Touching down at St Kitts Robert Bradshaw International Airport in St. Kitts makes it easy to explore, with nearby places close enough for simple day trips. St. Kitts is a green, volcanic island in the Leeward Islands, long and narrow, with a rainforest-covered peak at its center and old sugar estates across its slopes. It has a friendly, unhurried feel, and its sister island, Nevis, sits just across a narrow channel.

Island highlights on St. Kitts: - Explore Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with sweeping sea views - Ride the St. Kitts Scenic Railway along the old sugar cane line - Hike Mount Liamuiga to the rim of its crater - Walk the gardens at Romney Manor and see hand-made batik at Caribelle Batik - Stroll The Circus and Independence Square in Basseterre - Stop at Timothy Hill for the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean on the other - Swim at Cockleshell Bay on the quiet southeast peninsula - Watch for green vervet monkeys along the roads - Try stewed saltfish with spicy plantains, coconut dumplings, and seasoned breadfruit

St. Kitts is an island, so the best side trip goes by water. Ferries and water taxis cross the strait to Nevis in about 30 to 45 minutes, where Charlestown holds the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton and hot springs once loved by colonial visitors. The road around St. Kitts itself makes an easy half day of villages and viewpoints. Time a visit for Sugar Mas, the carnival that runs from late December into early January, or simply come for warm water and an easy pace.