Christopher Columbus visited Saint Kitts on his second voyage in 1493 and found it inhabited by Carib people. He named it Saint Christopher for his patron saint. The name was shortened to Saint Kitts by settlers under Sir Thomas Warner, who, arriving from England in 1623, established the first successful English colony in the West Indies on Old Road on the west coast. The islands of Saint Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla were united by federal act in 1882 and became an independent state in association with the United Kingdom on February 27, 1967.
St Kitts and Nevis offers a vibrant tourism experience with a variety of attractions and activities such as: Enjoy stunning beaches like Pinney’s Beach in Nevis, Frigate Bay and Cockleshell Beach in St Kitts; visit historic sites such as Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park; explore Mount Liamuiga for hiking or dive into the waters to discover vibrant coral reefs; immerse yourself in local culture through festivals and culinary exploration.
We have been to St Kitts about 12 times, it … like Domenica .. is one of our favorite islands (Sint Maarten and Bonaire being our other two favorites). On our 4th trip there we discovered Cockleshell Beach … and we have been going back there every time since 😊. It’s a long walk from the ship to the cruise terminal – there are now 2 large piers which can accommodate up to 5 cruise ships at a time – but once you get there there is a taxi dispatch area which will take you anywhere you want on the island. The rates are set for each destination – this time it was $10 US a person each way to Cockleshell – you tell the driver how long you want to stay there and he usually waits for you to return to the cruise terminal. It’s a nice 30 minute drive to the beach, you drive by the golf course at Frigate Bay and then up to the lookoff (we stopped on the way back) where you can look down the island on both sides – Atlantic and Caribbean – before continuing to the tip of the island where Cockleshell is. We arrived at the drop off point and made our way to Loxeen’s Beach Bar – our usual destination 😊. We rented 3 chairs and umbrellas for $25 and spent about 3 hours just relaxing on the beach, swimming in the lovely turquoise waters, and having, of course, a few cold beers. We have been going to Loxeen’s for about 9 years (except for COVID) and she always remembers us 😊. Before we left to go back to the ship we ordered some beers for the ride and Loxeen didn’t even charge us for them 😊. We stopped at the lookoff on the way back, took the obligatory pictures and we were dropped off at the cruise terminal. The terminal has about a hundred stores and bars and is a pleasant place to buy souvenirs or have a cool drink before returning to the ship. It was another amazing day in St Kitts 😊.