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Looking for an under-the radar Caribbean getaway away from the crowds of mass tourism? An island where you can float among sea turtles, spot monkeys dangling from the treetops and eat your weight in fresh mangos daily?
Then you should definitely consider the beautiful island of Nevis, St Kitts and Nevis, in the British West Indies. There are so many things to do in Nevis, it should definitely be a candidate for your next Caribbean vacation.
Even before I floated in the clear blue sea, my only companion a giant sea turtle who glided past — just his leathery head peeking out of the water — I was tempted to declare that Nevis might be my new favourite Caribbean island.
I’d spent a few blissful days swimming,basking in the sun and eating mangoes while attending the Nevis Mango & Food Festival and was already halfway convinced that this little island, the smaller, quieter sister to Saint Kitts (check out my post on the Carambola Beach Club if you only have one day in St. Kitt’s), had everything I loved about the Caribbean. Then, I ate a perfect lobster roll and I was smitten.
Here are five reasons I think you should consider the island of Nevis for your next Caribbean vacation.
1. Enjoy Beautiful Beaches Away from the Crowds
I walked the beach each morning at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club (the Caribbean’s only historic plantation inn located on a beach) and rarely saw anyone apart from a few snorkelers heading out for a morning swim.
Nisbet Beach offers a mix of fine golden sand sprinkled with black volcanic dust that glint in the sunlight and although it faces the Atlantic, it’s actually quite swimmable thanks to rocky breakers built to protect the shoreline and waters.
With no undertow or enormous waves to pull an unsuspecting swimmer under, it’s a welcoming beach for non-swimmers. A string of tidal pools along the shoreline makes for interesting beach combing.
Unlike other volcanic islands where you’re likely to find mostly black sand beaches, Nevis has been blessed with a surprising number of white and golden sand beaches to choose from.
On the Caribbean side, Pinney’s Beach is one of the best beaches in Nevis.
The beach at Four Seasons Resort Nevis is also relatively free of crowds and if you splurge on a private beach cabana, you’ll score butler service, a choice of comfy loungers, excellent WiFi and of course easy access to the translucent blue waters.
Don’t be surprised if you spot a celebrity or two. Nevis is a top hideaway for jet-setters, celebrities and A-Listers.
Just check-out the Wall of Fame at nearby Sunshine’s Beach Bar (a short walk along the beach from the Four Seasons) and you’ll recognize Beyonce, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and many others among the photos.
If you’re concerned about sargassum seaweed in Nevis and the rest of the Caribbean, scroll down for an update on current seaweed conditions and details on the seaweed forecast for 2019.
2. Eat Mangos at the Nevis Mango Festival
The Nevis Mango & Food Festival, a 3-day annual culinary extravaganza in July is well worth adding to your calendar and is one of the top things to do in Nevis. In between dining on mango-themed fare, you’ll get to meet celebrity chefs such as Natasha Corrett and even Iron Chef UK, Judy Joo, who helms Jinjuu Restaurant in London and Hong Kong.
Get a taste of the island of Nevis with our easy recipe for No-Bake Mango Pie!
Also worth planning to attend is the St. Kitts Carnival in December and January. This lively party features local cuisine, J’Ouvert costumed dancers, parades, beauty pageants and plenty of calypso and soca music.
Typical festival fare includes grilled spiny lobster, an open-air food market in Charlestown, lots of street vendors (note to the unadventurous, beware of ordering the “tree mutton” which is actually monkey) and plenty of beach bars such as Sunshines — all of which adds up to a happening food scene.
Read more about what to eat and drink in Nevis in my article The Best Places to Eat on the Island of Nevis for Travel Age West
The Nevis Mango & Food Festival is an annual event featuring cooking demonstrations, mango-themed dinners prepared by local and visiting celebrity chefs, a street fair and more. It takes place each July, when the mango crops are ripe. Check the Nevis Tourism Authority website for exact dates and details.
3. Soak Up Some Alexander Hamilton History
Interest in Nevis is booming due to the smash Broadway hit “Hamilton”, a musical that tells the story of the Nevis-born Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father of the United States. Visiting the Museum of Nevis History, which sits on the site of Hamilton’s birthplace in the capital city of Charlestown, is one of the top things to do in Nevis.
You can visit the museum while taking a walk through historic Charlestown. It’s the island’s capital and is small, walkable and still-authentic, not overrun with duty free shops or fast-food outlets.The leafy town square is circled by a fine selection of 18th and 19th century Georgian-style buildings with wooden second stories built above stone foundations.
Nearby, several historic churches and the Market Place make for an interesting way to spend several hours.
