I always appreciate your advice and comments, so here goes. Last week you responded to my St. Barts/Barths (whatever) or Tortola question, as far as getting to the island from St. Kitts/Nevis. I checked into that and I can't find a direct flight. Also, imagine my dismay in learning that my travel agent passed away. I relied on him to book our multi-island trips, since it is a pain in the neck to switch around. Side note:I have sent a card
to his wife to tell her how special and patient he was!
Anyway, we want to go back to Nevis since DH hiked up Mt. Nevis with Jim Johnson and the film was ruined at the developers, so he is determined to do it again with a digital camera, of course. We wanted to add on another island since it will be our 3rd time to those particular islands. Knowing that we lost a day due to rain adding on another island last year, do you really think it is worth it to squeeze a 3rd stop in 12-14 days????? I did feel like I spent a lot of time unpacking and repacking. I don't have the option of splitting trips due to my teaching job and his work schedule. Any thoughts? Sorry for rambling, but I am not sure that a 2-stop or 1-stop flight is worth it. I want to relax! Not to mention the fact that we felt like we were at a family reunion when we returned to Nevis and people remembered us!
Thanks for taking the time to read this weird message.

I'm sure ejcrowe will respond to your post but I'll put in my $.02.

Nevis is one of my favorite islands and you are right about the locals making repeat visitors feellike you are "coming back home". In my book any time on Nevis is better than not being on Nevis. Having said that it's a difficult island to get to from other islands so you have to weigh the extra time you'll spend traveling against the time you have set aside for your entire vacation.

I personally think that trying to do 3 islands in a 12 to 14 days is a bit much given every island on your list (St. Barth, Tortola and Nevis) will require at least 2 connecting flights to reach any of the other islands. You are going to spend a lot of airport time just going between 2 island and adding a third means you'll loose that much more liesure time. Remember the smaller comuter flights that you have to take between islands are often delayed mainly do to weather and maintenavce delays so that too can add to your travel time. To paraphase an old movie title, do you really want to be saying to yourself, "If it's Tuesday, this must be Nevis".

On a typical 12 day trip to the Caribbean you'll spend most of your first day getting to you initial destination (say Tortola) and most of your last day getting back home. That leaves you with 10 days. If you figure the better part of 2 other travel days to get from Tortola to St. Barth and from St. Barth to Nevis (remember no direct flights between any of those islands) it means you've now reduced your actual "on-island" vacation time to 8 days (or 2.3 days per island).

Honestly, If I were you I'd pick 2 islands and save the third for another trip.

Now, of course, comes the hard part - which of the 3 islands do you eliminate? That's a tough choice, but I'd go with visiting islands you haven't been to before. That way you'll experience something new.

Good luck in deciding what is best for you.

Thank you. You have pretty much confirmed what I was feeling. Yes, the hard part is eliminating one. I just couldn't get over the travel time and I don't want to waste any time this year!

hi, iw! Sorry for the delay, but I've just returned from a glorious long weekend in Memphis with my two best pals from high school & college.

I couldn't agree more with A_Traveller. I'd pick two of them and save the third one for next year. And of the ones you're considering, I'd personally probably skip St. Barth (heh, whatever!) just because I love the BVI and Nevis.

Have you decided on places to stay yet? Or your travel dates yet? Definitely keep us posted so we can have that grand ol' vicarious pleasure!

Thank you for the thoughts! I am not sure where we are staying in Nevis. We have stayed at Oualie Beach for the last 2 years, but I might want to try something new and go there for lunch/dinner/visit. We did so many neat things this past year in St. Kitts and we have no pictures, so part of me wonders if we will try to recreate the pics. Argh!!! St. Kitts is so easy to get to from Nevis via ferry and easy to fly out of. I will keep you posted. Let me know if you have a different idea of lodging in Nevis. Oh, I can't wait to quit teaching so that I can travel at normal times!!!

Oh, and I hope that your trip was wonderful!!! Sounds fun to reunite!!

Sorry, can't really help you with the accommodation choice on Nevis. We stayed at Mount Nevis Hotel, which I would recommend in its price range and category, but I would prefer to stay elsewhere next time by spending a little bit more and staying either at Nisbet or Montpelier, both of which we visited and loved.

We'll be heading to St. Kitts over Thanksgiving next month--my first visit and my husband's second. If you have any special recommendations, I'd love to know them.

I know that I posted this somewhere earlier, so I apologize for the repetition. We love Serendipity, Marshall's and Mr. X's Shiggidy Shack (real island flavor...no frills...excellent food). I have heard excellent things about Sprat Net, but we didn't get to it last time (again, no frills, picnic tables, excellent food).
We love hanging out at Turtle Beach. There is nothing fancy here, just an awesome drive to reach it...saw cows, goats and monkeys. Very low key and not a spectacular beach, but we just love "liming" there. There is a good view of Nevis from Turtle Beach. We loved the island tour...can't remember the guys name right now, but it is on my trip report from July. The Batik, Ottley's Plantation and the Fortress were the major stops and very worthwhile. We did the rain forest tour on our first trip and it was great fun.
Where are you staying? We tend to stay at the Marriott, which I know is overbearing for the island and usually against my vacation principles, but, I love the access to the casino and DH loves the huge rooms that we get upgraded to as return guests. We might cave in and stay there again....don't know.
Oh, while in Nevis, we met a sailboat of folks that had come from St. Kitts on a day trip and ended up at Sunshines, near the 4S, for lunch. It sounded like a fun trip.
If I think of more, I will repost.
Thanks for your help!
Karen