Caribbean · The Leeward Islands
The green, quiet pair between St Barths and Antigua
Two volcanic islands two miles apart, rainforest to the summits, plantation houses in the hills and almost no other boats. St Kitts for the ATVs and a marina night, Nevis for Pinney’s Beach and a plantation dinner. One or two nights on every Leewards week.
Where
Leeward Islands, 44 nm south-west of St Barths
Fly to
St Kitts (SKB) via Miami, New York or Antigua; or join from St Maarten by yacht
Best months
December to April
Give it
One or two nights
Known for
The ATV tour, Christophe Harbour, Pinney’s Beach, the plantation inns
Between
The Narrows, two miles of water you can see across
Ellie in St Kitts
My St Kitts, in pictures
The ATV morning up through the cane fields and the rainforest, and a wander through town on the way back. My own photos, taken on the day.
Ellie Malouf · Ahoy Club
Why go
St Kitts and Nevis, honestly
After St Barths, St Kitts and Nevis are the exhale. Both are tall and green, rainforest running up to the cloud on Mount Liamuiga and Nevis Peak, with sugar-plantation ruins in the hills and a handful of plantation houses turned into inns where dinner is served on the terrace. Nobody is here for a scene.
St Kitts has Christophe Harbour, a proper superyacht marina at the south-east end with the Pavilion for dinner and a night alongside. The morning there is Ellie’s favourite on the island: a guided ATV tour up through the cane fields and rainforest with the volcano over your shoulder. Nevis is the smaller, quieter sister across the Narrows: Pinney’s Beach for the day, Sunshine’s shack for a Killer Bee, and a plantation dinner at Montpelier or the Hermitage.
On our ten-night Leewards route they are nights four and five, between Barbuda and St Barths. On the fourteen they are the bridge from St Barths down to Antigua.
Where we anchor
The anchorages, in the order we use them
- Christophe Harbour, St KittsBerthThe superyacht marina at the south-east end. A night alongside, the Pavilion for dinner, the ATVs in the morning.
- Pinney’s Beach, NevisAnchorage, overnightThree miles of sand with Nevis Peak behind. Sunshine’s on the beach, the plantation houses in the hills.
- White House Bay, St KittsAnchorageThe quiet bay inside the south-east peninsula, with Salt Plage on the shore for sunset.
- Oualie Beach, NevisLunch anchorageThe north-west corner facing the Narrows. Calm, shallow, a beach bar.
Ashore
St Kitts and Nevis off the boat
Not a directory. If it is here, we have sat at the table or stood at the bar.
Eat
Plantation houses on Nevis, the marina on St Kitts.
- The Pavilion, Christophe HarbourDinner over the marina with the yacht in view.
- Montpelier Plantation, NevisDinner on the terrace of an eighteenth-century sugar estate. Book ahead.
- The Hermitage, NevisThe oldest wooden house in the Caribbean, pig roast on Wednesdays.
- Banana Bay, Park HyattThe resort table on Banana Bay, St Kitts, for a long lunch.
Drink and dance
Sunset bars, not nightlife.
- Sunshine’s, Pinney’s BeachThe Killer Bee rum punch. Two is the limit.
- Salt Plage, St KittsSunset drinks over the water at Christophe Harbour.
Do
The hills, for once.
- The guided ATV tour, St KittsHalf a day up through cane and rainforest with Mount Liamuiga above, and down to the coast. Ellie’s habit.
- Hike Mount LiamuigaFour hours to the crater rim through rainforest, for the fit.
- Nevis’ sugar millsThe ruined estates in the hills, by car with a local driver, and the hot spring at Bath.
Where it sits
St Kitts and Nevis on the chart
St Kitts and Nevis sit forty-four miles south-west of St Barths and fifty west of Antigua, so they are the natural middle of any Leewards week and the bridge between the two.
Drag to move. Double-click or ctrl-scroll to zoom.Zoom with the buttons, then drag to move.
When
When to be in St Kitts and Nevis
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- December to April: the season. Both islands green from the autumn rain.
- January to March: whales pass between the islands; the Narrows is a good place to see them.
- April: the Nevis Blues Festival, if the dates fall right.
