At the behest of fate, in the middle of November 2024, I found myself in St. Kitts and Nevis—a small island nation nestled in the Caribbean. This trip wasn’t planned, so I didn’t do my usual research and preparation, so i wasn’t sure what to expect or what i want to see there.
A bit of history of the island: St. Kitts, also known as Saint Christopher, was named by Christopher Columbus in 1493 after his patron saint. In 1623, Sir Thomas Warner started the first successful English colony in the West Indies here. The island’s rich soil made it perfect for growing sugar cane, which became its main industry. By the 1600s, it was the richest British colony, attracting both British and French settlers and leading to a history of alliances and conflicts between them.
In 1983, St Kitts gained independence alongside its sister island, Nevis, forming the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The sugar industry officially ended in 2005, and the island has since focused on promoting tourism.
With my base set on St. Kitts and limited time to explore, I opted for a bus tour that came most recommended on TripAdvisor. It seemed like the easiest way to get to know the island and its history.
The tour started with a pickup from my hotel, and soon after, we stopped to gather a group of tourists from a cruise ship.
Our tour began with a drive through the city center, where colonial architecture blends with Caribbean style.
One of the main streets, Liverpool Road, might seem like just an ordinary street now, back in the day, molasses, rum, and even slaves were traded here with agents from Liverpool, England.
As we continued, it looked like all roads in this city lead (not to Rome) but to the iconic The Berkeley Memorial Clock, standing as a focal point in the heart of Basseterre.
Erected in 1883, it was built to honor Thomas Berkeley Hardtman Berkeley, a former president of the General Legislative Council in the 1880s.
Then we circled back to the cruise ship dock. Cruise ships arrive in town nearly every day, unloading crowds of tourists who are picked up by various tour operators. There’s no shortage of options for exploring the island: bus tours around St. Kitts, tropical forest adventures, scenic train rides, or simply relaxing at the beaches—something for every type of traveler.
Our tour guide shared stories about his childhood, the island’s history, and the city’s past, keeping us entertained along the way. We drove past the American medical school, which exclusively trains U.S. students. Interestingly, graduates return to America to specialize in treating Caribbean diseases.
We also learned how to differentiate a goats from a sheep. I always thought the difference was in their fur, but it’s actually in the tail! If the tail hangs down, it’s a sheep. If it sticks straight up, it’s a goat.
On our way to our first stop—Romney Manor—we passed by Wingfield Manor Estate. This historic site is one of the oldest estates in St. Kitts and played a significant role in the island’s colonial sugar industry. We didnt stop there, it was part of a different tour that I heard includes rum tasting. Maybe something to keep in mind for next time!
The garden at Romney Manor showcased interesting tropical flowers, many of which were brought in from places like Madagascar. Our guide shared a fun fact about mango trees: a big tree doesn’t always mean big fruit! Some smaller trees actually produce the largest mangoes.
We also learned about two major problems on the island: monkeys and mongooses. Both are considered pests because they destroy crops, making them an ongoing headache for farmers. I could probably name a couple more problems—but I’m just a guest here!
Romney Manor also has a batik production studio where they make colorful hand-dyed fabrics.
Batik is a traditional fabric-dyeing technique that uses wax to create patterns and designs. The process starts with applying hot wax to specific areas of the fabric, which acts as a resist, preventing dye from penetrating those spots. The fabric is then dyed, and the wax-covered areas remain the original color.
This process can be repeated multiple times with different colors, creating intricate and multi-layered designs. Once the dyeing is finished, the wax is removed, usually by boiling or scraping, revealing the final pattern. From start to finish, producing a batik piece can range from one day to several weeks.
Our next stop was Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site that offers stunning views of the island. This historic fort, built by the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, was a strategic military stronghold and is often called the “Gibraltar of the West” due to its impressive defenses.
There’s a museum that tells the story of the place—its history, the cruelty of the time, and how things have evolved to today. An interesting fact is that the royal family visited the site multiple times throughout its history.
Another “fun” fact is that from the fortress, you can see six other islands on a clear day: Nevis, St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Barthélemy, Antigua and Montserrat.
The next stop on our tour was the Timothy Hill Overlook, where we got an amazing view of the island. From here, you can see where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea and get a great view of the “tail” of the island, stretching out into the ocean.
The last stop of the trip was Shipwreck Beach. To be honest, there wasn’t anything particularly special about the beach—and no shipwrecks in sight! But it turned out to be a nice opportunity to meet and chat with people from the cruise, sharing stories and experiences from our travels.
This marked the end of the tour, after which I returned to my hotel. There, a beautiful sandy beach and surprisingly warm ocean waters were waiting for me—a perfect way to unwind after a day of exploring.