Rolling hills, rocky coasts and volcanic carvings will greet you as you explore the dual-nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. During my trip, I visited the larger of the two. St. Kitts is unique in its essence, holding both views of the Atlantic and the Caribbean. A short walk from one side of the island to the other will bring you to the clear waters of the Caribbean.
The Atlantic Side
The Atlantic side was where our hotel sat. The water was deep blue, mixed with lighter tones towards the shore. The sand was hotter than I expected it would be for the Caribbean. A calming and relaxing vibe made up the entire atmosphere of the island.
Exploring the Island
St. Kitts is home to both rocky and sandy beaches. At various points of the island, you can walk short distances or find an area with just enough beach to hang out. I loved how the landscape went from curving roads on distant hills to leveled sand and rocks. A popular activity is hiking and seeking the breathtaking views of the island.
Wild Monkey Sighting!
One of the most thrilling aspects of our walk around the island was finding a little wild monkey. After our sighting, I decided to do some research, as I was curious as to what type of monkey it was. I found out it was a wild African or “vervent” monkey, which are very common to encounter at St. Kitts.
This particular one didn’t seem too disturbed by me chasing after it with my GoPro, but it didn’t exactly want to come directly up to me either. I followed it for a minute or two and then gave it space. Later, I also discovered that these monkeys sadly have been the victims of exportation and feasted upon. There have been petitions to end this practice, and much attention has been brought to the issue.
After discovering the monkey, we stayed on course towards the Caribbean beach. While there were local hotels and a few restaurants, I was surprised by the area that was left untouched. There was little traffic off the main road, and we only passed a few local restaurants and one grocery during our walk. In the distance, you could see several houses on the hilltops.
The Caribbean Side
After our walk we reached the Caribbean side, right by the well-known Shiggidy Shack Beach Bar and Grill. The shack is a part of “The Strip” of ocean-front dining in Frigate Bay. The quiet bay area is clearly the Caribbean side of the sea. Despite the restaurants, the beach was quite calm when we arrived, which was about noon on Sunday. I’m sure the area is livelier during the rest of the week.
All of the options are very casual, and laid back. The Shack offers water sport rentals and fresh water seafood. To be completely honest though, the hostess was quite rude to us when we arrived. There were several people seated, but she said she “couldn’t” seat us until 1 p.m. She wouldn’t even place us for drinks. We decided to walk back and eat at the hotel instead.
Marshall’s Restaurant
During our trip, one of the restaurants we went to for dinner was Marshall’s, located in Frigate Bay. This upscale dining experience offers an ocean view, open-air dining room. Make sure you come early if you want to see the sunset and the ocean.
We ordered the seafood coquille to start. This appetizer is a mix of scallops, lobster and shrimp in a cream sauce. We each got our own. The restaurant’s portion’s are smaller than standard American restaurants. (See the full menu here).
We also got a crab cake to try. Fair warning, only one crab cake is served per order. It was good, but not spectacular compared to other crab cakes I’ve had in South Carolina. My main dish was the Chilean sea bass with mashed sweet potatoes and veggies. The fish was served perfectly and very tender, falling apart easily. The sweet potatoes were great but a little different in comparison to American sweet potatoes.
Diane got the catch of the day with rice, which was the Wahoo fish. This fish was not tender, however, I’ve never had swordfish before. We decided mine was the winner.
The desserts were delicious and had a little twist to match the island’s cuisine. I had the bread pudding with ice cream and it was one of the best I’ve ever had. Diane got the carrot cake, but oddly it didn’t come with frosting. It was alright despite this factor, but I wouldn’t try it again.
Stay tuned for Part 2, reviewing the Marriott and the rest of our stay on the island…
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