Melissa5

Hi Caribbean experts, who have been to St. Kitts! We have finally agreed on a Caribbean island for our February 2006 trip. Going to St. Kitts, and if we don't book soon everything will be full.

Hubby is a biologist and this will be a romantic get-away for us, hopefully with some eco-tourism / nature exploration of native flora and fauna / snorkeling or swimming / good local food / a little night-life with music/dancing would be nice. Any place to meet and chat with locals?

We prefer a place on a beach, which is good for snorkeling or swimming...We DON'T need a big pool with a theme park at our hotel! Prefer something nice and low-key in a natural area, not too built up. Price: under $350 per night (sometimes better prices are available as package deal...)

Recommendations on the best side of the island, best beaches for snorkeling and swimming and beautiful beach walks, would be appreciated.

Favorite restaurants for good local food and spots for night-life?

Recommendations for eco-tourism/nature exploration?

Thanks so much!

A_Traveller

If you are looking for an island with very good "off-beach" snorkeling you'll probably be a little disappointed in St. Kitts, the best snorkeling area (which is only "average&quot is at Shitten Bay and is accessible only by boat. The island does, however, meet most of your other requirements. For beachfront hotels and resorts look at Golden Lemon Inn, Bird Rock Beach Hotel, Frigate Bay Resort, Timothy Beach Resort and the Marriott (if you don't mind a large hotel).

lizpereira

Melissa, you will love St. Kitts!

My family is from St. Kitts and I have been going since I was a child.

Secluded beaches, breathtaking views, friendly and helpful locals, fun beach bars and so much more.

For eco-tourism/nature exploration I highly recommend Greg's Safaris rainforest or volcano tour. Recommended by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.
www.gregssafaris.com

Delicious food at Mr. X's Shiggidy Shack, Sprat Net, Turtle Beach Bar & Grill www.turtlebeach1.com, Ballahoo's, Stonewalls, Circus Grill, and PJ's.

Not a lot of night life, but be sure to visit Mr. X's Shiggidy Shack for karaoke and bonfire and Turtle Beach on Sunday for live steel band.

Mr. X's on South Frigate Bay is the official forum link up spot on the island. Lime with the locals and tourists.

I recommend Timothy Beach Resort located on South Frigate Bay. Clean and comfortable rooms with friendly and helpful staff. Reasonably priced too.

You can snorkel near Timothy Beach Resort, Cockleshell, Whitehouse Bay, and Turtle Beach.

If you take the Blue Water Safaris catamaran excursion, they take you snorkeling. www.bluewatersafaris.com

Some websites you might find helpful is www.discover-stkitts-nevis-beaches.com
www.myislands.myeyez.net
www.stkitts-tourism.com

Statia

When you are on the island, see if you can locate Oliver Spencer. He is well known and does terrific private tours of the island. He can also take you to some wonderful eco-friendly areas and give you a lot of great info.

Statia

BTW - If you see him, tell him that his friends from "Statia" sent you.

JimC

Hi Melissa,

You might consider a day trip to Nevis. There's a nice botanical garden on the island that you and your husband might enjoy. My wife and I stayed at the Nisbet Plantation in 2002 and really had a great time.

Melissa5

lizperiera, what a great source of info you are! Thanks very much for all the suggestions. I am printing them out. Have you been to other islands as well? How do you feel the snorkeling on St. Kitts compares to other islands?

I should mention I am only a beginning snorkeler, and only stay out about an hour a day! But hubby gets disappointed if the reefs are so disturbed that there isn't much left to see. We have snorkeled in Hawaii and he wasn't too impressed. He enjoyed snorkeling in the Caribbean more, though that was more than 20 years ago so we aren't even sure where we snorkeled! (It was probably St. Thomas, St. John, or St. Lucia.)

I'm going to look at Timothy Beach Resort...I remember seeing it on tripadvisor.com and maybe in the Fodors guidebook.

A Traveller, I am so frustrated in trying to get this Caribbean trip booked! It's so hard to agree on which island best combines the features we are looking for. You mentioned that snorkeling off St. Kitts is only "average". Which islands would you say have very good off-beach snorkeling (incredible but suitable for a timid beginner who is easily scared out of the water, and her bolder biologist hubby?!)

