Nevis Honeymoon

Escape some of the more commercial Caribbean islands for a honeymoon holiday or romantic getaway on Nevis – an island famous for maritime history, old-fashioned West Indian charm, pristine beaches, crystal clear waters and lush, unspoiled natural scenery surrounding an extinct volcano.

Combined with a choice of luxurious restored plantation inns and fine dining restaurants, Nevis offers all the ingredients you need for a tranquil Caribbean honeymoon.

Sighting the cloud-shrouded peak of Nevis in 1493, the explorer Christopher Columbus named the island Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows).

During the 17th century the island earned the sobriquet ‘Queen of the Caribbees’ following the success of tobacco and sugar plantations established by British land owners (despite repeat attacks from Spain and France).

After British settlers displaced the indigenous Arawaks and Caribs in 1628, Nevis (and St Kitts) remained British overseas territories until independence in 1983 when the islands formed a two-island nation – the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Today Nevis is a centre for offshore banking and business.

Things to do and see
Explore the island on foot or horseback, visiting lush mountainous rainforest, historic ruins and long-abandoned sugar plantations, looking out for local wildlife such as chattering monkeys and multi-hued butterflies.

Follow ‘the trail’ through lush forest and moss-covered slopes to the summit of Mount Nevis (970m) for panoramic island views. For a less challenging walk, stroll beside pools and waterfalls in the Botanical Garden of Nevis, a 4ha site featuring 100 species of palms and 70 varieties of orchids.

For an insight into the plantation era, visit Fothergill's Nevisian Heritage Village, which includes an old sugar mill, blacksmith's workshop, a rum store and a cobbler's outpost.

Stroll the wide and quiet streets of Charlestown and learn more about the island’s history at the Museum of Nevis History where Alexander Hamilton (a famous American statesman) was born.

See a fine collection of the admiral's memorabilia in the Nelson Museum; it was during his tour of duty on Nevis, that Lord Horatio Nelson met his future wife, Frances Nesbet. Tee-off from a choice of three links, enjoy a flutter at races held at the Nevis Jockey Club or dive Monkey Shoals to view marine life such as angelfish, nurse sharks and turtles.

Accommodation – Nevis offers a range of attractive and charming plantation-era inns, typically surrounded by manicured lawns or sitting in palm groves close to or facing a white-sand beach; the beachfront Nisbit Plantation Beach Club is a good example.

So too are the Montpelier Plantation Inn, an 18th century stone-built inn that sits on the slopes of a hill with stunning views of the ocean and is surrounded by ornamental gardens, and the atmospheric Hermitage Plantation Inn, said to be the oldest wooden house on Nevis.

Or check into the island’s most prestigious hotel, the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Nevis, positioned just a short stroll away from the golden sands of Pinney’s Beach.

Best time to visit Nevis?
The best time for a Nevis honeymoon holiday is during the dry season from December to June. The climate is hot and tropical throughout the year, with an average temperature of 27°C. The wet season lasts from May to October, with the hurricane season from August to October. For more climate info: Nevis Weather Guide

Location – Nevis (93km²) lies in the northern part of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean (known as the West Indies), around 80km west of Antigua and 350km southeast of Puerto Rico.

Getting there – By air, Nevis receives daily connecting flights from North America (via Antigua, St Thomas, St Maarten or Puerto Rico), as well as Europe and other Caribbean nations. How to get to Nevis . . .

By sea, Nevis is a short water taxi ride from St Kitts, which lies across a 3.2km-wide channel.