Why Nevis is one of the Caribbean’s Best-Kept Secrets—And How to Spend a Week There

Just a 15-minute ferry ride from St. Kitts lies Nevis, a quiet island that feels a world away from other, more crowded Caribbean destinations. After a missed opportunity to visit Nevis on a trip to St. Kitts three years ago, I recently fulfilled my vow to return, spending a week on the lush island with my kids. Though Nevis is tiny (only seven miles long and five miles wide), the island has a lot of big surprises. If you’re looking for a place that combines great food, historical sites, and scenic hiking routes, here’s how to spend a week in Nevis. 

Don’t let its size fool you. Nevis has more than enough activities to keep you occupied for a week or longer. To get here, most travelers fly into St. Kitts and take a ferry or water taxi to Nevis; however, you can also reach Nevis via a regional airline from St. Maarten, Antigua, or St. Thomas. Once you arrive, you’ll want to spend your first afternoon soaking in the sights and easing into Nevis’ slow-paced island time. 

One of the best views of the island is from the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, which served as my home base for exploring the island. We arrived by water taxi, and the slow ride to the resort’s pier, which is nestled at the base of Nevis Peak, has to be one of the most impressive resort entrances I’ve experienced. The resort is spread across 350 acres, and the main resort property has three pools, six restaurants, and bars. There are plenty of activities for young travelers (like outdoor movie nights, a splash pad, and a kids club), but there are also quiet corners of solace for adults, like the adults-only Soca Pool. On our first evening, my kids and I dined on mahi burgers at the beachfront restaurant On the Dune, and then watched the sunset from the pier. 

For day two, make plans to spend some time on the water. Four Seasons Resort Nevis is situated on the north end of Pinney Beach, a three-mile-long, golden sand beach that’s dotted with beach bars and beach chair and cabana rentals. All beaches in Nevis are public, so you can spend a day on Pinney Beach swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing on the beach. 

If you happen to visit Nevis in the summer months, you can coordinate your visit to coincide with the resort’s Sea Turtle Week, which occurs in July. Through a partnership with Four Seasons Resort Nevis and The Sea Turtle Conservancy, visitors can participate in the tagging and release of turtles to study their migratory patterns. On a moonlit night during our stay, we drove out to the nearby Cotton Ground Beach, where, only about an hour into our trek, our group found a nesting hawksbill turtle. She was tagged, and the next morning, we watched her get released right on the shores of Pinney Beach. 

If snorkeling is your thing, the waters around Nevis are teeming with parrotfish, angelfish, and, of course, sea turtles. We booked a catamaran sailing excursion, and my son went snorkeling in the open water, spotting a school of yellowtail snapper. For your own snorkeling adventure, Leeward Islands Charters offers fall day, half-day, or sunset cruises. 

When we returned from our boat trip, we headed to Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill on Pinney’s Beach, which is an essential stop in Nevis. The bar’s claim to fame is its “Killer Bee” rum punch, which is heavy on the rum and light on the actual punch. Though the cocktail was smooth and delicious, one drink was more than enough for me. 

For such a small island, Nevis is full of history, and there are several ways to learn about the island’s most famous resident, Alexander Hamilton. The future founding father of America was born in Nevis, and in the island’s capital, Charleston, you can still see his legacy. 

We booked a tour with Nevis Sun Tours, a local company that offers various ways to explore the island, including rum tasting tours, horseback rides, and bike tours. On our Alexander Hamilton Island Tour, our stops included St. Paul’s Anglican Church, where Alexander Hamilton attended, and other places where Hamilton would have experienced growing up as a young boy on the island. 

Our tour ended at Hamilton’s birthplace, which is now a museum and a venue for government meetings. The Museum of Nevis History traces the island’s history from the original pre-colonial Indians to its emancipation and features an exhibit that chronicles Hamilton’s early life. 

It’s impossible to ignore Nevis Peak, which rises from the center of the island and is more often than not shrouded in mist. While you can climb to the top of Nevis Peak, the challenging hike will take you 6-8 hours round-trip and should be done with an experienced tour guide. 

But if you want something a bit less taxing, Nevis has lots of scenic hikes that crisscross the island. Check out Island Buzz Tours, which offer guided hikes to Nevis Peak along with the low-impact Russel’s Rest Hike, which takes you past waterfalls and cascading pools. The three-hour hike is accompanied by an experienced tour guide who provides insights into the island’s history.  

Another fun surprise is monkey spotting, especially if you have young kids. It’s estimated that more than 30,000 green vervet monkeys inhabit the island, and the best time to see them is in the early morning and late afternoon. The monkeys are friendly, and chances are you’ll see them on your hikes or just while driving around Nevis. 

Nevis surprised me with its diverse selection of food, including both local and resort options. Set aside a day for a self-curated foodie crawl, or take your time and make stops at one of the following restaurants throughout your trip. 

For a casual lunch date, check out Lime Beach Bar on Pinney Beach. The two-story, lime-green beachfront bar is hard to miss, and it’s famous for its “Green Flash” cocktail, which refers to the flash of green that sometimes occurs at sunset. The food here is great too: the generous portions of shrimp and lobster are often served to the soundtrack of live music. 

Looking for something a bit more elevated? The Yachtsman’s Grill at The Hamilton Beach Villas & Spa is just steps from the water and serves surprisingly good pizzas like the“Nevis Nice”, which is topped with lobster and red peppers. For seafood, their crispy cracked conch is delicious and comes with a spicy Scotch Bonnet dip. 

For dinner, one of my favorite restaurants at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis was Mango, located on the far northern side of the resort, and you don’t need to be a hotel guest to book a table. The stand-alone restaurant overlooks the water, and it’s one of the best places to watch the sun slide into the horizon over a plate of coconut shrimp and tender crab cakes topped with a sweet papaya slaw. 

And if you want a restaurant where the food is just as tantalizing as the setting, Bananas is an open-air restaurant situated on the edge of a rainforest. The decor is an eclectic and inviting mix, featuring hand-painted art from local creators on the walls, patterned throw pillows that add a pop of color to wicker chairs, and lush plants hanging from the ceiling. The international menu features Thai curried shrimp and West Indian curried goat, as well as golden-fried Johnny Cakes. End your night on the restaurant’s rooftop, which has unobstructed views of Nevis Peak.