Prior to visiting St Kitts and Nevis we honestly didn’t know much about it. Pictures of the gorgeous St Kitts beaches and delicious food initially drew us in, until it got to the point where we had to book a vacation! Yet after a few days in paradise, we realized there was so much more to these islands than we could have imagined. Here’s 10 fun facts about St Kitts and Nevis to know before your first trip!
10 Fun Facts About St Kitts and Nevis
1. Smallest Country in the Americas
We knew before visiting St Kitts and Nevis it was small, but we didn’t realize how small! The two island country takes the title of smallest in the Americas in terms of both size and population.
When it comes to a global scale its ranked 8th smallest country in the world behind the Marshall Islands, Liechtenstein and Monaco to name a few. On the upside, it’s very easy when visiting St. Kitts to explore it in one day!
→ One Day in St Kitts by Car: Driving the Amazing Island Loop
2. You Can Swim From St Kitts to Nevis
Once a year you can swim across the narrows (waterway between St Kitts and Nevis) in an event called the Cross Channel Swim. However, this 2.5 mile (4 km) stretch isn’t just for athletes!
You can register for assisted and use flippers, snorkels and even wetsuits to help make the journey. We’ve added this to our bucket list for the next visit, and plan to one day join the 200+ people who make the journey from the St Kitts beaches.
3. Sugar Cane is Out and St Kitts Tourism is In
What used to be a booming sugar cane industry and the islands main revenue is now a distant memory. In 2005, the country shut down its last sugar plantation and everything shifted to St Kitts tourism.
St Kitts and Nevis now has plantations converted into hotels, and cruise ships that fill the harbors. Expect this development to continue as more travelers discover this beautiful place.
4. Smushed Between the Atlantic and Caribbean
To the east of St Kitts and Nevis is the chilled water of the Atlantic, and to the West sits the warm Caribbean Sea. This puts the tiny island country smack dab in the middle!
It makes sense that they have to meet at some point, but to see where exactly is quite amazing. The best view is from Timothy Hill Overlook where you can witness both oceans and St Kitts beaches in all their glory.
5. Kittitians and Nevisians
On St Kitts the locals are referred to as Kittitians and on Nevis they’re Nevisians. From the week we spent on the island we can say that both Kittitians and Nevisians are very proud and warm people.
They seemed very excited and eager to share fun facts about St Kitts along with its history. They also know the best St Kitts food to eat which led us to amazing local places like Coopers!
6. Named After Christopher Columbus
Like many things in this world named after famous explorers, St Kitts and Nevis is said to have come from Christopher Columbus. Prior to using Columbus’s nickname of Kit, the island was called Liamuiga which means “fertile land.”
Nevis was named after “Nuestra Señora de las Nieves” meaning Our Lady of the Snows. The snows refer to the white clouds that float above the volcano peak of Nevis and look like snow.
7. Local Island Life
Growing up in New England when we heard of places like St Kitts I thought about swanky hotels and fancy yachts. While St Kitts tourism does cater to these luxuries, there is so much more to it! When we rented a car and explored for the day we saw run down houses and poor infrastructure in the non-touristic areas.
While this is common on many islands we thought of it as an important reminder to support the local community when possible. Maybe that means leaving your hotel and eating at local restaurants, or even hiring a taxi to take you to the St Kitts beaches. Just always something to keep in mind while traveling!
8. Live on St Kitts and Go To Veterinary School
Ross University of Veterinary Medicine is a well known school located on St Kitts and Nevis. The beautiful campus overlooks the Caribbean Sea and volcanic mountains of the island. Due to its tropical setting, people come from all over the world to study and spent 28 months living here!
9. Volcanic Formation
This islands of St Kitts and Nevis were formed almost exclusively from two volcanos. Mount Liamuiga on St Kitts and Nevis Peak on the island of Nevis. Fortunately for travelers, both islands volcanoes are now extinct with the last reported eruption over 1,800 years ago.
Still, when visiting St Kitts it’s hard not to be amazed by the beauty of its natural wonders. We couldn’t believe the views we had of Nevis during our stay at the Park Hyatt St Kitts!
→ Park Hyatt St Kitts Review: Why It’s the Islands Best Luxury Resort
10. You Can Pay to Become a Citizen
The last of our fun facts about St Kitts and Nevis is that you can literally pay to become a citizen! The country is actually credited with this economic tourism concept. You can buy land of a certain value or make relief donations, and with it be granted citizenship.
There are a few stipulations such as no criminal record, high net wealth and good health. If you meet them you can soon be enjoying the St Kitts beaches full time!
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own fun facts about St Kitts and Nevis? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte and Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
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Where to Stay on St Kitts and Nevis
Ultra Luxury (High End) – Park Hyatt St. Kitts – This is not only the best hotel in St Kitts, but possibly all of the Caribbean! The setting in the middle of St Kitts and Nevis is absolutely gorgeous and will be beyond your wildest dreams. As far as 5 star Caribbean hotels go Park Hyatt St Kitts is one of the most elite!
Fun Vacation (Mid Range) – Ocean Terrace Inn Hotel – This beautiful hotel is situated in the hills of St Kitts and overlooks the harbour and Caribbean sea below. Featuring a pool side bar and restaurant, ocean terrace has everything you need for your stay on St Kitts and Nevis.
Hostel Life (Budget) – Culture House – While there aren’t any hostels on St Kitts, the Culture House provides a fair budgeted yet comfortable option on the island. The bed and breakfast atmosphere will be a great place to lay your head and relax!
For more places to stay when visiting St Kitts and Nevis you can explore the latest prices here!
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Travel Planning
Rental Car: We use Discover Cars for renting vehicles. A quick travel tip is to ask for a discounted weekly rate rather than booking 2-3 days.
Flights: We always find our cheap flight deals using Skyscanner. That’s how we flew from Norway to Poland for under $20 USD, and Thailand to Vietnam for less than $50!
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld can be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for thousands of activities around the world. From food tours to skip the line entry passes!
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without being covered. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including our electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
Love St. Kitts. Go check out Sunset Reef St. Kitts luxury boutique hotel. It’s a hidden gem on the island! Best food ever too and the views are spectacular.
Will do! Sounds like paradise (-:
We will be on Nevis for two weeks in February 2022 …. will be at Montepelier Plantation and Quail Beach resort for a week each. Wondering if we should rent a car? And, if so, can we get one on Nevis or would we need to pick up and drop off at the airport?? SOOO looking forward to it, and keeping our fingers crossed that we can manage whatever Covid brings us at that time!
That sounds amazing! Not sure what type of vacation you’re looking for but we would recommend at least renting a car for one day. If you want one for the whole time it’s usually a better deal to rent from the airport when you land. Maybe check with your hotel and see what they say about prices. Either way, I’m sure it will be a fantastic trip. Enjoy!!!
I would suggest you rent a car as it is fun to drive around the island and be able to stop whenever you want. There is so much to see including great restaurants and local shops.
Nice to have a car.You really aren’t in walking distance of anything at either places. do take to go to the volcanic hot baths..by the old Bath Hotel. great restaurants and beach bars with food. don’t eat at the hotels all the time.
Completely agree and we love to eat local!
Thé oldest person to cross the channel was over 80 years old her name was Marie Clark ,she was an American Woman from Maine.She had an Art gallery on Craddock Rd in front of the church in town till She died..She helped and encouraged painters,batick artists, etc for many years .She restored the Statues and the stations of the cross in that church.She would gather driftwood on the beaches and painted scenes of Nevis on them.She gave back to the community whenever she could.
Wow that’s an amazing fact! Thanks for sharing Diane!