Four Bucket-List Activities for Your Trip to Nevis

With the wide release of Hamilton on Disney+ comes a barrage of tweets, all of which are quick to remind you that the musical isn't historically accurate. Jumping on the bandwagon, we'd like to contend one point.

Nevis, the “hometown” of this particular founding father, isn't quite the "forgotten spot in the Caribbean" as the show claims.

Making up one-half of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, this island-country might be proudly "unspoilt." But with a combined 116,000 tourists to the federation in 2018, it's certainly not forgotten.

With an entire island to explore, here are four things you can't miss when you visit Nevis:

Go sustainably green

For the past decade or so, Nevis has consistently put forward initiatives for environmental preservation.

One of these programs is a joint effort led by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, the Nevis Turtle Group, and the Four Seasons Resort. During your stay on the island, you can volunteer to track sea turtles' movements and meet them in the process!

If you're looking to go completely green in everything from your itinerary to your accommodations, the Oualie Beach Resort is just one of the many hotels dotting the shore. It's also the most eco-sensitive one, using photovoltaic panels and solar heaters to provide guests with a comfortable stay.

Enjoy a great (warm) bath

Another celebrated mainstay on the island is the same hotel that first propelled Nevis as a tourist spot. Built in 1778 as the first luxury hotel in the West Indies, Bath Hotel features the Spring House, a two-story building with five thermal baths.

While you can't stay the night, you can still dip your toes in the hot springs. With temperatures of up to 100+ Fahrenheit, the warm spring water comes directly from Bath Stream. It is said to contain minerals for curing muscle pain and other bodily aches.

Leave the beach

For an island vacation, you might be surprised to find several non-water-related activities in Nevis. True to protecting its natural ecosystem, Nevis promotes and preserves its rainforests just like its coastlines.

One of the more popular activities to do while you're on the island is to go hiking. Depending on your experience, you can choose a laid-back walk up Saddle Hill. Or you can conquer Nevis Peak, a volcano whose cloud-capped summit gave the island its name, Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves or "Our Lady of the Snows."

If hiking isn't your thing, you can check out flora and fauna in the Botanical Gardens or Nevis' rainforests. Cycling and horseback riding are also on the list of options if you get tired of the beach.

Hop around historical spots

Nevis has a small enough area that you can explore the whole island in a few days. When you do, you might want to consider visiting some historical landmarks that still stand to this day.

These sites tell the fascinating tale of the island's shift from sugar to tourism, its relationship with colonialism, and just why a Caribbean country serves a British monarch.

Among them, of course, is the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton in Charlestown. The two-story Hamilton House was restored in 1983 and feels a bit more bourgeois than what you'd expect from someone "impoverished in squalor."

Having started its phased approach to returning to top tourism form, you might see Nevis sooner than expected. What are you most looking forward to seeing?

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