One Day in St Kitts and Nevis Itinerary

Are you on a cruise ship which will dock for one day in St Kitts and Nevis? You’re itching to get off the cruise and spend that limited eight hours on the island, but you don’t really know what to do?

I feel you…I didn’t know at the time either. But you’ve landed on the perfect page! 

I’m sharing the best one-day itinerary with you. You’ll see some amazing landscapes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you’ll even have some time to spare on the beach. 

Do you think it’s impossible? Continue reading and let me show you that it really is possible.

About the Carnival Cruise

The first time we went on a cruise we chose a 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. After thorough research, this was the cheapest way to see five Caribbean Islands in just one week. Depending on the route, a Southern Caribbean cruise can take you to places like St Thomas, St Lucia, St Kitts & Nevis, Barbados and Sint Maarten. 

If you’re on a cruise, you don’t have to worry about finding your own mode of transport between the islands or food and accommodation. However, the only downside is that you’ll have a very limited time on each island. If your main purpose to being on a cruise is to see something of the islands, then you’re in the right place. 

Firstly, my biggest advice is to leave the cruise ship as early as possible. Rise early, so you’ll have a chance to see the sunrise and have a fulfilling breakfast. Secondly, bear in mind that the cruise will leave without you if you’re not on it by the time you’ve been told to be back! So whatever plans you have for the day, I recommend starting with the one furthest away and be close to the port before departure. Last, but not least, just try to enjoy your day off sea! You have to accept the fact that you won’t be able to see everything, but it will give you a great opportunity to decide whether to return to an island in the future or not.

About St Kitts and Nevis

Located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is the magnificent St Kitts and Nevis, a dual-island nation.  Or as the locals call it, ‘two islands, one paradise’, which cannot be truer. 

The bigger island, St Kitts, is packed with history, natural wonders and Vervet monkeys. (Really there are probably more monkeys than people!) Nevis, the much smaller island, is located only a few kilometres to the south-east of St Kitts. The islands gained independence only in 1983.

The official language is English, and the currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, but our taxi driver accepted USD too. If you’re on the cruise ship, it will dock in Basseterre, the capital city of St Kitts. 

What do you need for one day in St Kitts and Nevis?

Depending on your plans for the day I recommend leaving the cruise ship with the following items:

• Some of your important documents;
• Enough money for the day. (The currency is Eastern Caribbean Dollar, but they accept USD too);
• Phone and camera to capture special moments of the day;
• Comfortable footwear;
• SUN-CREAM!! Don’t forget to take care of your skin while gaining a nice tan;
• Sunglasses to protect your eyes;
• Water bottle, to save you from buying bottled drinks and it’s the best way to be environmentally friendly;
• If you’re heading to the beach, then pack some swimwear and a quick-dry towel;
• Portable charger for your phone (it can be for safety reasons too, so make sure you’re not without battery life).

How to spend one quality day in St Kitts and Nevis

I think the best way to see a lot in a few hours is to hire a taxi driver at the dock and agree on a fixed price for which he/she will be your driver for the entire day. That way you can easily move between one end of the island and the other and be able to see some amazing things. 

Cost of the taxi: around $70 + gratitude

Now let’s see the perfect itinerary for the day…

1. Brimstone Hill Fortress

I highly recommend starting your journey by visiting the 17th century Brimstone Hill Fortress. The Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so I wouldn’t miss it.

Whilst people are having their breakfast on the cruise you can have the whole Fortress to yourself. Go up to the stone citadel to get some epic views of the ocean, Mount Liamuiga volcano and the tiny Dutch island, Sint Eustatius.

Our taxi driver was a really nice guy and chatted all the way about the island and himself. He had his morning coffee at the Fortress whilst we explored it. 

Entry fee: around $10

2. Where the ocean meets the sea

Your next destination should be Timothy Hill, where you can see the narrowest point of the island and Nevis in the clouds. The viewpoint is located at the other end of the island just outside of the capital city. 

The view is honestly amazing from there. Just look at that view towards Nevis…isn’t it gorgeous?

Looking at the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea at the same time was a unique experience and I think that’s when I absolutely fell for the island. If I had any doubt why the locals call the place ‘two islands, one paradise’, the mixture of lush green, Nevis in the clouds and the blue water definitely didn’t leave room for it.

All I can advise is, go and experience it for yourself.

3. Don’t forget to turn around

After taking in the view from Timothy Hill and taking a ton of photos for Instagram, make sure you turn around. 

I bet most of us forget to look in the opposite direction. A little bit further down from the official viewpoint you will be greeted with another one. From here you can see the biggest Marriott Resort Hotel in the Caribbean and much more! 

Worth turning around sometimes wouldn’t you agree?

4. Unwind on the beach

Because we still had time to spare, we decided to spend it at Frigate Bay located close to Timothy Hill.

The beach is a lovely place to chill for a while. It has some beach bars and offers opportunities for water sports and has a cool vibe to it. If you walk along it and look back again, it provides you with beautiful views of Nevis (again in the clouds).

Okay you’re probably wondering how we managed to get our taxi driver to wait for us right? Well, we agreed a time that he would pick us up and take us back to the port, and in the meantime, he could find a few additional customers. 

If you decide to do the same, I advise not paying the full amount you agreed at the start of the day! Nobody will come back and pick you up if you paid up front. So, we agreed to pay only half up-front and half when he returned us safely back to port (and some gratitude!). We were a bit nervous but luckily he returned bang on time and got us back to our cruise without any issues. 

Final Thoughts on One Day in St Kitts and Nevis

Well, I have to say I didn’t have high expectations of St.Kitts and Nevis but this little Caribbean Island surprised me with its beauty. I absolutely fell in love with the island and would be happy to return one day and explore it more, and even visit Nevis. Have you been to St Kitts and Nevis before? How much of the islands did you manage to explore? Let me know in the comments below.