Explore Nevis
Nevis is a small island that rewards slow attention
Thirty-six square miles of mountain, coast and village, where the pleasure is less in how much you can see than in how much you begin to notice.
The island
A whole island you can drive around before lunch
Nevis is only about thirty-six square miles, small enough to circle by car in a morning and varied enough that the landscape seems to change every few minutes.
Roads pass through villages, old churches and historic ruins, along the coast and beneath the mountain. The rainforest rises above you, while the sea appears and disappears between houses, gardens and trees.
The island is easy to explore, but there is little reason to hurry. Its pleasures tend to reveal themselves in small things — a conversation, a roadside stop, a swim, a walk, somewhere good for lunch, or simply taking the long way home.
Start Planning Your Time on Nevis
Nevis is easy to explore at your own pace. Spend a morning in Charlestown, follow the coast, walk beneath the mountain, find a quiet beach, stop for lunch somewhere local, or simply see where the road takes you.
For more ideas, practical suggestions and places to explore, see Things to do on Nevis.
Getting here
Planning Your Journey
Most guests reach Nevis through St Kitts or St Maarten, with the final part of the journey made by boat or a short connecting flight.
However you arrive, we are happy to help you work out the simplest route and arrange the final transfer to Hermitage.
Six ways in
Ways to Experience Nevis
Most stays here settle into some combination of these six. None of them needs to fill a whole day.
History and Heritage
Nevis has an extraordinary amount of history for such a small island — old churches, plantation ruins, Georgian Charlestown, the Bath Hotel and the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton. The past is never very far away, but it sits comfortably alongside everyday island life.
Beaches and the Sea
Nevis has a handful of beaches rather than long resort-lined stretches of coast. Some are lively, some are almost empty, and most are easy to reach for a swim, a walk or a few hours by the water. The sea is never far away, even when you are up on the hillside.
Walking and Landscape
Nevis rises quickly from the coast toward the rainforest around Nevis Peak, so even a short drive can take you from dry coastal country into cooler, greener hills. There are walks for every level — from an easy wander through gardens and village roads to more demanding hikes higher up the mountain.
Food and Local Flavours
Food on Nevis is shaped by what grows here, what comes from the sea, and recipes passed from one kitchen to another. Goat water — a hearty broth made with ground provisions and pepper — is the national dish, and local fish, roots, fruit and spice appear in many forms across the island.
There is also a surprisingly varied local restaurant scene, from roadside cook-shops and beach bars to long lunches and more polished dinners, giving a small island a lot of different ways to eat well.
Villages and Island Life
Much of Nevis is understood through its villages — the churches, shops, roadside bars, playing fields and homes that line the island road. Life is close-knit, people know one another, and visitors quickly begin to recognise faces and places as they move around the island.
For guests at Hermitage, that sense of connection often becomes part of the stay rather than something separate from it.
Unhurried Days
Some of the best days on Nevis are the ones without much of a plan — a late breakfast, a drive around the island, a swim, somewhere for lunch, perhaps a stop in town, then back up the hill before dinner.
Nevis is small enough that you rarely need to choose between doing something and doing very little.
Nevis Through Hermitage Stories
Three stories from our own writing that say more about the island than a guide can.
Beach Story
What the sea uncovers at Gallows Bay, near the pier at Charlestown, when the big waves move the sand.
Old Travels
The runway that runs along the beach, the pier locked in its bay, and the village that used to be there.
The Seasons Change in a Night
Two seasons instead of four, and how you learn to read which one you are in.
Still to come
More Island Guides Are on the Way
Explore Nevis is a collection we are building slowly, and more guides will be added over time.
Until then, the Things to Do guide covers the ground, and reception will tell you what is worth doing in the week you are actually here — usually a better answer than anything written in advance.
Come and see
Make Hermitage Your Base
Hermitage sits high enough on the hillside to feel removed from the coast, but Nevis is small enough that almost anywhere on the island is within easy reach. Spend the day exploring, then come back up the hill for a swim, a drink on the verandah and dinner at the Great House.
If you want ideas for how to spend your time, start with Things to do on Nevis. If you are planning the journey itself, see Getting to Hermitage.