Cruising to the Caribbean:
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Above: The cruise terminal building in Basseterre.
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OVERVIEW
St. Kitts is a very scenic island. Its lush green mountains tower over a gently sloping coastal plain. The island is volcanic in origin. A string of mountains run along the spine of the island, soaring up to 3,936 feet (1,200 meters). They are too steep for inhabitation but contain tropical rain forests with hummingbirds and green monkeys. Both because of its strategic location in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles and because of its once lucrative sugar industry, St. Kitts played an important role in Caribbean history. Echoes of that history serve to enhance the visitor experience St. Kitts is part of a two island nation called the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Its sister island, Nevis, lies some two miles (3 km) to the southeast. Bassterre is both the principal urban area on St. Kitts and the capital of the nation. The size of a large town, it draws from its British heritage with Georgian houses, a Victorian park and a central roundabout. At the same time, it is distinctly Caribbean in atmosphere. The island is intimate in size - - 65 square miles - - with a population of approximately 35,000. English is the official language. St. Kitts has a tropical climate. The rainy season is from May to November. The island is subject to hurricanes. |
The center of Basseterre is The Circus, reportedly patterned after London's Piccadilly Circus. At the center, is a four-sided Victorian clock encased within green stone with a fountain at its base.
Independence Square (formerly Pall Mall Square) is a sizeable park in central Basseterre. It once contained the island's slave market.
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Above: The coastal areas are lush green plains that abruptly rise into steep mountains in the center of the island.
Below: St. Kitts reflects both its West Indian and British heritages.
Below: St. Kitts reflects both its West Indian and British heritages.
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Cruise destination and travel guide - - St. Kitts - Introduction