In our tour of the Caribbean, there were destinations I knew a lot about and then there was St. Kitts and Nevis.  The only things I knew about it was that it had only gained its complete independence from Great Britain in Sept. 1983.  Other than that bit of trivia, this small dual island nation was a complete mystery to me.  Since I do love a mystery, I was eager to explore this beautiful Caribbean country and learn more about the cool new kid of the Caribbean.

Entering the Shopping District Always Provides better deals than on a cruise

Wishful Thinking

When we first got on our cruise ship, we went over to book excursions with a credit we had received.  Normally we would just go into town and negotiate an adventure, but the free voucher deal is not going to be beat.  Being hikers, we really wanted to book one of the adventures up a volcanic mountain, but apparently we were a little slow to book and all the trips were full.  The only thing available was another snorkeling adventure.  We love snorkeling, so having to snorkel in this beautiful paradise wasn’t a bad thing.

Our dive spot was a picture perfect location

RoarLoud Tip:

• Booking day trips in the Caribbean is much cheaper outside of the resort, hotel, or cruise you are on.  If you are on a tight budget, save lots of money by negotiating.  You’ll find the exact same excursion for half the price or less!

St. Kitts is such a fun and laid back atmosphere. There’s something for everyone to enjoy

Other Things to Enjoy in St. Kitts & Nevis

• Hike to the top of the now-extinct Mount Liamuiga volcano *really bummed to miss this one
• Enjoy the Botanical Gardens of Nevis
• Explore the Kittitian Rainforest of St. Kitts
• Visit the Brimstone Hill Fortress- A World UNESCO Heritage Site

This was the only shark we ever saw in our travels

Off the Boat

Our first impression leaving the ship in St. Kitts and Nevis was…Wow!  The mountains, the beautiful water, brightly colored shops, everything seemed so inviting.  Even though we had just gone snorkeling the day before in St. Maarten, we could tell snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis was going to be amazing.  The dive spot we went to had a shipwreck to explore and reefs with tons of brightly colored fish.  It was definitely a fun time.

Wildcat conquering her fear of water was awesome

Close up of part of the sunken ship above water

Have you heard of power snorkeling?

Next Stop Nevis

Landing on a beach at Nevis

Simply beautiful spot on Nevis

Sign for Sunshine’s Bar & Grill

After the snorkeling off of St. Kitts, our catamaran sailed us over to the sister island of Nevis.  Nevis has mountains, pristine powder white sand beaches, and Sunshine’s Bar & Grill.  This spot is so perfect to really get that “island getaway vibe”.   We seated ourselves at their outdoor bar, ordered some lunch, and their famous “Killer Bee” cocktail.  The Killer Bee is amazing concoction of rum, passion fruit, lime, starfruit, mixed with honey and spices to give a unique flavor that is unforgettable.  If you want to just relax, then Nevis is definitely the place to go.  It’s beauty and not overly touristy feel is just what you need to feel like you are on vacation.

Bartender at Sunshine’s Bar & Grill preparing my Killer Bee

Reflecting on St. Kitts & Nevis

View from the catamaran up the sail

Wildcat relaxing on the catamaran after a full day

Having had our snack and Killer Bee and enjoyed the relaxation of the atmosphere of Nevis, we boarded our catamaran for the trip back to our cruise ship.  It is amazing how much nicer it feels on a warm Caribbean day to be lounging on the netting of a catamaran, feeling the heat and occasionally getting a splash of mist from the sea below to refresh you.  It also was a time I reflected on some of the places we visited throughout the world.  There never seems to be enough time to explore, I definitely left St. Kitts & Nevis with a feeling that I wished I had more time to explore.  St. Kitts and Nevis has tons to offer anyone that wants an island getaway without the crowded over-touristy vibe.  This gem may not be as well known as other  islands in the Caribbean but it definitely is the cool new kid to the region and a paradise.

Heading back on board our cruise

Wildcat finishing off the perfect day with some chocolate