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SMALL ISLAND GEMS Location Details |
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SMALL ISLAND GEMS
This unique cluster of islands is Culsen Travel’s newest addition to their Caribbean programme. St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and Montserrat are all part of the Leeward Islands located in the north eastern region, each providing that special more traditional Caribbean holiday experience. Each of these “small island gems” has something different and exciting to offer. Enjoy their untouched beauty and amazing desolate beaches, their rugged mountainous green landscapes and the friendliness of the local residents who like to welcome visitors to share their intimate island.
Nicknamed the sugar city from the days when the island had more than 300 sugar cane estates, sugar cane fields still form much of the island’s landscape, along with its volcanic peaks and rainforests. Some of the unique features of this island include its more than 400 undiscovered wrecks which surround the island, and the 200 plus heritage sites which include Brimstone Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also unique to the island is the St Kitts Scenic Railway which takes visitors around the island along the tracks of the original Sugar Train giving them the opportunity to see some of the island`s spectacular scenery and some of its most famous sites. These include Black Rocks, Romney Manor and Brimstone Hill.
WHY VISIT ST KITTS?
Despite being relatively small in size, just 68 square miles, St Kitts enjoys some of the Caribbean’s best tourism infrastructure, with an arrival into its modern airport providing a wonderful welcome for visitors, and a good road network making driving around the island a genuine pleasure. Although the island has made major developments over the last couple of years in becoming a tourist destination, St Kitts still remains unspoilt by many of the large resorts and attractions of the larger Caribbean islands; however a visit to Frigate Bay is where you will find the majority of the island’s hotels and resorts. For a quieter taste of what St Kitts has to offer a visit to one of the island’s many inland plantation houses will give visitors a more authentic experience of the island as it used to be. One of the islands most dramatic views can be experienced on the approach to the island’s peninsula, which offers some of the island’s more deserted coves and beaches.
The biggest event of the year is held during the month of June when the island hosts its international music festival for 4 days. Artistes from the Caribbean and US representing R’n’B, Reggae, Gospel and Soca, come together to perform at this annual music festival.
HOW TO GET TO ST KITTS?
The most direct route to this island is via the weekly charter flight service which flies into the island’s Robert L Bradshaw International Airport from Gatwick. For a more regular weekly service the island can be accessed via the neighbouring island of Antigua, a gateway onto a number of the surrounding smaller Leeward Islands. A 20 minute onward flight with LIAT or Caribbean Star will bring tourists to this wonderful island.
Culsen Travel’s programme on this island includes a small number of self-catering apartments and condominiums as well as a hotel resort, ideal for families.
A mere 5 minutes flight or 20 minutes ferry ride from St Kitts is its smaller sister island of Nevis. Just 35 square miles in size, the island is lush and green with a mountainous backdrop. Visitors can enjoy many of its natural attractions and activities such as the hiking or biking along the nature trails, visiting its wonderful botanical gardens or walking around the quiet streets and central square of the island’s small, charming and historical capital, Charlestown.
WHAT DOES NEVIS HAVE TO OFFER?
Despite being St Kitts’ sister island, Nevis has many contrasting features. Many aspects of the island’s infrastructure has retained its original Caribbean style, such as the small casual Newcastle Airport that caters for the daily regional flights which come in throughout the day – visitors can only fly into Nevis by transiting through St Kitts, Antigua or one of the other neighbouring islands. This island has no resort areas, each of its hotels are well placed and designed so as to fit in with the low key surroundings without unduly standing out. The nightlife is also very low key with a more local cultural feel. However, with a daily ferry service operating between the two islands, visitors can easily experience the sights and activities on these contrasting islands.
WHERE TO STAY ON NEVIS?
Our programme includes a small selection of private villas. These villas adopt a very Caribbean style, with the furnishings and fabrics reflecting a more local design, and living areas extending onto large wooden verandas. Many of the villas enjoy the natural ventilation of their hillside location which provides cooling trade winds, rather than relying on air-conditioning. The staffing of these villas also takes on a more casual feel, with most villas providing the services of a maid or housekeeper rather than a daily cook – though some can provide a cook on request. In addition to the villas we also feature a good value hotel with a location on one of the island’s most popular beaches at Oualie Bay. This hotel is suited to couples and families alike, and even offers an annual Women’s Retreat programme designed for hard working women to come together to relax, re-energize and socialise, either as an individual or a group of women travelling together to meet other women.
