{"id":122432,"date":"2023-12-16T00:41:29","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T00:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=122432"},"modified":"2023-12-16T00:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-12-16T00:41:29","slug":"i-went-to-the-secret-island-with-silver-sand-beaches-and-a-killer-cocktail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/travel\/i-went-to-the-secret-island-with-silver-sand-beaches-and-a-killer-cocktail\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I went to the ‘secret island’ with silver sand beaches and a killer cocktail’"},"content":{"rendered":"

With silver sand beaches, spectacular verdant landscapes and a vibe that prioritises joy, St Kitts might just be the Caribbean\u2019s best kept secret.<\/p>\n

At 68 sq miles, what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in its charm and beauty. Sipping a mojito at Arthur\u2019s Bar and Restaurant, on the shore of Dieppe Bay Beach, I watch as the golden skies illuminate the spot where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea meet.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bucket-list moment which leaves me dreaming of a new life on a sun-drenched island. Luckily paradise is easily accessible from the UK. A 10-hour and 15-minute British Airways flight \u2013 including a one-hour stop in Antigua \u2013 departs Gatwick for Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport twice a week. To really bask in holiday bliss calls for a beautiful hotel in a beachfront location.<\/p>\n

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St Kitts Marriott Resort and The Royal Beach Casino, an oceanfront complex with its own private beach full of cabanas and a golf club, is just nine minutes from the airport. Here you can relax at one of the resort\u2019s seven restaurants offering everything from steak to sushi, or chill in the swim-up pools and spa.<\/p>\n

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My room, a Royal Suite with green mountain views, boasts a spacious balcony, two televisions, coffee-making facilities and a king-size bed. The largest bathroom (yes, there are two) is fitted with a Jacuzzi bath, walk-in shower room and well-lit dressing table. Just a stone\u2019s throw from the resort is Coconut Grove cafe bar. Their Classic Caribbean breakfast of salt fish, sauteed potatoes and coconut Johnny Cakes \u2013 a fried dough dumpling \u2013 is an excellent way to start the day.<\/p>\n

And a short drive away is The Strip in Frigate Bay with its colourful collection of beach bars offering authentic Caribbean food, drinks and music. I visited Boozies for a delicious dish of curried chicken and finished it off with a refreshing rum punch. If you\u2019re up for a party, head for Monkey Bar.<\/p>\n

A great way to explore St Kitts\u2019 lush rainforest is on a guided tour in Central Forest Reserve National Park. O\u2019Neil Mulraine, of O\u2019Neil\u2019s Rainforest Tours, is an excellent host. Having taken tours for 48 years, he is an expert when it comes to forest and fauna as well as a fantastic storyteller.<\/p>\n

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At 66, he\u2019s also the textbook definition of \u201cage is just a number\u201d and he kept the whole group entertained by climbing up trees and swinging from vines. Another of St Kitts\u2019 must-see natural wonders is Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park.<\/p>\n

Sitting 800ft above sea level, the UNESCO World Heritage Site offers breathtaking views of distant islands, surrounding peaks and coastline.<\/p>\n

At the visitor centre, we watched a fascinating video on the history of the well-preserved 17th- and 18th-century fortress which was designed by the British and built by the African slave trade. The route there offered a great opportunity to spot the Caribbean island\u2019s green vervet monkeys. Every now and then, a hazel-eyed primate would scurry across our path, sometimes with a baby in tow.<\/p>\n