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Nevis map
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Airport
Vance W Amory International Airport (airport code NEV) t 469 9040, is at the northern tip of the island. Expanded in 2002, its runaway is now open after dark and can take aircraft with up to 70 seats - the Super ATR. There is a plush new terminal building with a couple of shops that open according to the amount of flights and time of day. The departure lounge also has a couple more shops. There is an ATM and VIP services include WiFi and cable TV. |
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Banks
Banking hours are generally 8am-2pm on weekdays, with an extension on Friday afternoons (in most cases) to 4pm or 5pm. There are a few ATMs located in Charlestown and one at the airport. They dispense only EC Dollars.
The following commercial banks have branches on Nevis:
Bank of Nevis, Main Street, Charlestown, t 469 5564
www.thebankofnevis.com
Open 8.30-3pm Mon-Thu and 8.30-4pm Fri.
Scotiabank , Main Street, Charlestown, t 469 5411
First Caribbean International Bank, Main Street, Charlestown, t 469 5309
SKNA National Bank Ltd, West Memorial Square, Charlestown, t 469 0194
RBTT, Chapel Street, Charlestown, t 469 5277 |
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Bars & Nightlife
There are not that many bars on Nevis. Some are attached to restaurants and they can attract a lively crowd before and after dinner, but the beach bars often stay open into the evenings, attracting a friendly mix of Nevisians and visitors. Many of them have a busy night of the week to which the crowds gravitate. The hotels sometimes have entertainment in the evenings, from piano accompaniment during dinner at Nisbet, to string bands at Oualie Beach and poolside steel bands at the Four Seasons.
Eddy’s, Charlestown, t 469 5958
Located upstairs, with a balcony in a nice Creole building opposite Memorial Square, in the middle of Charlestown. Hearty fare and lively bar trade, particularly on Wednesdays, where there is a 5pm-8pm Happy Hour.
Oualie Beach Bar, Oualie Bay, t 469 9735
A hotel bar that sees lots of drop-ins, often a good crowd, live music a couple of times a week
Sunshine’s Beach Bar and Grill, Pinney’s Beach, t 469 5817
Ever popular bar and restaurant on Pinney’s Beach, just south of the Four Seasons. Home of the famous ‘Killer Bee’ rum punch. Sunshine’s Full Moon Party every full moon with live music, bonfire and drink specials
Nightlife on Nevis, in the sense of discos or nightclubs, is generally pretty quiet and there are just a few occasional local ‘fetes’ – organised parties. |
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Beach Bars
Gallipot, Jones Estate, t 469 8230
Octagonal open-sided bar and terraced dining room just above a tiny bit of (migratory) sand on Tamarind Bay, with nice swimming and good snorkelling.
Mango, Four Seasons Resort, Pinney’s Beach
Cheerfully painted wooden open sided beach restaurant with a deck fronting onto the sea in the middle of Pinney’s Beach, with good swimming, snorkelling, days sailing and watersports. Serves a fine lunch and dinner. Update: Four Season’s is currently closed and is now due to reopen under new ownership in December 2010
Montpelier Beach Bar, Pinney’s Beach, t 469 3462
Pretty setting at the top end of Pinney’s Beach, restricted to hotel guests only.
Oualie Beach
The bar at Oualie Beach Resort, open-sided and set back from the sand.
Sunshine’s, Pinney’s Beach, t 469 5817,
Ever-popular, ramshackle wooden bar to the south of Four Seasons, dead cool, reggae music and Killer Bee cocktails.
Chevy’s Calypso Bar, Pinney’s Beach, t 664 5164/9474
A classic wooden bar set on a lovely stretch of Pinney’s Beach (Charlestown end), with bench tables under umbrellas on the sand. Straightforward fare - sandwiches and burgers with fries, a plate of local fish or a Caribbean curry. Occasional live music.
Double Deuce, Pinney’s Beach, t 469 2222
Very easy-going garden bar with tables and deck chairs set under the palms and a lovely view over the calm sea to St Kitts. Well prepared burgers, steaks and lots of local fish, from a daily menu board. Sees a daytime crowd of villa owners and hotel guests. Free WiFi.
