean.

St Kitts has something for everyone, whether it's gourmet dining, relaxing on the sandy beaches or exploring the island, and the island is easily accessible with a number of international flights from Europe and North America.