Colin piloting the inaugural Caribbean Helicopters flight by plane to Nevis last Friday.
From the northwest coast of Antigua, one can see the peaks of St Kitts and Nevis on a clear day. Yet, many residents wishing to visit might be prohibited from taking the 15-minute flight because of the high cost of regional travel.
Caribbean Helicopters will fly twice a day, on Fridays and Sundays, to both St Kitts and Nevis out of VC Bird International on one of its recently acquired Piper Navaho Chieftain aircraft.
Last Friday, OBSERVER media was with CEO of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin C James and Shari Dickenson of Regional Publications Ltd (which publishes tourism magazines and maps), as they hopped aboard one of CHL’s eight-seaters for the inaugural flight to Nevis.
Colin Murrain, the pilot, skilfully flew the small plane through turbulence and rain clouds to land smoothly at the Vance Amory International Airport within the time one might take for a coffee break.
Nevis may be the ideal location for someone looking for a day trip or weekend getaway and the Nevis Tourism Authority was pleased to show off what the 36 square-mile island had to offer.
Not far from the airport is Oualie beach — Oualie being the Amerindian name for Nevis. It’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists and boasts a hotel and bar. It’s also the closest point to St Kitts and the home of the Cross Channel Swim competition.
Continuing along, the main road takes you to the capital, Charlestown. The island’s highways are like a track around Nevis Peak (the 985-metre potentially active volcano at the centre of the island) which means most of the development is never too far from the coast.
Charlestown, with its colonial-style brick buildings, is a small, clean and quaint town. Nevis’ Preservation Society protects the city from any development that doesn’t conform to its laidback spirit.
The small island, population 12,000, has about eight major hotel properties and tourism is the major employer and economic driver, much like Antigua & Barbuda.
Anyone, with pockets deep enough, can stay at the famous Four Seasons Hotel for about US $1,000 a night. But book early because the 196-room hotel, sitting on 300 acres, fills up quickly and was almost at capacity last Friday.
For a cool few million dollars, one can buy a villa that can be used at leisure any time of year, and even enter the Four Seasons’ rent programme to sublease the property when it is not in use.
For travellers of more modest means, the 300-year-old luxurious Montpelier Hotel is available for US $99 in the off-season starting April with a Caricom discount. The hotel (and the whole island for that matter) has done well in preserving its authentic Caribbean look and the old sugar mill on property is now a restaurant.
Nisbet Plantation Beach Club – also a plantation-turned-hotel – welcomes Caricom guests for US $199 a night. Or you can stop by its charming lounge and a read a book while having afternoon tea.
Before they leave, visitors must see historic Bath village where they can take a dip in the natural hot spring, though it is not recommended that you stay in beyond 15 minutes, for health reasons.
Nevisians say the Bath Hotel was the first hotel built in the Caribbean (it now serves as government offices) and its defunct baths, five at different temperatures, were used by old English sailors to soothe a range of ailments, including rheumatism.
Today, visitors can stop at Eldaria Jones’ Mobile Bare Necessities for everything they need for a dip in the restored hot spring. Towels, slippers, locally made soaps, oils and sprays, as well as snacks, are all available for sale.