The perfect Kitts
Discovers true paradise on this tiny Caribbean island
With silver sand beaches, spectacular verdant landscapes and a vibe that prioritises joy, St Kitts might just be the Caribbean’s best kept secret. At 68 sq miles, what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in its charm and beauty. Sipping a mojito at Arthur’s Bar and Restaurant, on the shore of Dieppe Bay Beach, I watch as the golden skies illuminate the spot where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea meet. It’s a bucket-list moment which leaves me dreaming of a new life on a sun-drenched island. Luckily paradise is easily accessible from the UK. A 10-hour and 15-minute British Airways flight – including a one-hour stop in Antigua – departs Gatwick for Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport twice a week.
To really bask in holiday bliss calls for a beautiful hotel in a beachfront location.
St Kitts Marriott Resort and The Royal Beach Casino, an oceanfront complex with its own private beach full of cabanas and a golf club, is just nine minutes from the airport.
Here you can relax at one of the resort’s seven restaurants offering everything from steak to sushi, or chill in the swim-up pools and spa.
My room, a Royal Suite with green mountain views, boasts a spacious balcony, two televisions, coffee-making facilities and a king-size bed.
The largest bathroom (yes, there are two) is fitted with a Jacuzzi bath, walk-in shower room and well-lit dressing table. Just a stone’s throw from the resort is Coconut Grove cafe bar. Their Classic Caribbean breakfast of salt fish, sauteed potatoes and coconut Johnny Cakes – a fried dough dumpling – is an excellent way to start the day.
And a short drive away is The Strip in Frigate Bay with its colourful collection of beach bars offering authentic Caribbean food, drinks and music.
I visited Boozies for a delicious dish of curried chicken and finished it off with a refreshing rum punch. If you’re up for a party, head for Monkey Bar.
A great way to explore St Kitts’ lush rainforest is on a guided tour in Central Forest Reserve National Park. O’neil Mulraine, of O’neil’s Rainforest Tours, is an excellent host. Having taken tours for 48