Many of the great sugar plantation estates remain as private residences
or tourist hotels.

St. Kitts, officially known as St. Christopher until 1988, was instrumental in establishing British domination throughout the Caribbean.

Although discovered by Columbus, St. Kitts was the first English settlement in the Eastern Caribbean (1623), and it was from here settlers journeyed to Antigua, Tortola, Montserrat and Nevis.

However, the British didn't gain full control of St. Kitts until 1783, as a provision of the Treaty of Versailles. The capital city name of Basseterre (pronounced "bass-terr") reflects the long struggle between the English and French over ownership of St. Kitts.

Still, the French and British managed at first to live in peace for about 60 years in the 1600s, agreeing by treaty not to battle each other even if their mother countries were at war.

One of their first cooperative projects was to wipe out the Carib Indians, who initially befriended the original 16 British colonists when they landed in 1623. But after the French also established a colony, the Caribs became upset with the growing number of foreigners.

They decided to rid the island of Europeans and called on Indians from adjacent islands to help.

The British and French learned of the plan and struck first, exterminating the St. Kitts Caribs and many of their allies. Although the Caribs were completely routed from St. Kitts, they did leave behind one of the most intriguing sites on the island: a ravine filled with petroglyphs at Bloody Point that few tourists ever see.

For hikers, St. Kitts is a walking paradise. About 36% of the island (roughly 16,000 acres) is protected rain forest. It's been safeguarded since colonial times to retain the vital watershed.   

The toughest walk of all is up the volcano, Mt. Liamuiga, (pronounced Lee-A-mwee-ga) which is 3,792 feet high.

Scuba divers have the unusual chance to swim through warm steam vents, courtesy of the volcano.

The best beaches are on the largely undeveloped Southern Peninsula.

NEW!  Photo tour around the island on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway (The Sugar Train)

Detailed Background: Facts & Map
Courtesy of the CIA

Arrival Briefing
What You Need to Know If You Go

Where to Stay on St. Kitts
From small historic inns to a large casino hotel

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St. Kitts Road Map
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Major Attractions

Basseterre Walking Tour
A "circus" is one of the highlights

Beaches
Most are at the southern end

St. Kitts Diving
Be kissed by the breath of a volcano

Black Rocks
More traces of the island's volcanic past

Brimstone Hill Fortress
Mighty but largely unknown

Carib Petroglyphs
The canyon at Bloody Point is awesome

Mt. Liamuiga Hike
Scale the sides of an old volcano

Monkey Hill Walk/Hike
See the critters that live here

St. Kitts Music Festival
Held the end of June

St. Kitts Scenic Railway Island Tour
It's also called The Sugar Train

Southern Peninsula Walk
In many ways, this is
the most interesting part of the island