If beaches are your thing, St. Kitts and Nevis have lots for you to peruse—over 25 miles of coastline. On the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea, these sister Leeward Islands have miles of tempting coastline where you can plop your bum, soak up the powerful Caribbean sun rays, drink to your heart’s delight, and take a refreshing dip in the sea. While visiting St. Kitts, fellow travelers and I encountered a few Kittitian coastal treasures.
After a somewhat laborious trek up Timotei Hill near Frigate Bay, we were rewarded with stunning vistas of the south eastern peninsula sprawling out in front of us. The view alone was worth the uphill grind—beautiful views of the rough South East Peninsula Road winding along the hillsides which slope down to the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean (pictured left) on the other, with emerald and jade waters glimmering in the background. We forged on because white sands and cool cocktails awaited us below.
Situated on the Caribbean Sea at South Friars Beach, the Shipwreck Beach Bar and Grill is the perfect place to spend a full day relaxing and sunning. Once located 20 m downshore from its current spot, the establishment was forced to transplant its foundation due to a nasty storm causing coastal erosion in 2003. According to their posted history, “mother nature didst play a cruele trick, she wrecked ‘Shipwreck Bar and Grill’ your treasured watering hole.”
But the beach bar survived and it thrives today, as owner and founder Ramen noted. Visitors can get tasty lunch (the fish tacos were great) and cold drinks from the bar (the “Kittitian Snafu” is a good choice), sit on shaded lounge chairs, swim out to the floating wooden-barrel raft, and rent snorkel gear to explore the coastal reef. Sunday evenings there’s a live band and the every-so-often Full Moon parties feature bonfires, DJs, and drink specials. An interesting oddity occurs daily—around noon wild mongoose and green velvet monkeys are fed kitchen scraps out back, practically out of the hands of employees. Ramen claims there’s “nuff nuff niceness” at the Shipwreck Beach Bar and Grill—or in local conversation, there’s “plenty of fun” to be had.
Another highly recommended beach on St. Kitts we came upon is Cockleshell Beach, near the end of the southeast peninsula. Arguably one of St. Kitts’ most picturesque beaches, Cockleshell Beach on the Caribbean Sea is a sheltered crescent-shaped cove of white sand flanked by calm turquoise waters. A brief car ride from the Frigate Bay area, Cockleshell Beach’s sandy expanse is wider and longer than the beach at the aforementioned South Friars Bay. Along with a perfect seaside, beachgoers at Cockleshell Beach are offered beautiful scenery. St. Kitts’ sister isle Nevis is several miles directly opposite the shore of Cockleshell, her lush terrain rising to a mountainous cloud-topped summit, Nevis Peak. From Cockleshell’s shores, Nevis’ undeveloped beauty is ever so apparent.
The amenities at Cockleshell Beach are the perfect complement to the nearby sun and sand. Three establishments ranging from casual to elegant beachfront spots grace the shores at Cockleshell. The Lion’s Beach Bar is a shack with drinks and a supposed potent punch beverage. Further downshore is Reggae Beach Bar and Grill, similar to the Shipwreck Beach Bar and Grill. Reggae Beach serves up tasty casual food, refreshing drinks, rents watersports gear, lounge chairs and umbrellas, and keeps an eye on a giant pig, “Wilbur,” whose daily agenda includes sleeping and eating. A bit more upscale but still low-key enough for lunch in swimsuits, the Spice Mill Restaurant plates some pretty tasty Caribbean dishes. The island’s most comfortable beach lounge chairs flanked by umbrellas, cushioned cabanas, a stylish beachside bar, and specialty rum drinks like the “Stingray” all several obvious reasons to check out the Spice Mill.
Cockleshell Beach and South Friars Beach are two beaches you won’t want to miss during a visit to St. Kitts. Definitely explore other coastal options, but be sure to place these two on your list of “must-sees.” Check out the slideshow for more images!
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