First time in St. Kitts

[Roos7500]

My wife and I will be stopping at St. Kitts while on a cruise in the Spring. We are an active couple in our 30s. We also like historical/sight seeing tours. Any recommendations for excursions?

[mn_isla_girl]

My wife and I will be stopping at St. Kitts while on a cruise in the Spring. We are an active couple in our 30s. We also like historical/sight seeing tours. Any recommendations for excursions?

 

I've done 2 excursions on St. Kitts. One was great, one was just ok. Sky Safari ziplining was a blast! You really are in the jungle with the monkeys and there is one run that is 1400 feet across.

 

 

The other excursion I did was called Pelican Snorkel Treat, it was fine. We were basically just shuttled to a hotel, told where the loungers were and left to snorkel. They supplied gear if you didn't bring your own. I love to snorkel everywhere I go so I was happy, but nothing about this tour was awesome.

 

I do recommend saving some time to walk in the streets of Basseterre. I found it to be a lovely, lively, caribbean town with lots of locals out and about. There is an area called Circus, it's really just a roundabout, lots of vendors on the streets and traffic, good people watching. There are some restaurants in the area where you can sit up on a balcony and overlook the Circus. Many beautiful fruit stands on the streets too!

 

 

 

And don't forget to hold a monkey while you are there :D

 

 

Can't help you with the historical recommendations, not into that myself.

 

And if you get up early you'll see a beautiful sunrise looking at Nevis

[paul58]

Where are you from in Minnesota?

[mlrack101]

if your looking for a real adventure like no other I highly recommend javin. just google Javin and St Kitts you'll find it. We took his tour last Dec and are re-booked for January.

 

from being guided down to the black rocks for awesome pictures

 

to seeing sugar cane fields (and sampling raw sugarcane) going into his village where he grew up and lives with his family today. Then you go into a guided tour of the rainforest. We were the ONLY people hiking in the forest.

 

 

The rainforest hike an a real adventure, your walking on wet rocks in streams and enjoying nature at its finest. Javin makes sure that you are safe the entire time. Next you will have some local pastries and then head off to snorkel a ship wreck. Once done that you will end up on Corkleshell beach and make sure to meet Stacy and Lion!

 

I can't wait to head back in January! We actually emailed javin and his wife Krista before we booked the cruise to make sure they could accommodate us that day!

[BeagleOne]

If you like history you MUST go to Brimstone Hill fortress. It is spectacular.

 

Romney Manor and gardens, home of Caribelle Batik, is also well worth a visit.

 

The sugar train is a great way to see the island too. Double-decker cars--open-air with a canopy on top, enclosed with a/c down below; goes through lots of little villages and is a lot of fun.

 

Basseterre is great for walking around and there is a small but interesting museum right at the port. If you like glass, Glass Island Designz on the north side of Independence Square has beautiful dishes, earrings, pendants, wall hangings, etc. When I was there in April they told me they might be relocating to a place with lower rent but I recently checked and they are still listed on Independence Square.

 

The problem is time! The ship's tour I took to Brimstone Hill in 2008 did NOT spend enough time there for my taste. The tour I took this year to Romney Manor didn't allow enough time both to explore the gardens and hit the batik shop. The sugar train takes about four hours from being picked up at the port to being dropped off there again. Walking around Basseterre takes at least an hour depending on how much exploring you do.

 

The ship's tours might be worthwhile but there are lots of reviews of local tour guides and you might want to see about booking one of them with a personalized itinerary.

[mn_isla_girl]

Where are you from in Minnesota?

 

Just south of St. Paul. Know the area?

[paul58]

Pretty much familiar with most of Southern Minn, live about 90 miles south of MSP. Going back to St Kitts in November for a week.

[george2000]

Where in Southern Minnesota? I lived in Waseca from 1993 - 1998.

[paul58]

I grew up south of New Richland.

[george2000]

I know where New Richland is. It always amazes me what a small world we really live in.

[mn_isla_girl]

Going back to St Kitts in November for a week.

 

Awesome! What type of place to you stay in? Do you rent a home or stay at a resort?

