St Kitts and Nevis Holidays
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As with most Caribbean islands histories, the history of these two islands could be traced back to the days of Christopher Columbus. And like most “New World” settlements, they were inundated with tales of exploitations and battles between the warring colonial powers of those days. After 150 years of tussles between the French and the British, the climax of these conflicts culminated in1872 at Brimstone Hill on St Kitts where the French laid siege to the British.
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Though the British lost the battle at Brimstone Hill, with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the island came under the total control of the British. This era of peace on the island also contributed to the flourishing of the sugar trade.
After colonization, the boom in the sugar industry gave impetus to the
importation of African slaves to work on the plantations dotting the
landscape of the Islands. It is the beliefs and traditions brought by
these former Africans slaves, which helped shaped the Kittians and the
Nevis way of life today. It was only in 1983 that these islands became
an independent nation in the British Commonwealth. In spite of their
apparent historical connections, today the two islands have taken
progressively more dissimilar direction regarding tourism. Nevis has
established itself more as an upscale destination for eco tourism while
St Kitts has yet to distinguish its uniqueness among the more well known
Caribbean islands. Nonetheless, St Kitts has far more to offer its
visitors than most realize.
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St Kitts - Before St Kitts was renamed after the patron Saint of
Travelling, St Christopher, the Kalinago Amerindians knew it as
“Liamuiga” meaning “Fertile Land”. As the Indian name implied, the
island is blessed with rich volcanic soil as evident in the bountiful
green sugarcane plantations, and rich lush topical flora, which envelop
this island. Opportunities to enjoy these exhilarating wonders of nature
are available through hikes up the island dormant volcano, Mt. Liamuiga.
Essentially West Indies in cultural heritage, St Kitts follows much of
its African roots with respect to music and festive celebrations.
Visitors can get the chance to sample the colorful street dances and
parades during Carnival during the 17th of December to the 3rd of
January, the St Kitts Music Festival in June, the Inner City Fest at
Cayon, Easterama at Sandy Point and the and La festival de Capisterre
held during Independence day.
Scuba Diving & Snorkeling - As well as the rich cultural heritage on
offer, visitors also have the option of scuba diving and snorkeling at
the deserted coves, like the Nag’s Head, fringing the south-eastern
peninsula of the island. Visitors should also not forget to stop by
Turtle Beach where they can witness the leatherback turtle laying eggs.
Helicopter tours of the two sister islands and even to Montserrat are
also available in St Kitts.
The capital city, Basseterre, itself is a
treasure trove of architectural gems featuring some of the
best-preserved 18th century buildings in the Caribbean. The Brimstone
Hill Fortress National Park also features another architectural
attraction of epic proportions. The Fortress Citadel, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, is one best existing examples of the 'polygonal system’
type of fortification.