The problem is, great snorkeling isn't our only criteria, and may perhaps not even be the most important one. We basically need an island that satisfies us both overall.

Probably to my hubby being able to explore some interesting native flora and fauna is more important to him than snorkeling, although good snorkeling is a definite bonus! For me, I want romance, tropical breezes, nice beaches, good local food (not tourist food), a little music/dancing, meeting nice, interesting people...

The huge Marriott on St. Kitts sounds like the kind of place we try to avoid. (Full of complaining "Marriott" people, taking up more room than it's worth, and contributing to the island's danger of becoming overbuilt. That's just our view of things, someone else might disagree.

I can see it coming...is anyone going to ask: What are "Marriot" people? They are the people who don't actually know one island from another, who may never leave the resort. Sometimes they even ask for a day-trip to see the "real" island, if they are feeling very adventurous!!!

A_Traveller

To answer your snorkeling question, the best islands for snorkeling, i.e. ones that have an abundance of reefs that are accessible directly "off the beach" as well as other places accessible by boat are: Bonaire (some say this island has the best overall snorkeling in the Caribbean), the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Tobago Cays (in the Grenadines). You'll also find good to very good, but limited quantity) snorkeling off of Anguilla, the Turks & Caicos and off of many of the Bahamas Out Islands.

St. Martin, St. Barths, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada and the other "volcanic islands" will generally not have great snorkeling when compared to the islands mentioned above. Generally speaking the islands with lush interiors will not have the best snorkeling. Likewise, the islands with great snorkeling won't have the rain forests and high mountains eco-tourists crave.

To help you in finding "your island" make a list of the attributes you want in order of importance. That will help you narrow your choices. In all probability you will have to compromise a bit. It is really difficult to find an island that "has everything".

If I was selecting an island that has a good combination of snorkeling and flora and fauna I'd suggest you look at St. John or Virgin Gorda.

Melissa5

JimC: Thanks for the suggestion of a day-trip to Nevis, I think we would enjoy that.

A Traveller, I see what you are saying, lush volcanic islands vs. great snorkeling islands like Bonaire. I guess, rather than always looking for a "compromise" island, it might be fun to visit a different type of island on each trip.

lizpereira

Melissa:

I have travelled to quite a few islands in the Caribbean for work. (Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico (I know it's not the Caribbean), Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, and Barbados.

I've heard the snorkeling is good in Cozumel and Turks & Caicos.

I'm surprised your husband didn't like snorkeling in Hawaii. I've been to Oahu & Maui and thought it was amazing.

I've also snorkeled off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Now that was amazing!! Nothing can compete with that....

St. Kitts is not known for amazing snorkeling.

Feel free to e-mail me directly if you have any questions.

tripster

Hi Melissa,
Definitely avoid the Marriot. It's a big fat behemoth and you can go to San Juan or Miami if that's what you want! I know every island has (maybe needs) hotels like this, but it's not what you go to St. Kitts for.
Well, if you don't mind being off the beach, Rawlins plantation inn is unbeatable, though i;m not sure about your budget. IT;s
one of the most gorgeous places you could imagine. Even if you're not staying there, definitely stop by for their legendary lunch spread. Maybe they'll let you hit some balls on their grass tennis court. Wow!
Ottleys is also great, (although maybe a touch less genteel than Rawlin's) and maybe more convenient to beaches and town. I love the way they built the pool amidst the ruins of an old sugar warehouse. Great imagination.
Maybe you could stay in one of the plantations for a few days and somewhere less expensive on a beach for the other time, to lower the cost.
I know others find Golden Lemon a bit funny, but I think it's also great. Set quirkily in a ramshackle village and right on a beach with snorkeling right there and a nice view of Saba. Owners Arthur and Martin are great hosts.
Hey, don't miss Stonewalls in Basseterre to eat or the Sprat net up toward Sandy POint.
THe Mt. Liamuiga hike is well worth it and Oliver SPencer is a great guide (and an outspoken rebel!). Try to ride horses up into the rainforest too. I did that with my wife and 10-year-old son and it was unforgettable.
There was another boy who went with us so he wouldn't be frightened.
Make sure to take some time to meet some of the regular people and buy em a Carib (or two) by the roadside. The people are St. Kitts' greatest asset!!

lizpereira

Ottley's Plantation is definitely another option. Beautiful grounds and accommodations, delicious meals, and excellent service. They have a complimentary shuttle to the beach.