Sea Breeze, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, t 469 9325
A wooden bar with parasols on the beach in the north of the island, at Nisbet. |
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Beaches
As a volcanic island with coral growth the sand on Nevis varies between a light brown (often called golden), sometimes patched with jet black and blinding white and powdery (in the north of the island), but all the beaches are classic Caribbean palm-backed strands. The island’s best known beach is Pinney’s Beach, on the western side of the island. It is developed with hotels (not at all along its entire length), but makes for a good day out. Other beaches rim the island, some with good hotel beach bars but others with no development at all. If you choose to go to these, then remember that you should take all you need in the way of water and possibly food.
Pinney’s Beach
Backed along its entire three and a half-mile length by a tangle of tall and beautiful palm trees, Pinney’s Beach is the main beach on the island. There are a couple of hotels, some villas and some beach restaurants and bars, with some sports facilities. A fantastic view across the Narrows to St Kitts.
Oualie Beach
Very nice protected stretch of sand under palms and casuarinas trees, with a hotel and sports including scuba diving and windsurfing (also mountain biking) and a dock for deep sea fishing boats.
Lovers Beach
Down a rickety, hole-ridden track is a lovely undeveloped strip of sand, natural and occasionally windy, so often covered in flotsam.
Nisbet Beach
Ocean facing strip of good sand (retained by a couple of revetments) between tall palms, good snorkelling and with the nice Nisbet bar and restaurant to retreat to. Sometimes a bit windy.
Cades Bay
Cades Bay is a calm and pretty cove protected by a steep headland. There is a beach restaurant. The Sea Bridge departs from here and development is scheduled.
Indian Castle/Windward Beach
Large secluded beach on the Atlantic side of Nevis, just beyond the race track (horse racing held on bank public holidays), with lively surf and fine pale sand. Good spot for body surfing and surfing – beware of strong currents. No facilities.
Herbert’s Beach
A pretty white sand beach with some good swimming and snorkelling areas, just east of Nisbet Plantation. Set against a backdrop of coconut palms. Beach bar no longer in operation. |
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Calendar of Events
2010
JANUARY
01 & 02 Jan, Horse Racing, Indian Castle Race Track
14 Jan, Alexander Hamilton Birthday & Tea Party, fund raising events arranged by the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society
27 Jan, Marine Awareness Day
30 Jan, Mini-Triathlon Oualie Beach with a 250 swim, 10km bike race and 3km run, c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
30 Jan, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials.
30 Jan, House & Garden Tour, 10am to 4.30pm, annual conducted tour of private homes and gardens by the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society
FEBRUARY
07-12 Feb, Tourism Week
20 Feb, Mini-Triathlon, Oualie Beach, with a 450 swim, 15km bike race and 4km run, c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
27-28 Feb, Major Taylor Honor Day Cycle Race, c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
28 Feb, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials.
MARCH
07 Mar, Mini-Triathlon, Oualie Beach with a 650swim, 20km bike race and 5km run, c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
21 Mar, Nevis Triathlon & National Triathlon Championships 2010, Charlestown, international event with Olympic Distance, Sprint Distant and Try-a-Tri events c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
25-26 Mar, Agriculture Open Day, Villa grounds, Charlestown
28 Mar, Nevis to St Kitts Cross Channel Swim (Bente Weber Memorial Swim), c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
30 Mar, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
APRIL
02 Apr, Good Friday Kite Flying Contest, St John’s Community Improvement Club
05 Apr, Easter Monday Race Meet, horse racing, Indian Castle Race Track
22 Apr, Earth Day, activities organised by the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society
28 Apr, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
MAY
02-08, Nevis Film Festival, includes screenings and Caribbean premieres.
