8 Best Sights in St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis

A somewhat restored house (once the property of Thomas Jefferson's great-great-great-grandfather Samuel) and surrounding replicas of chattel-house cottages are set in 8 acres of glorious tiered gardens, with exotic flowers, an old bell tower, and an enormous, gnarled 400-year-old saman tree (sometimes called a rain tree). Inside, at Caribelle Batik, you can watch artisans hand-printing fabrics by the 2,500-year-old Indonesian wax-and-dye process known as batik. You can also stroll to the 17th-century ruins (including sugar equipment, a still, and cistern) of Wingfield Manor, site of the first land grant in the British West Indies and home to a ziplining outfit. A bar serves luscious homemade rum cake and affords splendid panoramas of the rain forest. Look for signs indicating a turnoff for Romney Manor near Old Road.

This series of lava deposits was spat into the sea ages ago when the island's volcano erupted. It has since been molded into fanciful shapes by centuries of pounding surf, and it's a magical place to see where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean. The government has added much-needed railings and viewing platforms as well as a collection of colorful, faux chattel houses that double as crafts and food stalls.

Parts of this French colonial greathouse set on more than 2 lush tropical acres date back to 1701, with an impeccably restored interior in period fashion. Each room is painted in different colors from pomegranate to lemon. Furnishings include a 16-seat mahogany dinner table set with china and silver; docents relate fascinating factoids (chaises were broadened to accommodate petticoats—or "can-can skirts," in local parlance). Cross the cobblestone courtyard to the original kitchen, replete with volcanic stone and brick oven, and bathing room (heated rocks warmed spring water in the tub). The fieldstone cellar now contains the gift shop, offering local pottery, art, and honey harvested on-site at the apiary. You can wander meticulously maintained gardens with interpretive signage, filled with chattering birds and monkeys. They hold occasional rum tastings, cooking classes, or other special events—often by the pool.

There are lovely gardens and a fountain on the site of a former slave market at Independence Square. The square is surrounded on three sides by 18th-century Georgian buildings.

There are lovely gardens and a fountain on this site of a former slave market at Independence Square. The square is surrounded on three sides by 18th-century Georgian buildings.

This site marks the first permanent English settlement in the West Indies, founded in 1624 by Thomas Warner. Take the side road toward the interior to find some Carib petroglyphs, testimony of even earlier habitation. The largest depicts a female figure on black volcanic rock, presumably a fertility goddess. Less than a mile east of Old Road along Main Road is Bloody Point, where French and British soldiers joined forces in 1629 to repel a mass Carib attack; reputedly so many Caribs were massacred that the stream ran red for three days.

A dirt road, nearly impassable after heavy rains, leads to a long mocha crescent on the Atlantic. The shallow coves are protected here, making it ideal for families, and it's usually deserted. Brisk breezes lure the occasional windsurfer, but avoid the rocky far left area because of fierce sudden swells and currents. This exceptionally pretty beach lacks shade; Christophe Harbour has constructed several villas and a beach club (whose upscale Pavilion restaurant is open to the public only for dinner). As you drive southeast along Simmonds Highway, approximately 10 miles (16 km) from Basseterre, look for an unmarked dirt turnoff to the left of the Great Salt Pond. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; windsurfing.

The beach is rocky, but the snorkeling, taking in several reefs surrounding a sunken tugboat, as well as a recently discovered 18th-century British troop ship, is superb. It's usually deserted, though the calm water (and stunning scenery) makes it a favorite anchorage of yachties. There is little shade, but also little seaweed. Christophe Harbour's sexy beach bar (open from late afternoon), Salt Plage, anchors one end. A dirt road skirts a hill to the right off Simmonds Highway approximately 2 miles (3 km) after Friar's. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; solitude.