Another resort I love is Ocean Terrace Inn. Located in Fortlands, five minutes from Basseterre (the capital), it is a small resort where you will receive personalized service. They have a complimentary shuttle to Turtle Beach www.turtlebeach1.com where you can charge drinks and meals to your room.

A lovely B&B is Rock Haven. www.rock-haven.com The owners, Dr. & Mrs. Blake will make you feel like a member of their family and help you book a car rental, rainforest tour, etc.

LIZ

inthechips2

Melissa, we thought the Marriott stood out like a sore thumb on St. Kitts. It seemed so out of place with the feeling of the rest of the island, and we covered the whole island. We stayed at the Timothy Beach Resort and while it's not fancy, it's clean and comfortable and right on the beach. Our visit over a year ago had us concerned when we heard another cruise ship dock was being built, but are hopeful we can make another trip or two that way before the hordes show up. We loved St. Kitts.

Snorkeling in front of the resort was so-so and we have snorkeled in Hawaii, the Caribbean and just recently the Whitsunday Islands in Australia. By far, in our experience, the water in Australia blows everything else away, and the coral was gorgeous (where we were) but not as many fish as our experiences in Hawaii. The water in the Caribbean and Australia seemed much warmer than Hawaii though so we stayed in much, much longer.

St.Kitts is a friendly island and a cold Carib on the beach can't be beat.

Melissa5

Liz and tripster: Thank you so much for chatting with me about the Caribbean. I am so frustrated right now! I think it's because there are so many islands, research is more confusing than ever...

I am island-hopping in my research, help!

Liz, how did you feel TURKS & CAICOS compared to ST. KITTS? In terms of development (over-development being "bad" in my view); natural beauty; friendliness of locals; having their own "culture" (instead of just seeming "American", which can happen sometimes when islands are over-touristed by USA tourists!) Prices? Good local food? Nature?

I have tried to zero in on places to stay, thinking maybe I could choose the island by my attraction to the accomodations! Ahhh! Backwards! Finding it hard to balance such conflicting things like beautiful sandy beach; good snorkeling beach with great under-water life close to shore; good local food; very comfortable accomodations which are not too "American" but also with comforts like good beds, good showers, either a breeze with fans or air conditioning that works...We tend to like memorable places to stay which have a local feel and yet provide comforts and friendly service. Good locations, like on a good beach or near a rainforest, always help.

Anyway I came up with some ideas. Maybe I could stay on St. Kitts and divide our time between TIMOTHY BEACH RESORT and either RAWLINS Plantaton Inn or OTTLEY'S Plantation Inn...which one? We will have a car if that matters...

Maybe this is a total coincidence and means nothing, but there sure are a lot of complainers on tripadvisor complaining about picky things at Ottleys, makes me wonder what sort of guests we'd have to put up with! Several people complained about things which I think can't be helped, hey, this is the Caribbean, like electricity going out (not like that was planned purposely!!) and nobody being friendly (hello! the reviewer doesn't sound like anybody I would want to be friendly to either)! Anyway if you have visited Ottleys maybe you could tell me the feeling you had about it? (sometimes Tripadvisor is very accurate, but other times it can lead you astray, I know that for sure.)

OR we could spend time on both St. Kitts and Nevis...but where to stay on Nevis? A plantation inn? Not sure why it seems so difficult to find a nice place on a beach which is around $350 a night or less in February..And which doesn't look so crowded, like the Four Seasons photo on Nevis shows many lounge chairs on the beach all lined up next to each other...yikes, not enough privacy.

