simbam

Curious if monkey sightings are fairly common in Nevis?

Because Nevis lacks great beaches and snorkeling (or so I've been told) we've never considered it for a vacation - but it does sound wonderful in other ways. My husband is a history buff so I think he'd love it. And . . . the possibility of seeing monkeys might make up for lack of snorkeling.

bajangirl

I stayed at the Hermitage Inn a couple years ago up in the mountains on Nevis. The "rooms" there are individual traditional cottages, and the monkeys went right by our window every morning and evening without fail. You would have to be both blind and deaf to miss them. Woke up one morning to find a dove on the top of the 4 poster bed cooing at us - guess it was time to get up! It was fabulous there and the food at their restaurant is also excellent and will cater to special diets.

SKBFAN1

A website on Nevis that you might enjoy is www.nevisisland.com and www.nevisforum.com

If you do a day trip to St. Kitts you will see monkeys as you drive down the southeast peninsula.

In Nevis I spent the day on Pinney's Beach and loved it. Lover's Beach is another popular beach in Nevis.

mymoosie

We stayed at the Hermitage Inn last December and the monkeys were out playing in the backyard during the evening hours. Then we woke up in the morning to the monkeys running around our rooftop. It was really neat!

Knowing

We stayed at the FS on Nevis and saw no less than 15 monkeys up on the golf course.
What it lacks in beaches it makes up for in history and many other things, i.e. Sunshine's on Pinneys beach - which is a great famous beach shack. Try a
"Killer Bee".
We thought our vacation was as perfect as a vacation could get.

ejcrowe

We saw monkeys where we stayed at Mt Nevis Hotel as well as when hiking the paths at Golden Rock one afternoon. We did see a LOT more of them on St. Kitts, however. We'd be just driving around the island and huge troops (what do you call a group of monkeys, anyway?) of them would cross the road right in front of us and along the roadside. And of course at the Turtle Beach bar.

Nevisian

Monkeys are more common at higher elevations such as the Plantation Inns (Hermitage, Goldenrock, Mt. Nevis) than the beach resorts (Four Seasons, Nisbett). Four Season is such a large hillside resort that they have Monkey tours via golf cart every day. If you rent a hillside villa rather than a beachfront hotel room you have a better chance of having monkeys visit your yard. We have a three generation family living in the ghaut (ravine) next door (Jessups Village - along side the 4S) for the last few years and we are on the lower slopes of Mt. Nevis. The groups come and go with the rain. When the weather is drier they venture further down the hill for food. I don't know where you got the impression that Nevis doesn't have good beaches. Pinney's Beach is lovely and pretty unspoiled as well as the beach at Nesbit, Lover's Beach... If you're looking for crowded beaches such as 7 Mile Beach in Grand Cayman or Hotel row in Puerto Rico then, Nevis does not have such beaches. The sand is sand coloured, not coral atoll white but they are lovely. The history of Nevis is rich. If you are looking into an experience such as bajangirl's then you should check in to the Hermitage. It is a wonderful property. The mountain Inns all have jitneys to the beaches. What we are missing lately are the herds of wild donkeys: they've been deported. However traffic jams are still as likely to be caused by herds of goats as slow cars.

joan

Yep, we saw monkeys too - we rented a villa across the road from Oalie Beach. We caught them stealing grapefruits out of the tree. Our maid scolded us for leaving the house shutters open during the day, as she was afraid to enter and find monkeys (luckily they hadn't entered).

Yes, the snorkeling is pretty nonexistent, but the exploring and the exotic beaches more than made up for that. I should mention that Oalie Beach Resort has a resident snorkel leader, Barbara Whitman, who supposedly gives a great snorkel tour. I believe she takes you across the small channel over to a remote area of St. Kitts. We were signed up to go, but I got sick and we had to cancel at the last minute.

cw

Simbam,

We've stayed at the Hermitage twice in the past two years. Here's a link to my photos of the vervet monkeys:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yuq8vp

The photos were taken in the late afternoon one day. As has been already said, the monkeys visit in the early morning and late afternoon.

Nevis has a lot to offer, and the beaches are fine. The island has a lush volcanic landscape so the sand is not fine white. This is no way dimishes the experience.

CW

SKBFAN1

Amazing monkey photos! Thanks for sharing them.

cm318

Love the monkey photos! I also never considered Nevis for a vacation because it doesn't have a reputation for good diving and snorkeling. But, I think monkeys are as much fun to watch as turtles! Seeing monkeys was the highlight of my trip to Costa Rica. Your photos now have me thinking in a whole new direction. Thanks -- I love exploring new places.