One Day in St Kitts by Car: Driving the Amazing Island Loop

Sitting by the hotel pool is mandatory on any tropical vacation. However, there’s so much more to see in places like St Kitts if you’re willing to do some driving! What makes it such an awesome Caribbean destination is that you can see St Kitts in one day by rental car, or take a whole week to explore. Our favorite experience was the day we circled the entire island. So when planning out your St Kitts vacation, make sure to include this epic road trip tour in your plans!

One Day in St Kitts Driving Route

There is one major road that circles the island starting in Basseterre, and one single stretch that cuts down the southern peninsula. We were staying at the Park Hyatt St Kitts so we planned to cut up the road to the capital city. From there we would drive around the island clockwise.

Our St Kitts rental car company provided a map of the island and that alone was more than sufficient to navigate our route. We didn’t use a GPS, but that is only because we are very confident with our map skills! We were also comforted that there was only one road around the island.

Getting Your St Kitts Rental Car

Renting a car is pretty straight forward on your St Kitts vacation. Yet, there’s a few things you should know beforehand. Check out our tips below and leave us a comment at the bottom of this post if you have any questions.

• If you‘re traveling in high season book it as far in advance as possible. There is a limited number of St Kitts rental cars. Unfortunately, when they’re taken you’re out of luck!
• You have to be 25 years or older and have a valid drivers license from your country of residence.
• A one time St. Kitts license rental fee of $25 USD is collected. We had to pay in cash and it was separate from our St Kitts rental car payment.
• Rent from the airport if you‘re doing a car for your full stay, or from the hotel if you only want it for a day or two. That way you don’t have to go back into Basseterre and pay the additional taxi costs.
• Drivers use their horns as a friendly greeting. Don’t be alarmed if you’re constantly being honked at while driving in St Kitts!

Driving in St Kitts Tips & Laws

While we have traveled all over the world, we were shocked to realize that we had never driven on the opposite side of the road! At first we were nervous, but overall excited to explore anyway. Below are a few tips and important things to know before driving in St Kitts.

You NEED an international St Kitts drivers license that costs $25 USD. No need to plan ahead because every rental car company has them. It’s literally just a piece of paper that they stamp.

The steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Being from the United States it slowly became a joke in our group for how often we would try to get into the car on the left side.

You drive on the left side of the road. Once again, depending on where you come from this can be normal. It’s good to be traveling in a group so your friends can remind you!

Starting Your St Kitts Tour

Make sure to leave as early in the day as possible, especially if you only have one day in St Kitts! We really can’t stress this enough. Give yourself time to make all the stops you might want, but remember the trip will often take longer than you expect. Also, do not try and drive both St Kitts AND Nevis in one day.

We were so excited to spend this whole day exploring both islands, but boy was that a mistake. There is far too much to do and see on each island. If you do want to see both get a two day rental car from your hotel and give St Kitts and Nevis its fair shake!

Planning Your Day Driving in St Kitts

Plan for a full day away from your hotel, but remember it won’t necessarily all be driving. In total, the route we took from our hotel and back was 50 miles. When we left the Park Hyatt we were told to plan for about an hour of driving and to add on some time for stops and photos.

After a small mix up at our hotel (meaning they ran out of cars) we left around 10am. After a full day of driving in St Kitts we were back in time to catch sunset at 6:30pm. Needless to say, it took us a FULL DAY of exploring on our St Kitts vacation. We did stop quite a bit to take photos and beach hop. Still, we would be hard pressed to find any tourist who can drive that incredible loop in just one hour.

→ 10 Fun Facts About St Kitts and Nevis For Your First Time Visiting

Ultimate One Day in St Kitts Tour

1st Stop: South Friars Bay

• This gorgeous beach on the Caribbean side is a MUST STOP on your St Kitts tour.
• They were currently building another luxury hotel so we’re not sure how accessible it will be in the future. For now it is for snorkeling, swimming, and long walks on the beach.
• The cruise ships dock in the main harbor, but you are sure to see some luxury yachts taking up real estate.   

 

2nd Stop: Basseterre

• There is so much to do in this small capital hub so plan to spend at least an hour.
• You can shop at all the duty free jewelry places, and don’t miss out on the yummy bakeries in town! Surprisingly, our favorite was a salt fish puff pastry for breakfast. Now fish pastries might sound strange, but remember the national dish is also stewed salt fish!
• One thing to note as we’ve said before… Watch out for cruise ships when looking for what to do in St Kitts! We stopped just as two were being let off and there was immediately a sea of people overrunning the small town.

3rd Stop: St. Thomas Anglican Church

• We pulled into this old church not knowing what to expect. It’s beautiful if you seek out old Churches and cemeteries, but it has deteriorated with time.
• Took some photos of the outsideand it was well worth the quick stop on our one day in St Kitts tour.

4th Stop: Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park

• We can’t say it enough, but we LOVE Unesco World Heritage Sites. It was so exciting to see that St Kitts had one!
• If you can get past the winding uphill road, this 18th Century Fortress is packed with history. It also displays sweeping views of St Kitts and the neighboring islands. 

5th Stop: Kittitian Hill

• This hotel will make you question why you didn’t stay here on your St Kitts vacation! It was recommended to us as a place to stop for lunch on our St. Kitts tour. While we arrived too late, that didn’t stop us from taking in the incredible views.
• Set between Mount Liamugia and the Caribbean Sea, this sustainable resort would blow away anyones expectations on first impression. This is 100% on our list for where to stay on our next visit.

6th Stop: Arthur’s Bar & Restaurant

• This fun restaurant and bar is set right on the beach in Dieppe Bay. 
• Enjoy local seafood and fun cocktails while taking in the view of neighboring Sint Eustatius and Saba!

7th Stop: Coopers Bar-Glenda’s Place

• Even after just eating a light lunch at Arthur’s, we had to stop at Coopers Bar- Glenda’s Place after countless locals recommended it.
• It does have a rundown exterior and the little to no atmosphere, but the food was absolutely delicious!
• They tell you what they have fresh for the day. After a quick wait you’ll be treated to the best meal on the island.

8th Stop: Timothy Hill Overlook

• When you think of the best things to see St Kitts, this iconic overlook most likely pops into your mind.
• A St Kitts vacation would not be complete without a stunning photo taken here. There is a large car park and often stands selling fruits and souvenirs from the islands as well.

Have any questions on driving in St. Kitts or want to share your own island itinerary? Let us know in the comments 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 Your St Kitts Vacation

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 harbor 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 after driving in St Kitts 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! 

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