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ST.
KITTS & NEVIS TRAVEL TIPS
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| Area: St Kitts: 176.1 sq km (66.1 sq miles). Nevis: 93.3 sq km (36 sq miles). Total: 269.4 sq km (104 sq smiles). Population: 45,841 (estimate as of 2000). Population Density: 170.2 per sq km. Capital:
Basseterre (on St. Kitts). Population: 12,605 (2001). |
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Electricity:
230 volts at 60 Hz. Hotel usually have 110 volts.
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ST.
KITTS & NEVIS ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Citizens of the United States and Canada need some form of identification,
such as a passport (recommended), or original birth certificate (with
raised seal) and a government-issued photo ID. Visitors from all other
countries, including those of the Caribbean, need a valid passport. Click
here for Visa Informations
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GETTING AROUND ST. KITTS & NEVIS
Renting a car is the best all-around transportation option on
both islands. There are numerous car rental agencies on St Kitts and a
few in Charlestown and Newcastle on Nevis. Foreign visitors must purchase
a visitor's driver's license for around 20.00, which is valid for one
year. The easiest place to get one is at the fire station in Basseterre;
in Nevis, go to a police station. Remember to drive on the left.
Buses on St Kitts are a decent transportation alternative. Privately owned minivans serve most of the island except Frigate Bay and the southeastern peninsula. Service is cheap but sporadic and there's no schedule; buses are most plentiful in the early morning and late afternoon. On Nevis, there's no circle-island bus route and service is sketchy. If you're trying to see Nevis on a day tour, taxis are a better option.
The best way to get between the islands is via the government-run passenger ferry Caribe Queen, which runs between St Kitts and Nevis five days a week. The ferry docks are in central Basseterre and Charlestown, which for most people makes the ferry more practical than flying between the two islands. The ferry trip takes about 45 minutes and offers good views of both islands.
The
other main way to get between the islands is to fly. LIAT has several
daily flights between St Kitts and Nevis; there's also a prop-plane shuttle
that operates about 10 times a day. St Kitts' Bradshaw Airport is on the
northern outskirts of Basseterre. On Nevis, the airport is just west of
Newcastle, at the northern end of the island. Taxis meet scheduled flights
at both airports.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS CUSTOMS & DUTY FREE
ALLOWANCES AND RESTRICTIONS
ST. KITTS & NEVIS COMMUNICATIONS
Many public telephones take coins; those that don't take phonecards, available in EC$10, EC$20 and EC$50 denominations from the post office, Cable and Wireless outlets, and convenience stores.
The country code for St Kitts and Nevis is 869.
The regional prefix for both islands is 869. For directory assistance when you're there, dial 411.
The postal service has offices in Basseterre and Charlestown (Mon–Wed & Fri 8am–3pm, Thurs & Sat 8am–12noon). Sending a postcard costs EC$0.80 to the US, EC$1 to the UK and Europe, and EC$1.20 to Australia; add 10–40¢ for letters.
The internet is only starting to catch on here and checking email is expensive. St Kitts' only internet café, Leyton's, is on Basseterre's Fort Street. Nevis' sole web source, Connextions, is on Main Street in Charlestown, south of the pier.
In case of emergency, dial 911.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS SOCIAL PROFILE
Food & Drink: The islands are filled with farms so
your farm produce will always be fresh. Turtle steaks and suckling pig
are favorites here. Seafood is also a good choice.
Nightlife: Very low key. A number of hotels and inns have string or steel bands to dance to on Saturday nights in the peak season, and there is a disco called J’s Place at the foot of the Brimstone Hill Fortress in St Kitts. Reflections Night Club, also in St Kitts, is open until the small hours. St Kitts has two casinos in Frigate Bay, complete with slot machines, roulette wheels and blackjack tables. In Nevis, Club Trenim is recommended. Otherwise, entertainment centres around the pleasant bars of the inns and hotels.
Special
Events: Festivals in St Kitts & Nevis culminate in the annual
week-long carnival over Christmas, featuring floats, calypso competitions,
masked parades and house parties. Visitors are encouraged to take part.
The following is a selection of special events occurring in St Kitts and
Nevis in 2005:
Jan 1-2 Carnival, Basseterre. Mar Inner-City Festival, Molineaux. Apr
14-17 Easter Celebrations. May Green Valley Festival, Cayon. Jun Caribbean
Offshore Race. Jul St Kitts Football Festival. Aug 1 Culturama Day, Nevis.