03 May, 8th Annual Church Ground Community Club 10km Road Run, Church Ground
03 May, Nevis Sailing Regatta, Nevis Yacht Club
21 May, Ride of Silence, 6pm from Charlestown, c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
23 May, Whit Sunday Race Meet, horse racing, Indian Castle
27 May, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
JUNE
04 Jun, World Environmental Day, activities organised by the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society
05 Jun, Round Nevis Road Race, 20 mile race, Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
19-20 Jun, St Kitts & Nevis National Cycling Championships, with a 65K Road Race and 20km Time Trial (National Championships), Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
26 Jun, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
JULY
23 Jul-03 Aug, Culturama, Nevis’s major cultural festival, a seven day celebration in honour of the end of slavery. Includes calypso competitions, beauty pageant, horse racing (02 Aug), street parades and jump ups, centred on the Cultural Village in Charlestown (a few minutes walk from downtown, near the High School). Culminates with the carnival-like street parade and Last Lap jump up on 3rd August. For more details contact the Culturama Secretariat, t 469 1992, or visit the Nevis Culturama Website
26 Jul, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
29 Jul, Fruit Festival, Villa grounds, Charlestown
AUGUST
01-03 Aug, Culturama activities continue - 03 Aug, Culturama Street Parade and Last Lap jump up.
07 Aug, Caribbean & International Food Fair, St George's Rectory
21-22 Aug, Independance Day Road Race - Saturday Team Time Trial (2 riders, 16 miles) - Sunday 60 miles road race for males, 40 miles for females.& Juniors (16 - 18), 20 miles Cadets (13 - 15), c/o the Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
24 Aug, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
SEPTEMBER
19 Sep, 27th Anniversary of Independence, Military Parade at Grove Park, Charlestown and Independence Day Race Meet at Indian Castle
23 Sep, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
OCTOBER
15-16 Oct, 16th Annual Nevis Sport Fishing Tournament, Oualie Beach
23-30 Oct, Pirates of Nevis Week, island wide event with a wide range of pirate themed activities, parties and dinners including a beach party with bonfire, a mock invasion, pepper sauce contest, movie nights, fancy dress, horse racing and donkey derby (Sunday), and a treasure hunt with daily clues posted in hotels and broadcast on local radio.
23 Oct, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
NOVEMBER
07 Nov, Nevis Half Marathon, Nevis Cycle & Triathlon Club
20-27 Nov, Pirates of Nevis Week, second week of events as before.
30 Nov, Thanksgiving Race Meet, horse racing at Indian Castle
21 Nov, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
DECEMBER
21 Dec, Sunshine’s Full Moon Party, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Pinney’s Beach with live music, bonfire and drink specials
26 Dec, Boxing Day Race Meet, horse racing at Indian Castle
Nevis public holidays 2010: 01 & 2 January, 02 & 05 April, 03 & 24 May, 02 & 03 August, 16 & 20 September, 25, 27 & 28 December
Please note that the above events and dates may be subject to change/cancellation. Please check locally for confirmation of details. |
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Car Hire
It is fun to hire a vehicle to explore Nevis’s lovely countryside, its visibly historic buildings, a few sites, and of course the beaches. They are all available on the regular tours of the island, but you are able to explore at your own pace and stop where you feel like it to enjoy chatting to the locals. There are also a few restaurants to visit in the evenings, so if you are staying in a hotel it is a good idea to hire a car for at least a couple of days. Of course if you are staying on one of Nevis’s many excellent villas then it is probably essential. You will need a visitor’s licence if you drive on Nevis, and these can be obtained through your car rental agency or at a Police Station on presentation of your licence from home. It lasts three months and costs US$25. We recommend TDC Car Rental for their consistently reliable service. If you wish to visit St Kitts for the day, and have hired a car through TDC, then they are happy to make an exchange for the day so that you can drive while you are in St Kitts too. Here we list a guide to rental rates, which are quoted in US$ per day/week and are subject to 5% government tax: Suzuki Swift – 50/300 Toyota Yaris – 60/360 Mitsubishi Lancer – 60/360 Suzuki Grand Vitara – 75/450 Suzuki APV – 80/480 Suzuki XL-7 – 90/540 To read our review on the company and view full details of rates, services, terms and conditions, please click on the company’s name below: | | TDC Thrifty Car Rentals, NevisOn Nevis we recommend TDC Thrifty Car Hire because of their solid and reliable service over many years. They have a fleet of around 80 cars and jeeps in the season. TDC Thrifty is part of TDC, one of the largest companies in Nevis, which has a sister company in St Kitts, which makes it easy if visiting from one island to the other as you don't have to duplicate rental documents. |
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