4. Enjoy the Great Value Nevis Resorts and Hotels Offer
But the growing interest in the life and times of Alexander Hamilton hasn’t prompted price increases on the island. For now, Nevis still offers excellent value when it comes to hotels.
For example, while there are loads of beautiful luxury properties to choose from, including the dreamy Relais & Châteaux member the Montpelier Plantation and Beach, you can also rent a modest sea view room at a guest house in historic Charlestown.
Further afield, another affordable option is Oualie Beach Resort, a 3.5 star beachfront collection of 32 low-rise Caribbean-style cottages, offering reasonable rates . These pastel-hued cottages feature screened verandas as well as direct access to one of the nicest swimming beaches.
The location isn’t as private as Nisbet Plantation Beach Club ( the water-taxi as well as several other boats depart from the dock at Oualie Beach) but the onsite restaurant is a happening place offering live music and dancing on Tuesday nights.
I stayed at the beautiful Nisbet Plantation Inn, a sprawling beachfront property that’s ideal for those who love history and luxury.
Suites feature wifi, AC, a refrigerator with mini-bar, coffee/tea maker, bathrobes and more, all of which adds up to a luxury stay. Complimentary airport transfers from St. Kitts (SKB) or Nevis (NEV) airports are also included for stays of 5 nights or more.
5. Bask in the Nevis Hot Springs at Bath Hotel Nevis
While there are many volcanic islands in the Caribbean, there are few where you can actually soak in thermal waters as easily as you can in Central American countries such as Costa Rica. Nevis has done a fantastic job of preserving and restoring the series of natural hot springs located in front of the aptly named Bath Hotel in Charlestown.
Although the historic Bath Hotel, built in 1778 and once the playground for royalty and aristocracy, was converted to offices decades ago, rumours say it may be returned to its former glory as a hotel within the near future.
In the meantime, one of the top things to do in Nevis is visit the hot springs. It’s still possible to soak up the therapeutic benefits of the scorchingly hot natural springs for absolutely free.
Or, if you’re looking for something more swanky and private, the spa at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis offers one of the Caribbean’s most stunning settings. The treatment rooms are located within a meandering collection of spa cottages tucked beneath the palms and are just steps to a luxurious soaking pool with soothing warm waters.
The spa treatment of choice at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis is their signature Nevis Naturally Massage featuring herbs and botanicals harvested from the spa’s organic garden.
St. Kitts and Nevis Travel Guide
Nevis is Easy to Get To
There are many beautiful, secluded islands in the Caribbean, but many require a rather rigorous commitment to get there.
I’ve flown on tiny 6-seater airplanes clutching the ashtray holder as we careened past rocky cliffs, and taken ferry boats across turbulent seas, so it’s a real treat to discover a still-under-the-radar island where an easy water taxi gets you to your destination faster than you have time to finish a Red Stripe.
Travellers from North America or the UK can fly to St Kitts and then connect to Nevis via ferry or private water taxi. Another option is to fly to St Maarten and transfer to Nevis on a WINAIR flight. Many of the resorts include transfers for minimum stays.
Sargassum Seaweed Conditions in Nevis
If you’re wondering about sargassum seaweed in Nevis, it’s important to note that in 2018, much of the Caribbean Sea experienced a record-high, and extended, period of sargassum seaweed bloom.
What exactly is sargassum seaweed and why is it a problem? It’s a type of brown algae that normally floats in the open ocean in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic. Carried by ocean currents, this mat of seaweed floats on the surface of the water and serves as a resting area and spawning ground for a vast array of life from eels to sea turtles.
While sargassum seaweed is a natural phenomenon and seaweed season normally takes place between July and October each year. However, the influx of sargassum in 2015 and 2018 was larger, thicker and more widespread in many parts of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic.
To learn more about the impact in the Caribbean, read our sargassum seaweed update on Cancun, Mexico and a January 2019 report on the beaches in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Beach reports from January 2019, show that even the beaches on the Atlantic side of Nevis are mostly clear of seaweed.
What is the outlook for seaweed conditions in Nevis in 2019 and 2020? The Sargassum Watch System (SaWS) developed by the University of South Florida’s Oceanography Laboratory uses satellite data from NASA and mathematical models to detect floating algae and track the movement of sargassum in the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Much depends on ocean currents in the Atlantic where sargassum develops. Based on an analysis of the data, the SaWS forecast for 2019 produced in the February 2019 Bulletin predicts a reduction of the amount of sargassum in March and April 2019 but, based on conditions in the eastern Atlantic where sargassum develops, in later months of 2019 the Caribbean Sea may experience moderate to large amounts of sargassum seaweed.
