ST. KITTS, ST KITTS & NEVIS

St. Kitts, the nickname for St. Christopher, was originally called Liamuga meaning fertile island by the first Indian residents. And there's little question as to why. Verdant mountains, fields of abundant green sugar cane, and beautiful topical foliage is the norm on this beautiful Leeward Island.

Volcanic and hilly yet heavily agricultural, this island is the dominant part of the two-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, which are separated at their closest point by a two-mile-wide channel. Once part of the United Britain, the islands declared their independence in 1983, a day that is still celebrated each year much like July 4 in the United States.

St. Kitts is quintessentially West Indian, where foods like "peas and rice" are daily staples. In recent years, St. Kitts has gained wealth as a tourist destination, developing many beachfront hotels and a deepwater port to attract large ships on a regular basis.

The island's capital city of Basseterre (pronounced "Bass-tare") is an architectural jewel, one of the best preserved ... more