St. Kitts and Nevis- Food & Travel Guide “a la Croc”

First off, why go to St. Kitts?

1. St. Kitts is rumored to be the premiere destination in the Caribbean for food-shack-eating-on-the beach.
2. Non-stop service was just opened up from Newark (we avoid connecting flights whenever possible).
3. We were traveling in January. For January, an absolute guarantee of 80 degrees or above all the time is mandatory (so Florida and Bahamas are out)
4. The name sounds exotic.

Upon flying into St. Kitts, the island looks like an upside-down guitar. It has a little mountainous neighbor off to the south; Nevis.

Where To Stay:

Location, Location, Location! It is the Croc mantra on food trips. We don’t like being isolated, even if the property is beautiful.

And we like a reasonable price so we have lots to spend on what really matters…food and drink!

So we recommend the Marriott because it is centrally located, has a casino, and is within walking distance to many local restaurants…heck, there’s even a micro-brewery across the street. And they have an awesome happy hour from 5:00pm to 8:00pm every day. We’re talking $10 for a Johnny Walker Black, a rum punch and a beer! Yahoo!

Of course, there are pricier properties (Hyatt St Kitts, Four Seasons Nevis). But they are isolated from local color and food/ beverage is very expensive. If you need luxury, go to the Marriot for a few nights, then go to the Four Seasons Nevis for a couple nights- it is a beautiful property!

Where To Eat/ Drink

1. Poinciana- uncrowded French/Caribbean spot with a reasonably priced, well-chosen wine list. 5 minutes from Marriot.
2. “The Strip”- nothing fancy for sure…7 or 8 shacks on the beach with cheap drinks, seafood and sandwiches. Best for lunch (at dinner it’s a little quiet). 5 minutes from MARRIOTT by taxi.
3. Tiranga- Indian restaurant right across from Marriot. Reasonably priced and uncrowded.
4. ShipReck Beach Bar- go there for a couple hours for a nice lunch day trip. Then, dig your toes into the sand, drink local beer and eat fish tacos.
5. Reggae Beach- on south end of the island 20 minutes from Marriott. Nice beach with a cool tropical vibe. Rental chaise lounge/umbrella and hang out for a leisurely lunch and a bucket of beers.
6. Sprat Net- towards the north end of the island- a local favorite. They pull the seafood right out of the tank and cook it. It’s cheap and fresh, but beware…it can get very crowded. Go there right when they open and never go on Friday (we waited in line for 2 hours on a Friday night at 7:30!

What To Do (other than eat/ drink)

1. Catamaran trip to Nevis. Sign up at the hotel for the booze cruise, folks. 45 minute catamaran to Nevis, a little snorkeling along the way, then anchor at a nice beach in Nevis for BBQ lunch. While you are on Nevis, tour the Four Seasons hotel. After spending a couple hours on the beach, sail back to St Kitts. It’s a good value at $109/person.
2. Another worthwhile excursion is rent your own taxi and tour the entire island. Four hours will run you about $60. Don’t miss the fort at the north end of the island for spectacular views of St Kitts, Nevis, St Eustatious and many more little islands.