First Time In St. Kitts: The Sensational Travel Guide

In December 2023, I ended my year with one last international trip to St. Kitts from Geneva, Switzerland. I flew with KLM and had an unintentional extended layover in Sint Maarten for 14 hours. This trip to St. Kitts was a semi-spontaneous family trip. As I had travelled solo earlier in the year, I wasn’t nervous travelling to a further destination.

St Kitts is the larger of the two sister Caribbean islands that comprise the nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. From its beautiful beaches with impressive rain forested mountains, land and water activities in abundance, friendly people, amazing food, rich history and culture infused with a pulsing soca beat, there is something for everyone looking for an adventure.

For anyone who is planning a trip to St. Kitts or considering it as a possible destination, here is a travel guide to help you plan your trip there and enjoy it to the fullest.

Disclaimer: This post does include some affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and tours that I have personally vetted.

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About St. Kitts

To many people, St. Kitts is not a well-known island. To those who are familiar with St. Kitts, it is a nature-lover’s romantic paradise with relatively crowd-free beaches, tropical forests, lagoons and an underwater wonderland. St. Kitts is an island in the Caribbean where the western coast of the island borders the Caribbean Sea and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. It has a sister island, Nevis, which is 20 minutes away by a water taxi. What makes St. Kitts a unique destination is the physical beauty of the island.

The Best Time To Go To St. Kitts

St. Kitts experiences pleasant temperatures all-year round. However, the country has three distinct seasons – rainy season, hurricane season, and dry season. The rainy season runs from July to November, with hurricane season starting as early as June, and in rare cases May, to November. The dry season runs from February to May, with March and April being the hottest months of the year. I went in December 2023 and the average temperatures were between 28 to 30 °C with the humidity staying constant at 78 to 80%. It did rain once while I was there, it was short and it didn’t last long. According to the locals, it’s very rare to see rain in December. It was extremely humid and I was able to enjoy the tropical climate during my stay.

Getting To St. Kitts

I flew from Geneva to St. Kitts via KLM – there are a few options to choose from here. Most of the options include going through the USA which can increase the flight ticket. KLM only flies there on Thursdays (as of December 2023) and I was aiming to bypass the USA. The airport that you want to get to is Robert L. Bradshaw Airport (SKB) in Basseterre. It’s the only international airport on the island so you can’t miss it. Unfortunately I missed my connection and arrived the following morning as opposed to the evening before (that’s another story for another post).

Make sure to search for your flights early to catch good deals. This is really important when travelling in December between Christmas and New Year because prices tend to increase dramatically. My favourite flight trackers for this trip were Google Flights and Hopper.

Depending on the passport that you carry, you may need to apply for a visa (check the official website for more information). Regardless of what passport you carry, you do need to fill out an Immigration and Customs ED form and obtain your QR code before you fly out. I recommend doing this about a week or two before you travel so there are no unfortunate surprises. The form is pretty straightforward and you can get all the information that you need here. Make sure to check that you have at least 6 months validity on your passport as most countries won’t let you leave your home country if it is less than that.

Where I Stayed In St. Kitts

There are a lot of good options on the island. There are large resorts, family-owned hotels, guesthouses, boutique hotels, Air BnBs – there are options for any budget.

The Location

During my trip, I stayed in Frigate Bay which is located in the southeast close to The Strip (a string of beachfront bars and restaurants). Frigate Bay is roughly a ten minute drive from the capital, Basseterre and most of the sightseeing tours are located on the Northside of the island. To get around, you either need to rent a car or take a taxi. Most taxis only take cash and charge in USD. You can pay in the local currency XCD (East Caribbean Dollars). Only a handful of taxis take card transactions. If you are looking for a taxi that takes card, I highly recommend Moschina! She was so friendly and reliable throughout my whole trip.

The Accommadation

While I was in Frigate Bay, I stayed at The Royal St. Kitts Hotel and I had a great stay there. Usually boutique hotels are my preference whenever I travel. This time I opted for a family-owned hotel that embodies Kittitian culture. My suite came with two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a balcony overlooking the volleyball courts. There are two pools (one is saltwater and the other is chlorine), a 24/7 gym, two restaurants, and a sports bar on site. Within the property, there is also a salon and a day spa, a strip shopping centre that includes a supermarket, a pharmacy, other restaurants and a casino. Although there were two restaurants on site, I had the opportunity to move around to explore other culinary options. I recommend staying here if you are looking for an authentic Kittitian experience. Rates are around $250 per night.

