Non-Touristy Things to do in St. Kitts || Island Life

So you’ve finally decided to book your dream vacation to that exotic Caribbean Island– St. Kitts.

You jump on google and in addition to searching for, ‘how safe is St. Kitts?’ Places to avoid in St. Kitts? Are the people in St. Kitts really cannibals? What is the tourist murder rate in St. Kitts? You ask google, ‘what to do in St. Kitts?’.

When ever we have cruise ship calls, I like to visit our port -Port Zante- to look at the sea of white people hustling and bustling to souvenir shops to buy t-shirts with misspelled words or visiting jewelry stores to buy Pandora charms — Predictable!

Meanwhile, taxi operators are selling island and beach tours to those who were probably too distracted by their google search results to pre-book. Sometimes it turns into a real circus, hardly the environment anyone would want to encounter when trying to unwind from their regular lives.

But, what exactly is there to do in St. Kitts beside going to the beach or shopping for tawdry, overpriced souvenirs?

Whether you are visiting for a few days or a few hours, there are actually a gazillion things you can do.

Granted there are some persons who travel specifically to cook under the Caribbean sun on a ‘secluded’ beach, the vast majority, I am certain would not mind diverting from the cliche!

Walk the town

 

 

 

 

The Berkeley Memorial stands in the centre of the Circus in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis. The memorial features a drinking fountain as well as a clock. There are four clock faces, each one facing one of the four streets leading to the Circus. It was built in honour of Thomas B.H. Berkeley, a former president of the General Legislative Council in the 1880s.

If you are interested in experiencing the rich culture of St. Kitts, then you can only do this by beating the pavement (I promise, you would not get robbed). Step away from your comfort zone and paranoia and walk the streets of Basseterre.

Just a stone’s throw away from the port is Fort Street, the heart of the city. There you will find bits and pieces of our slave market ruins history scattered around. This also affords the opportunity to experience the authentic culture- vernacular, food, infrastructure- Everything!

Take a Hike

It’s a 68 sq mile Island with offerings of lush greenery, hills and mountains. Any trek along a bushy foot path will be an adventure. But! If you are looking for a challenge and a work out, take an excursion to our rain forest.

If you are feeling extra adventurous, hike to the summit of our dormant volcano Mt. Liamigua there you will get a bird’s eye view of paradise! You can also make your way down to the crater lake which has an atmosphere of it’s own! If you are lucky, you’ll see the water while it’s bubbling– hot enough boil and egg.

 

 

 

 

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Visit a National Monument

You cannot leave St. Kitts until you have visited the site where our fore-fathers kicked ass to keep more white people from coming and laying claim to our speck of an island. When you visit Brimstone Hill Fortress -our UNESCO approved world Heritage Site- you will immediately be taken back to the 17th century. The well preserved artifacts, the architecture–Awe-inspiring.

Eat on the street

 

 

 

 

National Dish- Coconut Dumplings (the white circles), salt-fish (salted codfish), seasoned bread fruit (the yellow stuff) and spicy plantains

Goat water

Black Pudding, I know, I know. It looks like shit, I’d have reservations about eating it too.

Cook-up or Pelau

Street vendors are scattered all over the town. Stop by any one to bite into our local cuisine. Goat water, black pudding, cook-up, food-poisoning and even our national dish–dumpling and salt fish, are some of the things that are served up on the street. If you want to shock your palette with a burst of flavor, you must not leave until you try our food.

For God’s Sake, Go to the Beach

C’mon, you cannot visit an island whose appeal is sun, sea and sand and not go to the beach! You just Can.not! So ditch the noise and commotion and bake in the sun until you are well done bask in the sun while you enjoy the calming sounds of the ocean’s waves breaking at the shore. Truly a tranquil experience.

Damn, it’s looking more like a touristy things to do kind of list after all, doesn’t it?!

Tell me, what do you like to do when you vacation to a new place? Let me know in the comments!

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