 atop Spanish sierras, prompting him to hand the island its name. Soon the sun will burn away these morning clouds and other guests will arrive to plunder the buffet, but for now, bar the occasional pelican gliding past, I've got this peaceful, palm-fringed paradise to myself. On the lonely but lovely Southeast Peninsula, the hotel is designed for do-nothing escapes, but to glue myself to the poolside would represent a missed opportunity given the advent this past winter of ferry links with St Martin and the lesser-known Dutch Caribbean isles of Saba and Sint Eustatius (also known as Statia). They've given me the chance to turn my St Kitts fly and flop into an island-hopping adventure. It's certainly a compelling prospect. Caribbean ferry connectivity is surprisingly poor, pushing travellers without their own private yacht onto inter-island flights. But with a round-trip from St Kitts to St Martin costing $190 (about £150, or less than half the price of a one-way flight), Makana Ferry's new links offer an affordable way to see several islands, including a couple that are largely overlooked by tourists. Adding Nevis to the mix is even simpler. From the Park Hyatt, it's a two-minute hop to the water taxi terminus, from where it's a six-minute dash across The Narrows. My next base, the Mount Nevis Hotel, is a lovely, family-owned resort that sprawls across a sea-facing plot and whose view is a mirror image of the one I enjoyed earlier, only this time I can see the Park Hyatt, with Mount Liamuiga as its backdrop. Nevis has stacks of fly-and-flop appeal, but I've come seeking somethi){kind=link}
Seven tropical idylls can now be combined on a single trip – without the need for costly inter-island flights or your own private yacht
Jetlagged, early morning starts are the downside of Caribbean holidays, but being the first down to breakfast has its advantages. From the restaurant’s beachfront terrace here at the Park Hyatt St Kitts, I’m looking across the Narrows strait towards sister island Nevis, whose mountain peak is hidden behind clouds. It was such a scene that reminded Christopher Columbus of the nieves (snow) atop Spanish sierras, prompting him to hand the island its name. Soon the sun will burn away these morning clouds and other guests will arrive to plunder the buffet, but for now, bar the occasional pelican gliding past, I’ve got this peaceful, palm-fringed paradise to myself.
On the lonely but lovely Southeast Peninsula, the hotel is designed for do-nothing escapes, but to glue myself to the poolside would represent a missed opportunity given the advent this past winter of ferry links with St Martin and the lesser-known Dutch Caribbean isles of Saba and Sint Eustatius (also known as Statia). They’ve given me the chance to turn my St Kitts fly and flop into an island-hopping adventure.
It’s certainly a compelling prospect. Caribbean ferry connectivity is surprisingly poor, pushing travellers without their own private yacht onto inter-island flights. But with a round-trip from St Kitts to St Martin costing $190 (about £150, or less than half the price of a one-way flight), Makana Ferry’s new links offer an affordable way to see several islands, including a couple that are largely overlooked by tourists.
Adding Nevis to the mix is even simpler. From the Park Hyatt, it’s a two-minute hop to the water taxi terminus, from where it’s a six-minute dash across The Narrows. My next base, the Mount Nevis Hotel, is a lovely, family-owned resort that sprawls across a sea-facing plot and whose view is a mirror image of the one I enjoyed earlier, only this time I can see the Park Hyatt, with Mount Liamuiga as its backdrop.