Why You Need to See St. Kitts Now, Before the

 Why You Need to See St. Kitts Now, Before the One Percent
Takes Over
New York Post November 12, 2014
A serene view of Christophe Harbour in St. Kitts.
By Carrie Seim
Beware the wild monkeys.
Because if the cobalt Caribbean waters, the tucked-away beaches, the lush
rainforest and the sugar-sweet locals aren’t enough to make you want to stay in
St. Kitts forever, the melt-your-heart primates scampering around every turn
will seal the deal.
St. Kitts – the sister island of sun-drenched Nevis – lives up to its reputation as
one of the most unspoiled gems in the West Indies, blessed with gorgeous
seascapes, zero traffic lights and surprisingly affordable (at least for now)
adventure. With ultra-luxe developments sprouting, a glossy new private jet
terminal and a superyacht marina on its way, it’s also poised to become the
next way station of the jet set.
Get there before the one percent, and practice saying, “St. Bart’s? How last
season.”
Island Adventures
There’s really only one way to kick off your St. Kitts’ escape: with a little
“liming” (relaxing with no worries in sight). Which beach to bum? Sandy Bank
Bay offers a secluded cove with captivating white sand, a coral head and calm
aqua waters; the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & the Royal Beach Casino,
meanwhile, sits on a surprisingly lovely stretch of sand on the Atlantic that’s
ideal for snorkeling excursions, complete with a small flotilla of turtles bobbing
past.
St. Kitts Marriott Resort. (Photo: St. Kitts Marriott)
After a splash in the ocean, it’s time to trek into the jungle. St. Kitts, which has
been protecting its 12,500 acres of reserved rainforest since 1903, is one of the
only spots on the planet where the rainforest is expanding rather than
shrinking. Greg’s Safaris offers engaging, fact-filled tours led by Greg Pereira, a
passionate fifth-generation Kittitian who encourages hikers to see, hear, feel,
smell and even taste the treasures of the rainforest. More ambitious climbers
can tackle the (dormant) Mt. Liamuiga volcano, but be warned: it’s a vigorous
hike that can take six hours.
Next, wind your way up to the cannon-fortified Brimstone Hill Fortress, a
UNESCO world heritage site where British and French colonialists battled for
dominion in the 1780s.
More history awaits on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, a narrow-gauge train that
chugs its way on a loop through the island and pays tribute to the island’s 350year sugar industry.
The treed landscape of Ottley’s Plantation Inn, an erstwhile sugar estate that
now sports cottages. (Courtesy: Ottley’s Plantation Inn, St. Kitts)
Boutique aficionados will revel in Ottley’s Plantation Inn, (from $199) a former
sugar plantation dating back to the 17th century that offers gracefully
appointed great house rooms and cottages fitted with handsome British
colonial furniture.
Keep an eye out for a charming family of monkeys as you hike the property’s
rainforest trails or play a round of croquet.
Be sure to leave your wooden plantation shutters open in the evening;
nightbirds will sing you to sleep.
The hottest resort in the Caribbean at the moment is Kittitian Hill’s Belle Mont
Farm, a 400-acre luxury property (from $800 through Nov. 15; $2,250, all
inclusive, after)that soft launched this summer and officially debuts in
December. Its 84 somebody-pinch-me guesthouses and seven four-bedroom
“farmhouses” are perched atop a jungle ridge and endowed with soaring
ceilings, verandas and private pool decks that offer stunning farm-to-sea views.
The pièce de résistance? Entirely outdoor bathrooms outfitted with clawfoot
tubs, rainwater showers and vintage vanities. The Bill Bensley-designed
enclave (which emphasizes sustainable development and community
engagement) is nestled beneath fruit trees near a forthcoming spa, farm-totable restaurant, rum bar and environmentally low-impact golf course. It’s all
anchored by a Great House — resplendent with stone colonnades inspired by
historic Brimstone Hill.