Sep Newtown Fest; Festival de Capisterre, Newtown Ground. Sep 19 Independence
Day (parades, street festivities and dancing). Oct St Kitts Tourism Week
(Caribbean tourism pageant, ocean festival and steel band concerts); Oceanfest
(sunfish racing, fishing tournament, food, music and dancing). Nov Guy
Fest, Old Town Road. Dec National Carnival (including Calypso King and
Queen competitions, Miss St Kitts beauty pageant and various other youth
talent contests). Dec 26 Jouvert Morning (carnival at 0400).
Social
Conventions: Commercialisation has not yet taken over and the
easygoing, quiet way of life of the local people remains almost unspoiled.
All visitors to the islands are cordially welcomed; marriages are valid
after two days’ residence. Islanders maintain traditions of calypso
dancing and music and this can be seen particularly during the summer
months. Dress is informal at most hotels. Beach attire is not appropriate
for around town, in shops or in restaurants. For more formal occasions
and functions, a lightweight suit and tie is recommended.
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ST.
KITTS & NEVIS HEALTH & SAFETY
These Caribbean islands experience a relatively low crime rate since they
are not a large tourist destination. Most of the crime here takes the
form of stolen belongings that were left unattended on beaches, in cars,
and in unlocked hotel rooms. As always, keep a close eye on valuables,
never leave valuable items exposed in rental cars, and remember to lock
your hotel room and vehicle. Women should not go out alone along deserted
roads, as they are more likely to be robbed.
The
water on the islands is among the purest in the Caribbean, making it very
safe to drink. As a side note, be sure to try Cane Sugar Rothschild, a
pure sugar cane liqueur that is brewed exclusively with water from the
islands.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS MEDICAL FACILITIES
St. Kitts & Nevis has doctors on call at hotels and a 24-hour Casualty
Department. Recompression chambers are available by air ambulance at nearby
Saba and in St. Thomas. Pharmaceutical services are widely available.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS CURRENCY/MONEY
Currency:
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations
of EC$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of EC$1, and 25,
10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. US Dollars are also legal tender on the islands.
Currency exchange: Most major currencies can be exchanged at banks on the islands.
Credit & debit cards: All major cards are widely accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available. ATMs are widely available.
Travellers
cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers
are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.
Banking: Banks are open from 8 am until 3 pm daily. Friday
8 am until 5 pm and on Saturdays from 8:30 am until 11 am. Thursdays the
banks close at noon.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS TIPPING
This is usually not required as the service charge is already in the bill.
Inquire about it and tip if the charge has not been included. Porters
should always be tipped. 50 cents to a dollar a bag.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS PEOPLE
Agriculture, not tourism, still plays the major role in the economy of
this quiet country. Many seek out these islands specifically for their
relaxed nature and British manner; tourists to St. Kitts and Nevis are
typically regulars who spend weeks at a time lazing about the islands'
many beaches with the locals.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS CLIMATE & CLOTHING
Climate: The islands experience about 51 inches of rainfall
annually. Temperatures don't vary much across seasons, with January averaging
a low of 71 and a high of 79, and July averaging a low of 77 and a high
of 85 (all in degrees Fahrenheit). The dry season runs from November through
April, with the rainy season from May through October.
Clothing: Casual wear, comfortable shoes and sunglasses
are the best outfit for daytime. Even in the evening, informal attire
is acceptable everywhere. Beachwear in town, however, is definitely frowned
upon. Beach attire is appropriate for the beach but not the town, shops
or restaurants. Refrain from short shorts, bikinis and bare chests in
these places. Informal, but conservative, clothing is the standard.
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ST. KITTS & NEVIS SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
Watersports: Swimming is excellent; most hotels have
freshwater pools and some have their own beaches. Scuba-diving and snorkelling
are catered for and beach hotels generally have equipment. Several Basseterre
skippers are equipped to take scuba parties. There are dozens of unexplored
wrecks around the islands. Sailing boats can be hired from beach hotels,
although Nevis has very limited facilities. Fast boats and water-skiing
equipment are available for hire. Fishing trips can be organised. Deep-sea
fishing is a speciality.
Other:
An 18-hole international golf championship course is at Frigate
Bay and a 9-hole course at Golden Rock, both on St Kitts. There is also
an 18-hole championship golf course on Nevis. A number of tennis courts
are available on both islands, and clubs welcome visitors. Day passes
can be purchased. Many of the hotels have their own (mainly hard) tennis
courts. Some courts are floodlit for evening play. Horseriding in the
rainforest or on the beach can be arranged through hotels. There are several
hiking trails leading into the mountains or through the rainforest. Local
guides can be arranged through hotels. Other sports enjoyed and watched
include cricket and football.
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ST.
KITTS & NEVIS TIME ZONE
St. Kitts & Nevis are islands in the Caribbean Sea, about
one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. St. Kitts
& Nevis Standard Time is GMT-4 St. Kitts & Nevis does not operate
Daylight-Saving Time.
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