iw

We just returned from St. Kitts, Nevis and St. Martin. While we like all 3 islands, it is for different reasons. I prefer the laid-back and undeveloped feel of St. Kitts and Nevis. The 2 islands are very different. Does anyone have any thoughts on how Anguilla, St. Barts, St. John or St. Thomas would compare to any of the places that we have been?
I am sure that this is the 1st of many ??? that I will be asking in the next few months.
Thanks for your time.

A_Traveller

You are looking at 4 very different islands.

St. Thomas and St. Barth's are going to be far from "laid back" in fact they are quite the opposite is true. Think of St. Barth's as a very upscale version of the French side of St. Martin - very European feel. You'll find the island filled with chic, trendy and often expensive shops and so many upscale French and dining establishments that you can dine out every day for months and never go to the same place twice. The island has one of the largest concentration of luxury rental villas in the Caribbean, the beaches can be crowded at times with jetsetters and "in people". It's an island that can easily be featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

St. Thomas is also a very crowded island, with plenty of shopping, traffic jams, fast food & chain restaurants, cruise ships, active night life and watersports galore. St. Thomas is a terrific destination for a day trip but I wouldn't want to stay for any length of time.

Anguilla is more like what you are seeking - quite, uncrowded, beautiful long strands of sugar white beaches (35 different ones to visit), no real night life, several upscale resorts, over 80 restaurants some of which are among the best in the Caribbean. The island is flat, arid and scruffy with little natural vegetation so if you are seeking the lushness of St. Kitts and Nevis you may be disappointed in Anguilla (however few visitors are ever disappointed).

St. John is a mountainous island with some nice greenery but the mountaians are nowhere near at high or as lush as those you found on St. Kitts and Nevis. St. John does boast a National Park that covers 2/3's of the island so it is a very attractive island in its natural state. Cruz Bay offers some decent tourist shopping and there's a good variety of restaurants but not as many as on St. Barth's or Anguilla. The island has numerous light golden sand beaches which are generalll smaller cove like beaches with very good to excellent "off beach" snorkeling. St. John is more "active" than Anguilla but not nearly as hectic as St. Thomas or St. Barths.

Hope this helps.

iw

Wow! You really are a traveller! Thank you for the insight. We do tend to go for the more quiet atmosphere. As much as I like St. Kitts and Nevis, I feel that we need to branch out and visit a new place. I think Anguilla or St. John might fit the bill. I also appreciate the warning about the vegetation in Anguilla.....that is one of the things that I missed in Aruba, but I have heard so many nice things about Anguilla, that the landscape wouldn't be a major factor in deciding to visit.
Thanks for you timely reply!!

Carrybean

Check into the BVI. Lusher than Anquilla, Tortolla is very hilly & nice beaches on all the BVI. Anegada is totally flat & more desert-like, though with nothing much there but pretty beaches too.

iw

ttt....anyone else???? these ideas are awesome!!!!!

Knowing

I enjoyed Nevis so much, but I also did like St. Thomas. It is true that in Charlotte Amalie (the downtown area)you shop til you drop at Little Switzerland or whatever your choice of shop is and there are lots of cruise ships, but the entire island isn't all like that. It does have an endless list of activities, they offer things like scuba diving, parasailing, jet ski's, and the tennis courts are in much better shape than those in Nevis. There dining options are very different. We've never dined anywhere in the Caribbean like we did in Nevis and I doubt that we ever will. Sigh!
Carrybean brought up a good idea when she mentioned the British Virgin Islands. You could snorkel in some very pristine water and visit The Baths!

Carib_dreamn

I followed your trip report like a hawk as we are returning to St. Kitts this january for two weeks - whoppeee...hope it is as good as I hope.

If you really like St.Kitts - maybe you want to consider Grenada...very similar (I found) in terms of laid back, strong community, safe, friendly people and breathtaking geography with even better beaches than St.Kitts plus all kinds of fun stuff to do and see with other islands to see around and good dining!!

I have been there 5 times it is my fave island and I would LOVE to answer any questions if you have them....There is an article in this months Caribbean Life magazine regarding Grenada in Full bloom again...

Have fun planning!