There are other places that you can stay in Frigate Bay such as Sealofts, Timothy Beach Resort, Koi Resort and a popular choice: The Marriott Resort.

What To Do In St. Kitts

St. Kitts has so much to offer outside of beaches. Luckily I happened to be there during their Carnival season and was able to experience Sugar Mas 52 in person. If you visit between Christmas and New Year, Sugar Mas is something to look forward to. Here are my top activity recommendations to do:

1) Visit Caribelle Batik at the Romney Manor

Watch local artists demonstrate batik techniques and providing a narration on the ancient art form and its history. While you’re visiting, make sure to stop over at the gift shop to buy items with Batik designs. I got a wall art piece. You can find all the information here.

2) Visit Timothy Hill Overlook

Timothy Hill Overlook is the only location on the island where you can see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is a very popular attraction point.

3) Go rum tasting at the Old Road Rum Distillery at the Wingfield Estate

Old Road Rum Distillery is the oldest surviving distillery in the Caribbean. If you are a rum lover, you cannot miss this stop. You can either book a guided tour and have a tasting or explore the grounds yourself and taste some rum. Check out everything you need to know here.

Nature Activities

4) Go on a glow in the dark kayaking tour with St. Kitts Water Sports

This kayaking tour was the highlight of my trip! I think kayaking activities might have a special place in my heart. It was engaging from beginning to end. The tour took place at night and it was pitch black. The kayaks had glass bottoms with LED lights to explore the coastline, the reefs and see the sea turtles. It truly was an experience and an opportunity to support a local business. Book your tour here.

5) Visit the beaches of St. Kitts

You can’t go to St. Kitts without spending some time on the beach. I went to the The Strip which is a ten minute walk from my hotel. You can rent out beach chairs and umbrella from any of the beachfront bars and restaurants. The prices were the same across The Strip. It was very relaxing to read a book and enjoy the view. I would recommend getting there around 3pm if you don’t like to sit directly under the sun.

6) Take a rainforest eco adventure hike

The rainforest tour took place within the Wingfield Estate. Venturing into nature is one of my favourite ways to explore a new location. It was very impressive to learn more about the colonial history and how the flora and fauna are used for medicinal purposes. Book your hike here.

Where To Eat

Kittitian cuisine is very simple and spicy. Fresh fish, fruits and vegetables are key players in their dishes. A lot of the restaurants that I went to on the southern side catered more to the international crowd as opposed to offering more Kittitian cuisine, which was a slight disappointment. The only restaurant that I went to that offered more local cuisine was The Splash at my hotel. When I visit a new country, I like to immerse myself into the culture fully and that includes the food.

What To Wear

St. Kitts has pleasant temperatures all-year round. Depending on when you go and the activities that you plan to do, pack accordingly for that.

• Clothing: Pack breathable clothing such as linen dresses and cotton t-shirts. Swimwear and beachwear for the pools. Tank tops, shorts and trainers for hiking and the carnival days.
• Footwear: Bring closed shoes for hiking and zip lining. Bring sandals for the beach.
• Sun protection: You are definitely going to need a hat, sunglasses and lots of sunscreen. My go-to sunscreen lately has been Glowscreen and it feels like a tinted moisturiser that gives you an extra glow throughout the day.

At night, it’s still pretty humid so you won’t need a jacket at all. I brought make up but I did not wear it all as it was too humid for me and I’m not about to sweat off my hard work.

Final Thoughts

St. Kitts was an amazing travel destination that is vibrant, colourful and rich. It is an island that should be on your radar! I hope that this travel guide provided you with useful information on what to do and where to stay. Whether you are travelling for culture, food, nature and more – St. Kitts has something to offer for everyone. Thank you for reading this guide and share this with a friend that might be interested in visiting.

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Disclaimer: This post does include some affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and tours that I have personally vetted.

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Until next time,

Folakemi