I cannot quite figure out St. Kitts. I have been to Kaui and Maui in the last few years, and in the distant past (over 20 years ago) we visited Dominica, St. Thomas, St. John's day-trip, St. Lucia. Is St. Kitts like any of those islands? We liked Kaui better than Maui, although Maui is well-suited for a splurgy wedding anniversary trip, which is what we were celebrating.

I thought St. John's was beautiful 20 years ago, but hubby the biologist complains that all the native vegetation was cut down years ago and replanted with something else...He is always hunting for native flora and fauna wherever he goes.

Liz, now I will have to check out Rock Haven and Ocean Terrace Inn, thank you so much for putting up with me! You seem to know St. Kitts very well (and I think we can consider you a local.) Where would you recommend that we stay, to get the best balance between these 3 desires: Authentic St. Kitts atmosphere; Friendlines of hosts/owners/staff; and Comfort. (What I mean by comfort is...comfty beds, decent showers, clean and not moldy rooms (allergies); and we love being able to sleep with the windows open (screened windows if there are bugs), and let the natural breezes in. This would be February...of course if its unbearably hot, and only then, would we turn on the air conditioner. Or would you suggest we divide our time between 2 places?

Hubby is still trying to talk me into returning to Dominica, although he is also very open to St. Kitts. Wish I could make up "our" mind!

Coral Sands hotel on Turks & Caicos looks nice, although it seems to be on an island that might be over-developed, it's hard to tell...I think it's on Providenciales?

On Dominica the Beau Rive looks like a terrific place to stay although remote. I was thinking we could divide our time between the BEAU Rive and one of the diving hotels near Rosseau (because they would take us snorkeling.)

But St. Kitts looks good too!

Thanks everybody.

Melissa5

tripster: hey, I'd love to meet some of the "regular people" and buy them a Carib...as soon as you tell me what's a carib. Sounds like fun. Must be a local drink...a beer?

Melissa5

inthechips2: Thanks for your view on St. Kitts, Timothy's, and how it compares with Hawaii, which gives me a frame of reference.

Yes, I too am concerned about that second cruise ship dock for St. Kitts! We plan to go to Australia someday too, where did you find the best snorkeling?

It is disappointing to me that the snorkeling in front of Timothy's (St. Kitts) was so-so (for you, compared to other islands.) One thing that's making it difficult to plan this vacation is hubby's main concern, besides spending romantic time with me, is that the island have some intact native flora and fauna for him. (biologist) But for me, that's NOT the main concern, I want romance, a memorable place to stay that feels authentic, and good snorkeling would be nice but it's not what I live for or anything...on Maui I only stayed in the water snorkeling about an hour or two max in the morning and I would grow tired of swimming!

I do enjoy a nice beach walk, and adore dining on the beach or dining with an ocean view. We love finding tasty local food.

Okay, time to get some other things done here! Thanks for your input.

Laby

Melissa5, you mention a limit of $350 a night but it will cost you much more than that at Ottley's or Rawlins in February. Turks and Caicos have beautiful beaches but it doesn't have much in the way of flora, fauna, or hiking trails. I think that the suggestions of Rock Haven, Bird Rock, Ocean Terrace Inn or Timothy Beach Resort will better meet your budget, while satisfying most of your other requirements.

Melissa5

Laby, if some nights cost more than $350 a night, I could balance that if other nights cost less than $350 a night. Also might consider getting a package deal from AAA, and sometimes you get a better deal that way.

Laby

A split vacation between Ottley's or Rawlins and one of the less expensive beachside inns sounds delightful. It would give you the best of St. Kitts, the quiet beauty (and first class cuisine) of the inland plantation resort and the beach life where you'll experience more of the local scene (with all the great restaurants) and have a chance to snorkel. St. Kitts is a great destination for hiking and exploring nature. I'm sure you'll have a great time!

faithie

Melissa ..... Seriously look into Tobago . It HAS the amazingly diverse flora and fauna . It HAS incredible snorkelling and diving . It HAS beautiful beaches AND beachside hotels . It is NOT overdevelloped . It has retained a distinct culture ..... Beachside hotels , hiking , snorkelling , amazing flora and fauna ( with a unique history in that aspect ) . Small inns , weekly hop-ups , take a look !!!