Visit St Kitts and Nevis: when to go, budget and itineraries

The capital Basseterre, home to around 14,000 people, can be explored in half a day around Independence Square and the Port Zante market. A 25-minute drive away, Brimstone Hill Fortress, nicknamed the Gibraltar of the West Indies and UNESCO-listed, overlooks the west coast from its volcanic outcrop. Nearby, the Romney Manor garden holds a 400-year-old saman tree and a batik workshop, while the St Kitts Scenic Railway offers a three-hour loop on the old sugar-cane tracks.

In the north-west, Mount Liamuiga rises to 1,156 metres and is climbed on a guided half-day hike, four to five hours round trip through rainforest to the crater rim. The often-muddy terrain discourages guides from running the trek on the wettest days of the rainy season, between August and October. Further down the coast, the black lava flows of Black Rocks, near Saddlers, take about an hour to visit.

South-east of Basseterre, a 10-minute drive away, Frigate Bay holds most of the island's hotels around two beaches and an evening bar strip. Further out on the narrow South Peninsula, Cockleshell Bay and Turtle Beach face Nevis, less than 3 km away, in calm water suited to snorkelling. Allow a full day to explore the peninsula by car, with several stops for a swim.

The ferry crossing from Port Zante takes about 45 minutes, with several daily departures. In Charlestown, the Museum of Nevis History occupies Alexander Hamilton's birthplace. Nevis Peak, a 985-metre volcano often capped in cloud, is climbed on a demanding four-hour hike. The historic hot springs of Bath Village and the palm-fringed sand of Pinney's Beach, facing neighbouring Antigua and Barbuda, round off a stay of at least two nights on the island.