[paul58]

We rent an apartment away from the hustle & bustle of Frigate Bay. It is close to the Ross vet school.

[mn_isla_girl]

We rent an apartment away from the hustle & bustle of Frigate Bay. It is close to the Ross vet school.

 

That is the way to go! I love an apartment or home as opposed to a hotel, you get such a better feel for the real life. And having a kitchen or kitchenette is a bonus too. Have a great trip!

[Ocean Boy]

If you are looking for historical/sightseeing, then I highly recommend Thenford Grey. He offers a very well narrated tour of the island. He is extremely knowledgable and a gentleman. He vehicles are very comfortable and air conditioned. I found his tour to be a great way to visit the island for the first time.

[lilghallinsf]

I am just now planning our cruise for April on the Reflection. We stop in St Kitts one day and I am interested in the zipline experience. Is it best to book this through the cruise company or on our own? Also, I love being at the beach will I have time to see the city and do this tour?

 

Thanks

[mn_isla_girl]

I am just now planning our cruise for April on the Reflection. We stop in St Kitts one day and I am interested in the zipline experience. Is it best to book this through the cruise company or on our own? Also, I love being at the beach will I have time to see the city and do this tour?

 

Thanks

 

When I did the ziplining in St. Kitts I was cruising on Carnival and they had a deal with Sky Safari Ziplining so you couldn't book it independently. You'll have to check into that for your cruiseline. I think the tour was 3 or 4 hours we went right away in the morning. Lots of people in our group headed to Cockleshell beach afterwards. Not sure you'd have time to zip, beach, and explore Basseterre. It would depend on how many hours you have in the port. Good luck, if you can't do it all then you'll just have to go back!! :D

[lilghallinsf]

Thank you that sounds like a great idea. I want to zipline in one of the three places we go.

[sbowen]

I have heard the ziplining in St. Kitts is great, but we have never tried it.

 

Our first trip to the island, we did the scenic railway tour through Royal Caribbean and we absolutely loved it. I heard the rail and sail is good as well, but for whatever reason we decided to not do that one.

 

Our second trip to the island, we visited the Botanical Gardens and did a Rainforest hike; we loved this as well.

 

Jan 2 we plan to visit South Friars Beach or Cockleshell Beach.

 

St. Kitts is a beautiful island!!

[OCruisers]

We've enjoyed and have taken the catamaran sail to Nevis many times. It's a long day and all of your sight seeing is by water ... but it's a good one. :)

 

This year, we're doing something different and taking the "Rail & Sail".

 

LuLu

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[Miss Vickie]

We've toured with Thenford, and enjoyed that, and we've also done Javin's tour and LOVED it! If you're looking for something active, Javin's definitely the way to go!

[Sadie Love]

Thanks for all the St Kitts info. Can't wait to go in April.

[degsr]

Try Rose & Jim's Taxi Service. Our group of 6 went with Rose last February. She took us on a tour around the entire island with very informative stops at Romney Manor and Brimstone Hill Fortress. We ended the day with a trip to a beach, had some great local food and drinks,then back to the port in plenty of time for shopping. A wonderful lady who loves showing off her island.

[TBird879]

I have heard the ziplining in St. Kitts is great, but we have never tried it.

 

Our first trip to the island, we did the scenic railway tour through Royal Caribbean and we absolutely loved it. I heard the rail and sail is good as well, but for whatever reason we decided to not do that one.

 

Our second trip to the island, we visited the Botanical Gardens and did a Rainforest hike; we loved this as well.

 

Jan 2 we plan to visit South Friars Beach or Cockleshell Beach.

 

St. Kitts is a beautiful island!!

 

 

So, gotta ask - which one did you end up at & how was it? (I'm there in about 2 weeks!)

[thethreeofus]

How do I get in touch with Rose and Jim's Taxi Service?

[Ocean Boy]

How do I get in touch with Rose and Jim's Taxi Service?

 

Google Rose and jims taxi tour st. kitts. I don't think that CCs software will let me post the webpage but just in case it does.....

 

http://roseandjimstaxi.com/ourtours.htm