Making the most of Charlestown
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Charlestown is Nevis's capital and the main arrival point for cruise passengers.
Ships anchor in Charlestown Harbor, tendering passengers into central Charlestown.
Compact Charlestown is easy to walk; taxis are the best choice beyond the centre and cost $40 per hour.
Nevis's capital is a small, very picturesque town. Main Street's Georgian stone colonial-era buildings have airy balconies and wooden upper floors over stone ground levels. Around 1,200 of Nevis's 10,000 residents live in Charlestown.
- Hermitage Plantation in Saint John was built from lignum vitae wood in 1640 and is the Caribbean's oldest surviving wooden house still in use today.
- Outside Charlestown, Bath Hotel dates from 1778 and was the Caribbean's first hotel. Once a luxury hotel and spa, its hot springs attracted figures including poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Antigua-based Admiral Nelson and Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence, later William IV of the United Kingdom, for balls and private parties. It now houses government headquarters, while its hot springs remain public.
- Culturama is an annual cultural festival held in the first week of August during the Emancipation Day weekend.
Getting around
Taxis are clean and efficient, with generally friendly, knowledgeable drivers who can wait or return at your convenience. They offer a personal-limo-like driver service at the same price regardless of passenger numbers, but are costly in absolute terms: US$10-20 is typical for journeys to destinations around the island.
Privately owned but government-registered "H" buses are vans charging around 3-5 EC -$1-$2 US per person, according to distance. Vehicles range from air-conditioned vans with televisions to crowded, dingy ones with broken seats. They travel parts of the ring road in groups, back and forth over roughly a third of the 17-mile loop. Stand beside the road, find a van with an H-starting plate and wave as it approaches.
Unusual driving-licence rules make car hire a poor choice.
Food and shopping
At Charlestown Market, experience local culture and buy fresh produce, spices and crafts.
Money
Nevis uses the Eastern Caribbean Dollar: $1 ECD is about 36 cents U.S.; check xe.com for current exchange rates. Many stores and restaurants accept American cash or euros, though change may be given in EC.
Staying connected
Downtown Cyber Cafe combines Web surfing with food in one convenient place.
English is Nevis's language.