Active Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis – From the Tops of Volcanoes to Underwater Shipwrecks
The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Islands, commonly referred to as “St. Kitts” or “SKN”, is a two island nation of the Caribbean Lesser Antilles’ Leeward Islands. Saint Kitts and Nevis islands are actually the tops of a submerged volcanic mountain range, covered with rolling green folds of volcanic peaks and lush valleys – More than a quarter of the islands are conserved via National Park lands! Regular ferry service connects the islands of Saint Kitts with Nevis – They’re only a couple of miles (3 km) apart. The sister islands are just a few miles from its closest neighbours, Sint Eustatius to the north-west, Barbuda and Antigua to the East and Montserrat to the south.
While many tourists spend their time ‘Limin’, relaxing on the beach with a local lime flavoured rum beverage, others see the amazing adventure opportunities the mountainous islands have to offer… Our personal favourite active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include…
St. Kitts & Nevis Hiking – Get on some Amazing Trails
There are a variety of hiking trails on each island, offering something for everyone – From short nature walks, to intermediate hikes, along with challenging volcano hikes on each island. Combined, Saint Kitts and Nevis have half a dozen mountainous peaks above 1,500 feet (500m), along with numerous other great areas to hike.
No adventurous trip to Saint Kitts is complete without hiking up Mount Liamuiga volcano, the island’s highest peak which stands 3,792 feet (1,156 m) above sea level. This is a fairly challenging hike. It’s only 5 miles (8km) or so round trip, however it usually takes 4–6 hours to hike to the peak and back due to it’s rooty terrain and steep sections. A great Caribbean ‘bucket list’ hike for sure!
A number of excellent hiking trails can be found on the west side of Saint Kitts. Good mountainous trails on the island include Dos D’ane Pond Hike (The Mansion Source Trail) on Verchilds Mountain and the Radio Tower Hike a little further south.
Other great hikes on the island of St. Kitts can be found in the Central Forest Reserve National Park. Trails include the “Valley of Giants” Rainforest Hike and the Peter Manning Trail Hike.
That said, the nice Phillips Rainforest Hike is reached from the east side of the island, and the epic Southern Peninsula hiking trail is found, not surprisingly at the south end of St. Kitts – This is a unique ‘dry scrub-brush’ trail with access to empty beaches and is full of mesmerizing ocean views.
Nevis Peak dominates the landscape on the small island of Nevis and it is the most challenging and popular hike on the island. The trail is only a couple of miles in length, however the hike will take 4-5 hours to complete due to it’s steepness – But why rush to get back down when you’ll be spoiled with the spectacular views from the top (You might be able to see Montserrat and Antigua on a clear day).
There are other relatively short hikes on Nevis as well, such as the Golden Rock Nature Trail, the Devil’s Copper Waterfall Trail, the Source Trail and the Sulphur Springs Hike. With Nevis’ natural beauty, there’re all sure to please.
For more information on one of the funnest things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including hiking guides who will get you on the trail, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Hiking page
Saint Kitts and Nevis Snorkeling – Enjoy Bays, Reefs and more…
Saint Kitts and Nevis offer a number of locations to explore it’s underwater world. Slip into the warm Caribbean sea and snorkel right off the beach, or take a short boat ride to some nearby reefs and a shipwreck that lie in clear waters. Explore a new world full of diverse coral, sponges and tropical fish, as well as colourful sea fans and even sea turtles and rays.
The best snorkeling sites around Saint Kitts are along the west coast of the islands and include shallow spots like White House Bay and Green Point Reef as well as slightly deeper spots like Ballest Bay, Shitten Bay (no that’s not a spelling mistake) and Turtle Bar Reef. There’s even a shipwreck in less than 25 feet (8m) of water that can be viewed while snorkeling.
For those who want to enjoy longer / deeper under water journeys, but don’t have scuba diving experience, Snuba (Mask and mouthpiece with air-tube) tours are available as well!
Nevis offers similar snorkeling spots, including Booby Island and Herberts.
For more information on one of the better things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including tour / boat operators who will get you in the water, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Snorkeling page
St. Kitts and Nevis Water Sports – Plenty of Options
One of the best ways to really experience the Caribbean is by getting on the beach and into / onto the water. St. Kitts offers an assortment of thrilling water sports activities, both motorized and human powered, while Nevis gives you some more laid back options to appreciate the islands’ coastline.
The most popular spot for water sport action in the island of St. Kitts can be found on the beaches around the southern peninsula. You can kayak, SUP (Paddle Board) and surf along the gorgeous coast line, or if you’re looking for more of an adrenaline rush, try flyboarding, Kiteboarding / Kitesurfing, Parasailing, Wakeboarding / Tubing and jet-skiing. Small sail boats are also available cruise up and down the coast on.
The beaches along the west coast of Nevis can be enjoyed by kayak and SUP (Paddle Board) and jet-skiis are also available.
For more information on some of the more adventurous things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including tour operators who will get you outfitted, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Water Sports page
Mountain Bike & Cycle the Sister Islands
Mountain biking in the Caribbean is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise while exploring the islands – Getting great views of the Caribbean sea and neighbouring islands is an added bonus. St. Kitts offers some cane field and road routes, while Nevis has a number of terrain options and trail styles to choose from. There’s something for everyone on the sister islands.
The best places to cycle on the island of Saint Kitts includes some cane fields and roads around the capital Basseterre and through the southern peninsula.
For the MTB and Cycling enthusiast, Nevis is the place to be! You can ride off-road on plantation trails and old road beds, including some nice down-hill trails. On the road, there are short, medium and long routes to cycle, including hilly and ‘around the island’ circuits.
For more information, including guides and tour operators who will get you on the saddle, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Biking page
Dive the Reefs and Wrecks of Saint Kitts & Nevis
One of the better areas in the Caribbean for diving, Saint Kitts and Nevis offer a variety of dive sites in both the Atlantic and Caribbean seas around the islands – There are over two dozen dive sites with reefs, wrecks and walls to explore. There’s something for divers of all skills to enjoy. If you’ve always wanted to try scuba diving, Saint Kitts is a great place to get started – there is a dive school on the island that offers diving PADI courses and certification.
There are over 20 dive sites off the coast of St. Kitts alone, including four wrecks to explore. If you’re looking for drift diving, wall diving or underwater photography, you’ll find here – There’s even a couple of sites with volcanic vents on the sea floor! Full of sea life, you’re sure to find a variety of fish, corals, sponges & urchins along with rays, turtles, eels, octopus, lobsters and the occasional shark & seahorse.
There are another handful of dive sites off the coast of Nevis as well.
For more information on one of the more adventurous things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including boat operators who will get you in the water, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Diving page
Saint Kitts and Nevis Golf
Believe it or not, there are two 18 hole / par 71 golf courses on St. Kitts and one on Nevis.
The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is just outside St. Kitts’ capital Basseterre. This magnificent course is situated on 125 acres and includes two holes overlooking the Caribbean Sea as well as three holes on the Atlantic Ocean.
Kittitian Hill’s Irie Fields is located at the north end of St. Kitts. This uniquely natural course is set among Belle Mont farm’s crops and fruit trees and offers spectacular ocean views across to St. Barths.
On Nevis, the Four Seasons Golf Club is located on the west side of the island just outside the capital Charlestown. This attractive course was designed by Robert Trent Jones II.
For more information on one of the more relaxing yet active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Golf page
Have Fun!
ACT Staff
For a more relaxing vacation in St. Kitts & Nevis, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis Attractions blog
For an overview of the beautiful sister islands, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page
