Federation of St. Kitts-Nevis
St.Kitts 36,000
Nevis 9,000
ST KITTS: 65 square miles
Capital City: Basseterre
NEVIS: 36 square miles
Capital City: Charlestown
Volcanic in origin;
ST KITS: highest peak is
Mount Liamiuga at 3,972 feet
NEVIS: highest elevation is
Mount Nevis at 3,232 feet.
Pleasant tropical termperatures
ranging from 17 to 33 degrees
C. Humidity is low. November
to May are the driest months;
rain averages 55 inches in
St Kitts, 48 inches in Nevis.
English is the official language,
but it is spoken with a distinct
accent and West Indian idioms.
Atlantic Standard Time. There is no
daylight savings time, so the time
never changes. (The island does
follow “island time”, which means
that we follow a relaxed lifestyle.)
Hotels and restaurants collect a 9%
Government tax. They also usually add
a 10% service charge to bills.
Additional tipping is not necessary but is
greatly appreciated if service is good.
The currency is East Caribbean
dollars, commonly called “E.C.” The
exchange rate is very stable, around
$2.7 EC per $1 U.S. Most local
businesses will accept U.S. currency,
but will give back change in E.C.
dollars.
Most banks on the island have ATM
machines, which accept CIRRUS and
PLUS cards. ATM cards are accepted
at most bank machines and funds are
given in EC dollars
Most hotels, restaurants, and larger
stores accept credit cards, but local
businesses seldom do. Visa and
Mastercard are the most widely
accepted cards.
Visitors are required to bring either a
valid passport or a birth certficate.
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People on St. Kitts & Nevis dress
casually but smartly. Dinner dress is
generally described as “casually
elegant.” Short shorts, bikinis, bare
feet and bare chests are not
considered appropriate in town or in
stores
or restaurants. Topless and nude
bathing are illegal, and visitors
should adhere to local customs.
To call for emergency
assistance, dial 911.
• Hospital: Joseph N. France General
Hospital
(St Kitts) 465-2551
• Hospital: Alexandra Hospital (Nevis)
469-5473
• Police: (St.Kitts) 465-2241
(Nevis) 469-5391
• Fire: 465-2515, (Nevis) 469-3444
Public water is potable and bottled
water is widely available. It is best to
conserve water when possible.
Electrical service is usually 110V in
hotels, 220V is common on the
island.
Driving is on the left hand side.
Rental cars are available on the
island from several rental agencies. A
visitors dirver’s licesne cost $62.50
EC and is available from any police
station or from the car rental agency.
Drive slowly and defensively—people
often stop along the roads without
warning to chat; also it is common to
see animals, such as goat, sheep,
cows, and donkeys on the roads.
Often young children walk to school
on the roads.
The cost of gasoline is high – about
$3.90 per gallon — but then there’s
not that far to go, so it doesn’t cost
much to run a car.
Taxis are widely available on the
island. They are usually vans and
carry a yellow license plate with a
“T”. For taxis, call 465-8487 or
465-4253; 465-7818 after hours.
Nevis: 469-1483. Buses are also
mini-vans and have a green plate with
an “H.” Buses run around the island
all day.
• Banks: Open daily 8am - 2pm
Fridays until 4pm
• Post Office:
ST KITTS
Monday -Tuesday 8am – 4pm
Wednesday - Friday 8am - 3.30pm
NEVIS
Monday-Friday 8am – 3.30pm
• Shops:
Open Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm
Saturday 8am - 1pm
$22US payable in cash upon
departure from St Kitts. From Nevis
$20.50 US |
