Most people go to the Caribbean islands for the sunshine, sandy beaches, and breath-taking scenery. Others go to study medicine or to go to vet school. There are three institutions of higher learning on the island where visitors and residents can get a medical or veterinary degree in between umbrella cocktails and tanning sessions. English is the national language here, and the island has a literacy rate of 98%. There are welcome tours St Kitts to suit every interest.
Medical degrees aside, there is much to distinguish the Sugar City from other idyllic Caribbean islands. There are approximately 45,000 permanent residents who call themselves Kittians. The majority of Kittians are of African ethnicity. The island has its own UNESCO World Heritage site, and that is Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which happens to be eastern Caribbean's most substantial fortress.
While most, if not all, tropical islands are volcanic in origin, the Kittians boast no fewer than three distinct groups of volcanic peaks. These are the Mount Misery Range, the Verchilds Range, and the Olivees Range. The tallest peak is Mount Misery.
Owing to dwindling profits, the government shut down the sugar cane industry in 2005. Since then, tourism has emerged as the largest sector of the island economy. The trend seems to be toward vacation homes, rather than resorts. This may be one reason why the tourist element is less crowded than it is on other exotic tropical islands. Other industries propping up the economy are construction, transportation, manufacturing and agriculture of things other than sugar cane.
One of the annual events that draws the crowds is the St Kitts Music Festival. In 1996, it was called the Shak Shak Festival. Today, crowds rock to the tunes of Arrow, Crazy and the Lejah Band, and King Konris and Queen Anastasia. The tickets may be purchased with US or East Caribbean dollars.
The island is served by Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Flights arrive daily from New York and Miami and twice weekly from London. The flight time from London is 11 to 12 hours. From Miami, flights take three to five hours, and a flight from New York will set you back between six and seven hours.
A regular ferry service connects St. Kitts with its sister island, Nevis. There is also a narrow gauge railway, formerly built to connect the sugar farms with the sugar factory. The railway was built in 1812. Since 2003, double-decker, open-air carriages conduct half-hour tours lasting three and a half hours around the island.
For a tiny island, St. Kitts has produced a number of notable names. Many of these are sprinters and include Tiandra Ponteen, Desai Williams, Virgil Hodge, and Kim Collins. Felix Dexter, actor, writer, and comedian, Calypso musician Konris Maynard, and Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson, governor of the island from 1830, are among the other Kittian luminaries. The island is not without its black sheep, and is responsible for producing professional boxer, Bertil Fox, who was ultimately convicted for murder, and the nefarious George Astaphan, the physician who prescribed steroids for Ben Johnson.
Medical degrees aside, there is much to distinguish the Sugar City from other idyllic Caribbean islands. There are approximately 45,000 permanent residents who call themselves Kittians. The majority of Kittians are of African ethnicity. The island has its own UNESCO World Heritage site, and that is Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which happens to be eastern Caribbean's most substantial fortress.
While most, if not all, tropical islands are volcanic in origin, the Kittians boast no fewer than three distinct groups of volcanic peaks. These are the Mount Misery Range, the Verchilds Range, and the Olivees Range. The tallest peak is Mount Misery.
Owing to dwindling profits, the government shut down the sugar cane industry in 2005. Since then, tourism has emerged as the largest sector of the island economy. The trend seems to be toward vacation homes, rather than resorts. This may be one reason why the tourist element is less crowded than it is on other exotic tropical islands. Other industries propping up the economy are construction, transportation, manufacturing and agriculture of things other than sugar cane.
One of the annual events that draws the crowds is the St Kitts Music Festival. In 1996, it was called the Shak Shak Festival. Today, crowds rock to the tunes of Arrow, Crazy and the Lejah Band, and King Konris and Queen Anastasia. The tickets may be purchased with US or East Caribbean dollars.
The island is served by Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Flights arrive daily from New York and Miami and twice weekly from London. The flight time from London is 11 to 12 hours. From Miami, flights take three to five hours, and a flight from New York will set you back between six and seven hours.
A regular ferry service connects St. Kitts with its sister island, Nevis. There is also a narrow gauge railway, formerly built to connect the sugar farms with the sugar factory. The railway was built in 1812. Since 2003, double-decker, open-air carriages conduct half-hour tours lasting three and a half hours around the island.
For a tiny island, St. Kitts has produced a number of notable names. Many of these are sprinters and include Tiandra Ponteen, Desai Williams, Virgil Hodge, and Kim Collins. Felix Dexter, actor, writer, and comedian, Calypso musician Konris Maynard, and Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson, governor of the island from 1830, are among the other Kittian luminaries. The island is not without its black sheep, and is responsible for producing professional boxer, Bertil Fox, who was ultimately convicted for murder, and the nefarious George Astaphan, the physician who prescribed steroids for Ben Johnson.
About the Author:
Find a list of the benefits of booking welcome tours St Kitts and more info about a reliable tour operator at http://skntaxiandtours.com right now.