The Sargassum Watch System cautions that this information is simply a general outlook and should not be used to predict seaweed conditions on any island or any specific beach.
Learn more about the island of Nevis by visiting the Nevis Tourism Authority website.
Disclosure: I travelled to the Nevis Mango & Food Festival as a guest of the Nevis Tourism Authority. However, my opinions are my own and they did not review this story or try to stop me from eating my weight in mangoes each day.
This post contains affiliate links. Click here for the full disclosure statement.
Looking for more travel ideas for unique beach destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico? Check out these posts:
12 Reasons I’m Tempted to Drop Everything and Move to Grenada
Beginner’s Guide to Puerto Escondido, Mexico Beaches
Beach Bag Essentials for Family Travel
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Wow that places looks stunning and thanks for the tip. I am definitely going to add this one to my ever-growing bucket list.
Those beaches AND hot springs? I would never want to leave. The photos are priceless.
Wow, this looks like a true dream vacation. I particularly love the photo with the volcanic hot springs although the food has to run a pretty close second. And for $80 for a cottage, that is really great value
Gorgeous photos! Would love to make a trip to the Caribbean someday. Hot springs would be great to visit this winter.
Nevis has been in my mind for a while now, and I think you’ve just sealed the deal for me. This is exactly the type of travel I prefer – fewer crowds, awesome food, and hot springs – you just can’t beat hot springs!
The beach club at Nisbet Plantation Inn looks heavenly. I never knew much about Nevis but the idea of a less-touristy island is very appealing. And a Mango festival? Yes! Tree mutton? No thank you.
I love Nevis for much the same reasons. I think you could add the friendliness of the people as a sixth reason. This post made me want to go back soon.
Yes, I agree! Friendly people is definitely a 6th reason to love the island of Nevis
Gorgeous photos! I love the one of the hammock at Nisbet Plantation. The carved fruit at the mango festival, the cute cottages, the connection with Alexander Hamilton–so many reasons to visit Nevis!
Nevis undoubtedly exudes the magic and charm of the Caribbean. Such a serene and beautiful island.. The hot springs bath too looks intriguing. The blue waters look really inviting.
Nevis is such a wonderful destination. We enjoyed a stay at the Hermitage Plantation a few years ago and we thoroughly enjoyed the island. It truly is a terrific culinary destination so many great restaurants and beach bars with great food.
We have been to many of the Caribbean Islands, but never Nevis. It looks every bit as wonderful as the others, if not even better.
I hadn’t even heard of Nevis before reading your post. But I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. Your photos really accent how gorgeous the water is! The opportunity to enjoy some of those beaches without all the crowds sounds heavenly. I’m adding it to my list!
I’ve never been to the Carribean before, but it looks fab. The brightly colored dishes look so good I wish I could eat it. =)
You had me at #2- food! Loving the easy to reference post for a future trip.
Looks awesome. I love that there are few crowds!
Stunning place! No crowds, great food, and affordable, I’m packing my bags now!
Wow! It sounds ideal. I’ll definitely have to add it to my list.
Great article, looks like paradise.
Mr. Excitement and I live on the east coast of the US and love Hawaii, but everytime we return to the Caribbean, we wonder why we think we need to fly almost 6,000 miles for February sun and sand. Thanks for the reminder about Nevis.
Oh my this looks amazing. I love Caribbean food but unfortunately never actually been to the Caribbean. This looks like a fantastic place to indulge into the cuisine. I especially like the sound of the food festival. Thanks for putting this on to my radar 🙂
I just got back from my first trip to the Caribbean and I’ve never heard of Nevis. I am adding it to my travel list.
Writing this from another, but completely different kind of a tropical country (Cambodia), I have to say the Caribbean should definitely be put on my travel plans list too! Thank you for all suggestions!
That watermelon carving! :O And I love it when you see a beach with noone on it – incredible tranquility.
This is beautiful, seems so peaceful! Would love to bring my loved one there walking along the beach with feet in the water. Thankx for the great post about Nevis.
You had me at the clear blue sea with a sea turtle for company! I haven’t visited anywhere in the Caribbean and I had never even heard of Nevis until your post – but it has shot to the top of my list now! It looks beautiful!
Just worry about gangs & rising murder rate. Sometimes a picture isn’t worth a thousand words. 5 murders (1 clinging to life) in population of 11,000.
I sure hope the violence is just a temporary problem! But it’s a good reminder for visitors to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings when travelling.
Michelle, you are a treasure chest of knowledge and insights for the weary, wary traveller. Love your site my friend.
Thanks Kathy! That means so much coming from you!