- May to November: quiet, hot, hurricane season from July. Nevis is at its greenest.
Itineraries
Itineraries that call at St Kitts and Nevis
Full plans, day by day, with the boat each one runs on. Send one to the people coming with you; we reshape it around your yacht and dates.
The Leeward Islands in ten nights
Antigua7 stopsSt Maarten
Antigua to St Maarten, downwind the whole way: lunch at Nobu on Barbuda, Nevis and St Kitts, a weekend in St Barths and Anguilla's beaches to finish.
Open
The Leeward and Windward Islands in 14 nights
St Barths13 stopsGrenada
St Maarten to Grenada, all the way down: St Barths, Nevis and St Kitts, Barbuda and Antigua, the French islands, Dominica, the Pitons and the Grenadines.
OpenYachts
Yachts in the Caribbean now
Christophe Harbour takes the biggest boats in the fleet alongside.
CORAL OCEAN
Lürssen · 73m · 1994, refit 2026
12 guests | 6 cabins | 28 crew
€650k – 790k
YOLO
Sunreef Yachts · 22m · 2022
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
€59k – 70k
NO BAD IDEAS
Trinity Yachts · 49m · 2000, refit 2024
12 guests | 6 cabins | 9 crew
US$225k – 250k
KEFI
Christensen · 46m · 2005, refit 2026
12 guests | 6 cabins | 9 crew
US$175k – 195k
SPIRIT OF THE C'S
Perini Navi · 64m · 2003, refit 2023
12 guests | 5 cabins | 13 crew
€210k – 230k
LE PONANT
Société Française de Construction Navale (SFCN) · 84m · 1990, refit 2022
32 guests | 16 cabins | 34 crew
€540k
SHADES OF GREY
Sunreef Yachts · 24m · 2024
9 guests | 4 cabins | 5 crew
€70k – 80k
SEASCAPE V
Benetti · 44m · 2005, refit 2024
10 guests | 5 cabins | 9 crew
US$153k – 180k
CHRISTINA O
Canadian Vickers · 99m · 1943, refit 2022
34 guests | 17 cabins | 40 crew
€700k – 740k
Louder
Horizon · 27m · 2020, refit 2026
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
US$85k – 95k
WHISPER
Holland Jachtbouw · 35m · 2003, refit 2019
6 guests | 3 cabins | 5 crew
Price on request
NAMASTE
Benetti · 37m · 2013, refit 2023
10 guests | 5 cabins | 7 crew
US$105k – 135k
NORTHERN STAR
Hinckley · 23m · 1993, refit 2022
6 guests | 3 cabins | 3 crew
US$52k – 60k
BLACKSHEEP
Palmer Johnson · 38m · 2009, refit 2023
8 guests | 4 cabins | 6 crew
US$85k – 95k
QARA
Horizon · 25m · 2001, refit 2023
6 guests | 3 cabins | 3 crew
US$37k – 42k
Lady Joy
Christensen · 48m · 2007, refit 2025
12 guests | 6 cabins | 11 crew
US$199k – 225k
NO SHORTCUTS
Westport · 34m · 2006, refit 2022
8 guests | 4 cabins | 6 crew
US$65k – 75k
HUNTRESS
Lurssen · 76m · 2009, refit 2024
12 guests | 6 cabins | 22 crew
US$695k – 775k
FRENCH WEST
Lagoon · 24m · 2020
8 guests | 4 cabins | 3 crew
US$55k – 72k
MISS CHRISTINE
Trinity Yachts · 48m · 2006, refit 2024
11 guests | 5 cabins | 8 crew
US$165k – 190k
SOVEREIGN
Burger · 30m · 1966, refit 2020
8 guests | 4 cabins | 3 crew
US$48k – 50k
NO SURRENDER
Custom Line · 37m · 2022
11 guests | 5 cabins | 7 crew
US$140k – 155k
BEACHFRONT
Hargrave · 33m · 2006, refit 2022
10 guests | 5 cabins | 5 crew
US$65k – 90k
LOOMA
Fountaine Pajot · 20m · 2023
8 guests | 4 cabins | 3 crew
US$48k – 65k
NEVER ENOUGH
Feadship · 43m · 1992, refit 2019
10 guests | 5 cabins | 7 crew
US$110k – 127k
SOUTH
Heesen · 55m · 2012
