When the British landed on St. Kitts, their first Leeward Islands Caribbean settlement,  they found white sand beaches, tumbling waterfalls, a lush rainforest, the majestic 1,156m (3,792 ft) Mount Liamuiga (pronounced Lee-a-mweega) and fertile fields to plant their sugar cane.

Today, when cruise ships pull into port, passengers see pretty much the same thing, plus the lively town of Basseterre. If cruise passengers look 3.2km (2 miles) to the southeast, they will see Nevis, St Kitts' sister island. Verdant Nevis is laid back, with deserted, soft sand beaches and old sugar plantations that have become quaint resorts.

Both St Kitts and Nevis have horse racing, golf, historic ruins, watersports and extinct volcanoes. St. Kitts' Brimstone Fortress, the Eastern Caribbean's only World Heritage site, has a marine theme park, shopping and larger hotels that are more attractive to cruise passengers and the resorty crowd. Nevis, a short 30-45 minute ferry boat ride away, is the perfect spot to chill out.

The picturesque capital, Basseterre retains the flavour of both French and British occupation, and there are many Georgian buildings surrounding Independence Square.

Highlights
St. Kitts
• Black Rocks
• Caribelle Batik Factory
• Friar's Bay
• Old Road
• Romney Manor
• St. Kitt's Scenic Railway

Nevis
• Botanic Gardens of Nevis
• Charlestown
• Hiking
• Horseback riding
• Kayaking
• Pinney's Beach

St. Kitts Tourism Authority
Pelican Mall, St. Kitts
Tel: +1 869 465 2620 or (869) 465 4040.
Web:  www.stkittstourism.kn

Nevis Tourism Authority
Main Street, Charlestown, Nevis
Tel: +1 869 469 7550 or (869) 469 1042.
Web:  www.nevisiland.com

St Kitts' shopping malls, located in downtown Basseterre, have a variety of duty-free shops and island specialities like art, batik jewellery and jams. Nevis has some interesting pottery. The honey for which it is known is often difficult to find.

Island restaurants range from funky beach bars to elegant dining rooms. Many eateries serve West Indian cuisine like curried mutton and Arawak chicken accompanied by almonds, rice and breadfruit leaf.

Though the weather is tropical, trade winds are a welcome relief. The best time to visit is January through to early May. Late May to early November can be stormy as it is hurricane season.

St Kitts And Nevis

GMT - 4.

Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents.

English.

Located in the Caribbean Sea south of St. Maarten and halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.

36,000 (St. Kitts), 11,000 (Nevis).

Constitutional monarchy since 1983.

Christian.

Dress is informal at most hotels. Island residents are quite conservative and in many cases quite religious, especially in Nevis. Beach attire is not appropriate for around town, in shops or in restaurants. Nudity is not permitted on any beach.

Tipping: Hotels add a 12% service charge to your bill. In restaurants, leave 15% if not included. Taxi drivers get $10. Bellmen receive about $1 per bag and the maid receives US$2 or more per night if service is good.