ISLAND LIFE

Welcome to St. Kitts!

On St. Kitts, colourful secrets cling to magnificent coral reefs, lush mountains rise above fields of sugar cane and rainforests shelter delicate orchids and secret trails. Let your path lead you to the rim of an ancient volcano, explore submerged grottoes or enjoy a day of water sports.

Facts About the Island

Location/Size
Located in the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, St. Kitts is a lush tropical paradise without the usual tourist trappings. St. Kitts is separated from its sister island, Nevis, by a channel two miles wide and is 23 miles long and 5 miles wide, encompassing an area of 68 square miles.

Capitals
Basseterre is probably one of the most pleasing capitals to the eye in the Caribbean. Basseterre's Historic District, towards the centre of the town exhibits excellent examples of Creole and West Indian architecture. Basseterre has been around for some time; French Basseterre was a flourishing and much respected town back in 1672. The Circus, essentially a roundabout in the middle of town, is the focal point of Basseterre. It was modeled on Piccadilly Circus in London and was built following the Great Fire of 1867. A block east of the Circus is Independence Square, originally called Pall Mall Square. It was renamed on the occasion of St. Kitts & Nevis achieving political independence on September 19th, 1983. The Square was the site of the slave market where slaves arriving from Africa were temporarily quartered in the basement of a building on the south side of the Square.

Currency
Accepted currencies are the US dollar and the East Caribbean dollar.

Language
With 36,000 people, the official language of St. Kitts is English, although it contains many unique and colourful island phrases.

Weather
It's always summer in St. Kitts! Average temperature is 85 degrees. The average rainfall is 22 inches per year and occurs in showers of short duration during the months of November and December.

Airlines
Direct air service to Robert L Bradshaw Airport in St. Kitts is provided by Excel Airways (non-stop every Saturday) and US Airways from Philadelphia and Charlotte. Connection air service is provided by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM, American Airlines, Air Canada, Iberia Airways, Condor, and BWIA West Indies Airways.

Entry Requirements
U.S. citizens need a valid passport or birth certificate with raised seal and photo identification and a return/continuing ticket. Canadian and European Community citizens need a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket.

Airport Departure Tax
For International destinations, there is a tax of US$22.00 payable at the airport prior to departure.

Shopping
St. Kitts may not be a shoppers' paradise, but for locally made souvenirs that will rekindle holiday memories, there is a wealth of high-quality arts and crafts. if you want to blend in with the vibrant colours that the locals wear, visit several shops that sell batik-printed clothing. At the Caribelle Batik Factory on the grounds of the 17th-century Romney Manor, visitors can see how plain fabric is transformed into vibrant patterns using a process of hand-waxing and dying, before buying sourvenirs. Duty free shopping includes Ashburry's in Basseterre where you can purchase prestigious watches such as Baume & Mercier and Movado, leather goods by Paloma Picasso and Fendi, and all the top-name fragrances.