Saint Kitts & Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is a two-island nation in the West Indies, seated in the Caribbean ocean. It's home to rain-forested mountains & beaches with white, gray, and black sand. 

Saint Kitts, the larger of the two islands, capital of Basseterre is on the Southwestern coast, which is the historical half of the island. It's also home to medical & veterinary schools that draw in many international students!

Our ship, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, docked in Basseterre around 8am with a final gangway time of 5pm. With no excursion booked we got off the ship around 9am to seek out what tours would be available from vendors in port.

To my absolute excitement there were multiple people walking around with baby monkeys. Of course I couldn't pass up this opportunity! As they usually let you take pictures then ask for money, as a heads up they wanted $10 USD per person. This is higher that I was used to for pictures with animals, but we did knock him down $15 total for two. 

We spoke with a few of the tour operators in port & booked an open bus tour which took us around the island with a few stops & to the beach for only $20 each. Drinks included! His original price was $25, so make sure you always try to haggle as the first price is always going to be the highest one. Even if it sounds cheap to you!

Port Day Itinerary

Morning

Start with having breakfast onboard & then head down to the gangway to start your day! Once in port there's a Saint Kitts sign & vendors with baby monkeys if you want to take pictures. Make sure to have cash for the animal photos!

Walk around the port if you desire before you book a tour with a vendor or hire a taxi. 

Afternoon

Scenic Railway

Built in 1912 to deliver sugar cane, this 3-hour tour takes you in a 30-mile circle with 18 miles by train & 12 miles by bus. It's the "Last Railway in the West Indies" & a unique way to see this beautiful island. 

Independence Square

Named on the occasion of St. Kitts and Nevis achieving political independence from the United Kingdom on September 19, 1983. It's also the original site for slave auctions on the island. Slavery was abolished in 1834.

Timothy Hill Overlook

An incredible 360-degree view of the Atlantic & Caribbean oceans meeting! You can actually see the color differences in the waters. An absolute do not miss!

The Circus

The hub of Basseterre & named for the fire that destroyed Basseterre on July 4th, 1867. The whole town east of West Square street was destroyed. The inefficiencies of the fire department at the time were partially to blame for the extent of the damage. It's now a landmark & popular meeting area.

Wingfield Estate Sugar Plantation Ruins

Wingfield was the first land grant in the English West Indies in 1625. The plantation grew sugar cane for over 350 years into the mid-2000s. In 2013 the original rum distillery was discovered on the property & is dated back 1681 but is believed to be even older. It is recognized as the oldest intact distillery in the Caribbean.

Bloody Point

This area is situated to the west of Challengers Village. It gets its name from the Massacre of the Kalinago that took place during the colonization of the island by English & French settlers. 

Lunch

I would recommend grabbing something local! While visiting the sugar plantation ruins there was a street full of vendors. One vendor was selling grilled chicken & ribs in a homemade mango BBQ sauce! We got the chicken with corn & bread with a fresh passionfruit juice. Only $13 for the whole thing!

Mid-Afternoon

At this point you should be back near the port! You can spend your final time walking around downtown Basseterre or picking up any final trinkets. 

Board the Ship

They do ask for photo ID along with your cruise pass when trying to get out of the port, so make sure you have some on you! A passport is best, since you should have that whenever you leave the ship, but any government photo ID will do the trick.

Need data on the islands?

Unfortunately your wifi package doesn't carry over ashore so if you need data for navigation or incase of an emergency I recommend Holafly's global sim card! They do have one that also covers just the Caribbean but make sure to price compare so you get the best deal for your sailing!

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