Patron Saint
I wanted to hear from our guide.
But as I nervously dipped my head into the crystal-clear water I was mesmerised by the marine life which was living peacefully near the sea bed.
Shitten Bay is the livelier of the two snorkel spots and comes with the unique appeal of a shipwreck on its coast.
I also took a trip over to St Kitts’ sister island of Nevis, where I had an encounter with a Killer Bee. Thankfully it wasn’t of the crazed insect kind, but a popular rum cocktail speciality of Sunshine’s bar on Pinney’s Beach, a three-mile stretch of golden sand.
Back in St Kitts, and with a taste for this delicious spirit, I signed up for the Kittitian Rummaster tour. It includes rum tasting, rum gifts and a whole lot of rum cocktails.
The three-hour itinerary began at the Wingfield Estate where we learned about the history of Old Road Rum from founder and expert, Jack Widdowson.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns Jack spent his time researching the 17th-century distillery’s history to help resurrect it to its former glory. In fact, his research has now led him to believe that Old Road Rum could be the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean – dating back as far as 1681.
The second part of the tour took us to the island’s southern peninsula and the home of Hibiscus Spirits, Spice Mill.
Here we learned how to craft our own spice rum using the expertise of the chief executive, Roger Brisbane. I was very impressed with the results!
Located close by is the five-star Park Hyatt St Kitts Christophe Harbour hotel, which has two swimming pools, a beautiful spa and amazing views of Nevis.
Its three restaurants offer local and international cuisine and I recommend the simple chicken caesar salad at Fisherman’s Village. You can also take your pick from its list of complimentary activities such as water sports, snorkelling tours and meditation. Or book in for jet ski hire and stargazing.
As I spent my last morning in paradise, watching as Nevis faded into the mist of a shower from my balcony, I wondered how somewhere could still look this beautiful in the rain.