12 guests | 6 cabins | 13 crew
US$320k – 350k
Q
Alloy Yachts · 52m · 2008, refit 2024
12 guests | 5 cabins | 9 crew
€255k
ELVIS MAGIC
Oyster Marine · 20m · 2003, refit 2025
6 guests | 3 cabins | 2 crew
US$175k – 288k
ESCAPE
Hatteras · 35m · 1995, refit 2023
9 guests | 4 cabins | 5 crew
US$55k – 65k
Sheergold
Amels · 42m · 1987, refit 2025
10 guests | 4 cabins | 8 crew
€135k – 139k
Avanti
Privilege · 22m · 2005, refit 2025
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
US$51k – 55k
The Peddler
Custom Line · 26m · 2019
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
US$69k – 74k
PARSIFAL III
Perini Navi · 54m · 2005, refit 2024
12 guests | 5 cabins | 9 crew
€245k
LUCKY LADY
Oceanco · 63m · 2002, refit 2025
10 guests | 5 cabins | 15 crew
€310k – 355k
SCOTT FREE
Abeking & Rasmussen · 60m · 2009, refit 2022
12 guests | 6 cabins | 16 crew
€420k – 450k
Chakra
Devonport · 86m · 1998, refit 2025
24 guests | 19 cabins | 30 crew
€495k
ST DAVID
Benetti · 60m · 2008, refit 2025
12 guests | 6 cabins | 15 crew
€340k – 360k
SEA AXIS
Heesen · 38m · 1988, refit 2026
12 guests | 5 cabins | 7 crew
US$105k – 135k
BELLA
Feadship · 45m · 2008, refit 2014
12 guests | 6 cabins | 9 crew
€245k – 255k
YKNOT NOW
YYachts · 23m · 2020
6 guests | 3 cabins | 2 crew
€24k – 34k
CROSSED SABRE
Burger · 44m · 2006, refit 2021
12 guests | 7 cabins | 11 crew
US$175k – 195k
FRIENDSHIP
Oceanco · 53m · 2000, refit 2022
12 guests | 6 cabins | 12 crew
€245k – 265k
PAPER MOON
Benetti · 44m · 2026
10 guests | 6 cabins | 9 crew
US$240k – 260k
REVERIE
Feadship · 50m · 2000, refit 2025
12 guests | 6 cabins | 12 crew
US$255k – 295k
UNBRIDLED
Crescent · 35m · 1995, refit 2024
8 guests | 4 cabins | 5 crew
US$65k – 75k
HOUBARA
Sunreef Yachts · 24m · 2012, refit 2026
7 guests | 3 cabins | 3 crew
€34k – 45k
ARAOK
Fountaine Pajot · 18m · 2018, refit 2024
6 guests | 3 cabins | 3 crew
€25k – 29k
REVE BLEU
Lagoon · 21m · 2023
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
US$55k – 72k
48 yachts in rotation. The order changes with every visit so no boat is always last.
Questions we get asked
St Kitts and Nevis, answered
Common questions
Which do we stop at, St Kitts or Nevis?
Both. They are two miles apart. St Kitts for the marina night and the ATV tour, Nevis for Pinney’s Beach and a plantation dinner. One night each on the ten-night route.
What is the ATV tour?
A guided half-day on quad bikes up through the cane fields and rainforest of St Kitts, with Mount Liamuiga above, and down to the coast. We book it from Christophe Harbour and it is Ellie’s favourite morning in the Leewards.
Can we join the yacht in St Kitts?
Yes. St Kitts has an international airport with flights via Miami, New York and Antigua, and Christophe Harbour is twenty minutes from it. Useful for a mid-charter changeover.
Are St Kitts and Nevis busy?
No. A handful of yachts in the marina and often none at Pinney’s. After St Barths it is the quiet most groups are ready for.
Want St Kitts and Nevis in your week?
Tell us the dates and who is coming. We will say which nights to give it, which berth to hold, and whether the week you want is still open.