Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Discover the Most Enchanting Little Island in the World – Nevis

I can’t believe that it is August already. Summer is coming to a close and it’s time to start thinking about getting away from the cold. Canadians especially want to head south when the temperature starts to drop. They look for warmer temperatures, plenty of sunshine, and beautiful beaches, and often a completely new place to explore.  And what better place than Nevis in the Caribbean! One of the last known unspoiled places on earth, Nevis is a paradise for sun worshipers and nature lovers.


Pinney’s Beach, longest beach on Nevis
Photo courtesy of Montpelier Plantation Inn
Nevis is located close to St. Kitts situated in the Leeward Islands  of the Caribbean about 225 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. It is an almost circular 36 square mile island with a high extinct volcano with tropical rain forests and white, black, and golden sandy beaches.  It is an unhurried island with a gracious, old West Indian influence and a handful of the Caribbean’s most enchanting plantation house hotels, many lovely villas, and some good restaurants. 


Photo courtesy of new-horizon.co.uk

Lodging: Nevis is not a large island and does not have thousands tourists flocking to its doorstep. It is designed for the more discerning tourist who wants a beautiful island in an unhurried, tranquil location.
Photo courtesy of Montpelier Plantation Inn
Visitors have a wide range of options based on their interest, including the one large hotel on the island, the luxurious Four Seasons Nevis,  plantation hotels, more traditional beach hotels and villas. For a luxurious Caribbean experience, we recommend the Four Season Nevis, Montpelier Plantation Inn , small luxury hotel located with a strong contemporary feel on one of the best and prettiest stretches of beach in Nevis, or  the Hermitage Plantation Inn, a delightful rustic gem set in traditional Caribbean gingerbread  cottages around a sloping garden.

Gingerbread house cottages at Hermitage Plantation Inn
Photo courtesy of Heritage Plantation Inn

What To Do: Being in the Caribbean, there is a choice of activities to suite every taste and  plenty of beautiful  beaches.  All beaches are public in Nevis but there is lots of room for everyone for swimming, snorkeling, birding, or just soaking up the sun and cooling off when you get too hot. In addition, there is golf, cricket, tennis, horse racing, mountain biking, or horseback riding. Hiking in the rainforest is a must for everybody or  it’s fun listening to the monkeys chattering  in the trees. Rich in crafts and traditions that fuse Amerindian and Afro-Caribbean cultures, Nevis is a living museum of days gone by. There’s Lord Nelson’s lookout point, churches dating back centuries, and the very home in which Alexander Hamilton was born. A long day climb to the top of Nevis peak will prove you with a wonderful view.

Remains of Cottle Church, Nevis
 Photo courtesy of www.hillrisehouse.com

Food: Nevis offers superb  dining throughout the island that is certain to please even the most discerning palate. In the past few years, Nevis has exploded in a fusion frenzy – local ingredients blended  with taste sensations from around the world. For an extraordinary experience, eat at Miss June’s Cuisine where Trinidadian June Mestier occasionally holds an open house where she cooks a huge evening buffet of Caribbean and Indian dishes. If you are looking for one of the most  romantic dining spots on Nevis  go to the Mill at Montpelier. Another attractive spot  for dinner is The Hermitage where you’ll dine at the edge of the rainforest on the terrace of one of the oldest  buildings on Nevis amid towering mango  tress and cute cottages.

The mill at MontpelierPhoto courtesy of Montpelier Plantation Inn

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Muriel MacRae plans exciting getaways and customized vacations for discerning travellers, honeymooners and families. As the owner of Del Sol Travel, she offers romantic vacations with personalized service and unique itineraries. Getting to know and understand her clients is critical in helping turn their ideas and vision into a unique and memorable masterpiece when creating their customized vacation. Located in Calgary, Alberta, she plans weddings, destination weddings, and honeymoons for couples in and around the Calgary and Banff area and throughout North America. For more information about planning your wedding, honeymoon, or romantic getaway, please contact her at travelinfo@delsoltravel.ca or phone 403-477-0643.