If its relaxation and tranquillity you want, then Anguilla is the place for you. With its gentle seas and beautiful beaches this is an ideal place to go for relaxation and reflection. This island measures just 35 square miles, but has 33 white sand beaches, some of which can be classed amongst the best in the world, and sit virtually deserted - as this island is not over run with tourists.
WHO SHOULD VISIT ANGUILLA?
Primarily viewed as an island offering luxury hotels and villas for visitors requiring an upmarket holiday experience, Anguilla continues to offer a quality Caribbean destination for those looking for a less traditional Caribbean option. However, for those with a more modest budget the island also offers a variety of moderate hotels and beachfront apartments and villas which suit couples, families and groups who are looking for an idyllic, unspoilt Caribbean location. This island is definitely the ideal location for couples looking for a honeymooners paradise, but for families looking for the safety of letting their children play freely on the beach, or single women who like the idea of walking around The Valley - the island’s small capital town - without feeling nervous or harassed, or anyone looking for a Caribbean destination that is not over-run with tourists and tourism attractions, a stay on Anguilla will provide the perfect holiday destination. The island is also renowned for its quality eateries, with a number of restaurants on the island providing a special gourmet experience.
TRAVELLING TO THE ISLAND?
As a small island without an international airport, flights into Anguilla transit through Antigua, with direct onward flights taking around 45 minutes. Another gateway is via the neighbouring half Dutch, half French Caribbean island of St Maarten, which is just a short flight from Anguilla. Day trips to St Maarten also guarantee a good excursion with a regular ferry service operating each day between the islands.
WHERE TO STAY ON ANGUILLA?
Culsen Travel’s Anguilla programme includes an exclusive luxury private villa with its own gym and breathtaking views over the bay below and a beachfront hotel & villa resort on one of the island’s most stunning beaches.
Montserrat remains one of the world’s best-kept secrets. With its small population of friendly people, relatively crime free status, interesting landscape and an active volcano which scientists’ class as one of the most interesting in the world, there is every reason to include this island in your itinerary when holidaying on one of its neighbouring islands.
WHY SO UNIQUE?
Known as the emerald isle of the Caribbean, Montserrat has deep connections with its Irish roots, with many of its villages, family names and celebrations mirroring those of its Irish descendents. This island once recorded as being 39 square miles in size, has now been reduced in size since the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano in 1995. It is this very volcano which has now made Montserrat a unique and fascinating island to visit, particularly for nature lovers. The landscape is distinctive with much of the island maintaining its lush vegetation, but other parts providing evidence of the effects of the volcanic eruption which have left many parts of the island uninhabited. These views can be seen from the viewing platform specially constructed at Jack Boy Hill with a telescope installed to provide views of the volcano, and from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory where scientists have excellent views and continually monitor the volcano, and offer tours during at various times during the week. Forest rangers can also organize exciting hikes through interesting trails.
HOW DO YOU GET THERE?
July 2005 saw the opening of the island's new airport. After years of only being able to access the island by ferry service or helicopter from Antigua, Montserrat can now be accessed by scheduled Winair flights which operate 4 or 5 times a day to and from Antigua, with 1 or 2 with timings which meet international Virgin or British Airways flights from the UK. The flight time is approximately 20 minutes from Antigua. However as no direct flights can be booked onwards to Montserrat with these airlines, passengers will need to collect their luggage and check-in at the Winair flight desk for connecting flights to Montserrat. Seats are limited due to the plane sizes which operate and so advance reservations are strongly recommended to ensure same day connections. Culsen Travel are able to book connecting flights with Winair for their clients who wish to travel to Montserrat. Costs will vary depending on availability and prices will be supplied on request.
WHERE TO STAY ON THE ISLAND?
If you are a family or couple planning to stay on the island for a week or more and wanting the space, comfort and privacy of a villa, Culsen Travel can organise a stay in a private villa on the island. However, if you plan to spend just a couple of nights or prefer the option of a hotel situation we can arrange for a stay in one of the island’s intimate guesthouses or at the island’s most renowned Vue Pointe Hotel. Prices can be supplied on request.
VILLAS
- Caribreezes Villa - ST. KITTS
- Carivista Villa - ST. KITTS
- Hill Rise House - NEVIS
- Bow Green - ANGUILLA
- Spyglass Hill - ANGUILLA
HOTELS
- Timothy Beach Resort - ST KITTS
- Ottleys Plantation Inn - ST KITTS
- Oualie Beach Resort - NEVIS
- Nisbet Plantation Beach Club - NEVIS
- Carimar Beach Club - ANGUILLA
- Paradise Cove - ANGUILLA
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