Six of the best: St. Kitts

With some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, a lush interior and restaurants with views to ‘die for’ St. Kitts is on a roll, says

Park Hyatt St. Kitts

This new hotel has brought its brand of five-star luxury to the Christophe Harbour development on Banana Bay, on a still-pristine part of the island. 126 guest rooms, including 48 suites, some with individual rooftop swimming pools, look down on one of the island’s picture-postcard beaches.

Facilities include three restaurants, a spa, watersports and the Island Fort by Camp Hyatt, which offers activities for those aged between three and 12. parkhyattstkitts.com

Helicopter Adventures

St. Kitts’ natural beauty, with its rainforested mountains and beaches of white, gray and black sands, is most evident when seen from above. Helicopter tours – lasting from 10 (for the City Tour) to 40 minutes (Twin Volcano Tour) – take in highlights such as Brimstone Hill Fortress, Mount Liamuiga, Basseterre, Frigate Bay and Cockleshell Beach. Prices range from US$99pp for the shortest tour to US$399 for the longest. heliskb.com

Restaurant Week

The fourth annual St. Kitts & Nevis Restaurant Week, which this year takes place between July 20-29, sees restaurants on both islands offering special fixed price dinner menus and lunchtime specials. The reduced-price offers showcase the best and most creative cuisines. The participating restaurants are a diverse mix and include The Verandah at Ocean Terrace Inn, Marshall’s and Spice Mill, as well as Sunshines Beach Bar and Grill in Nevis. restaurantweek.kn

St. Kitts Music Festival

The 22nd staging of the island’s biggest musical event takes place June 28-30. The festival, which acts as a showcase for Kittitian talent and to expose local performers to visiting artists, promoters and tourists, has dedicated theme nights devoted to Soca/Calypso, Reggae, R&B and Gospel. Top artists lined up to perform this year include headliners Patti La Belle and Lauryn Hill. stkittsmusicfestival.net

Christophe Harbour

Hand-crafted cocktails, island delicacies and the best sunsets on the island are the draw cards at SALT Plage, one of the Caribbean’s top beach bars. Barefoot sophistication and relaxation are on offer at this venue on Whitehouse Bay, with guests invited to enjoy their drinks in a couch on the pier or recharge on hammocks hung over the water. New for this year is the Sunday Sunset Buffet, which features food, live music and a Mojito bar. christopheharbour.com

Cricket Lovely Cricket

Cricket is just as synonymous with the Caribbean as reggae and rum cocktails.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots play in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20, with home matches taking place at Warner Park Stadium in Basseterre. Last year the Patriots reached the final and anticipation is building for this year’s tournament, which runs from August 8 to September 16. cplT20.com