Most people go to the Caribbean islands for the sunshine, sandy beaches, and breath-taking scenery. Others go to study medicine or to go to vet school. There are three institutions of higher learning on the island where visitors and residents can get a medical or veterinary degree in between umbrella cocktails and tanning sessions. English is the national language here, and the island has a literacy rate of 98%. There are welcome tours St Kitts to suit every interest.
Apart from medical schools, what is it about the Sugar City that sets apart from other exotic islands in the Caribbean. The 45,000 residents, many of whom are of African descent, refer to themselves as Kittians. Warner Park Cricket Stadium hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the largest fortress in the eastern Caribbean, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Like many Caribbean islands, St Kitts is built on volcanoes. Here, there are three distinct volcanic mountain ranges. These are Mount Misery, where the highest peak of the volcanoes, Mount Liamuiga, is found, the Olivees, and the Verchilds.
From about 1812 to 2005, cane sugar was the driving force behind the island's economy. In competition with European producers, the Kittian sugar cane industry became less profitable, the government decided it was no longer viable and closed the industry down. Now tourism is the main industry. Native islanders also make their living in construction, other forms of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation.
In an effort to boost tourism, the Shak Shak Festival was held in 1996. Renamed the St. Kitts Music Festival, it is now an annual event held in June. The event has hosted such attractions as the Royaltiez Band, Better Band, and Machel Montano. The unit of currency on the island is the East Caribbean dollar, although American dollars are also welcome.
Visitors to the island normally arrive at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Two flights weekly, lasting roughly 12 hours, arrive from London. Daily flights serve the island from New York (6 or 7 hours) and Miami (3-5 hours). The tarmac can accommodate as many as six commercial jumbo jets. It handles regular non-stop flights from Europe and North America and also serves commuters from other islands in the area.
On terra firma, a narrow gauge railway that was formerly used to transport sugar cane to the factory from the farms, offers today's tourists a 30-mile, 3.5 hour circular tour of the island. There is also a ferry service that shuttles passengers between St. Kitts and its nearest neighbor, the island of Nevis. Between these services and the international airport, it is little wonder that transportation is a major employer on the island.
For a tiny island, St. Kitts has produced a number of notable names. Many of these are sprinters and include Tiandra Ponteen, Desai Williams, Virgil Hodge, and Kim Collins. Felix Dexter, actor, writer, and comedian, Calypso musician Konris Maynard, and Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson, governor of the island from 1830, are among the other Kittian luminaries. The island is not without its black sheep, and is responsible for producing professional boxer, Bertil Fox, who was ultimately convicted for murder, and the nefarious George Astaphan, the physician who prescribed steroids for Ben Johnson.
Apart from medical schools, what is it about the Sugar City that sets apart from other exotic islands in the Caribbean. The 45,000 residents, many of whom are of African descent, refer to themselves as Kittians. Warner Park Cricket Stadium hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the largest fortress in the eastern Caribbean, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Like many Caribbean islands, St Kitts is built on volcanoes. Here, there are three distinct volcanic mountain ranges. These are Mount Misery, where the highest peak of the volcanoes, Mount Liamuiga, is found, the Olivees, and the Verchilds.
From about 1812 to 2005, cane sugar was the driving force behind the island's economy. In competition with European producers, the Kittian sugar cane industry became less profitable, the government decided it was no longer viable and closed the industry down. Now tourism is the main industry. Native islanders also make their living in construction, other forms of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation.
In an effort to boost tourism, the Shak Shak Festival was held in 1996. Renamed the St. Kitts Music Festival, it is now an annual event held in June. The event has hosted such attractions as the Royaltiez Band, Better Band, and Machel Montano. The unit of currency on the island is the East Caribbean dollar, although American dollars are also welcome.
Visitors to the island normally arrive at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Two flights weekly, lasting roughly 12 hours, arrive from London. Daily flights serve the island from New York (6 or 7 hours) and Miami (3-5 hours). The tarmac can accommodate as many as six commercial jumbo jets. It handles regular non-stop flights from Europe and North America and also serves commuters from other islands in the area.
On terra firma, a narrow gauge railway that was formerly used to transport sugar cane to the factory from the farms, offers today's tourists a 30-mile, 3.5 hour circular tour of the island. There is also a ferry service that shuttles passengers between St. Kitts and its nearest neighbor, the island of Nevis. Between these services and the international airport, it is little wonder that transportation is a major employer on the island.
For a tiny island, St. Kitts has produced a number of notable names. Many of these are sprinters and include Tiandra Ponteen, Desai Williams, Virgil Hodge, and Kim Collins. Felix Dexter, actor, writer, and comedian, Calypso musician Konris Maynard, and Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson, governor of the island from 1830, are among the other Kittian luminaries. The island is not without its black sheep, and is responsible for producing professional boxer, Bertil Fox, who was ultimately convicted for murder, and the nefarious George Astaphan, the physician who prescribed steroids for Ben Johnson.
About the Author:
Find a list of the benefits of booking welcome tours St Kitts and more info about a reliable tour operator at http://skntaxiandtours.com right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment