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A Caribbean Island Loved by Royals Will Soon Be Easier to Visit From the US
It was a favorite of the late Princess Diana.
The average US traveler probably can’t point to this island on a map. But that’s totally understandable, as it has just 12,000 residents, needs no traffic lights, and doesn’t have a major airport. But that’s about to change.
The tiny Caribbean island of Nevis is set to embark on a major expansion of the Nevis airport (Vance W. Amory International Airport) this year; financing was recently secured and confirmed by the Nevis Island Administration. In a recent statement, an advisor to the Premier of Nevis on Investment confirmed the expansion is underway and expects it to create hundreds of jobs on the island.
The Nevis airport expansion is expected to include major changes so the airport can accommodate larger commercial flights, and officials confirmed the goal is to receive commercial flights from the US (and accept larger flights from nearby islands). Additions will include a new 5,000-foot runway, new lighting, a hangar and place to refuel, and a much larger terminal.
Currently, reaching the small island roughly 200 miles southeast of Puerto Rico is somewhat difficult for travelers from the US. It requires flying to St. Kitts from Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte, or New York, then taking a water taxi or ferry to Nevis. The island hopes to increase its tourism, which is slowly growing. St. Kitts and Nevis saw 101,484 inbound visitors in 2020, down from 177,278 in 2019. But Nevis sees only a small fraction of those visitors. For example, in 2023, Nevis itself saw only 14,388 visitors, but more than 800,000 visited St. Kitts — almost entirely as single-day cruise ship passengers.
The airport expansion is expected to be started shortly, as of April 2025, but no completion date has yet been announced.
What is Nevis known for?
Photo: Eleanor Scriven/Shutterstock
For travelers from the UK, Nevis is most well-known as the preferred vacation destination of the late Princess Diana of the royal family. But for most travelers, it’s known for its lack of crowds and generally clean, pristine beaches. Here’s what you’ll want to do if you make it to the tiny island.
Relax on Pinney’s Beach
Pinney’s Beach is Nevis’ most famous stretch of sand, known for its golden shoreline, calm waters, and laid-back beach bars. It’s an ideal spot for swimming, sunbathing, or sampling local rum punch with a view of St. Kitts across the channel. If you arrive by ferry from St. Kitts at the Charlestown pier, it’s just a one-mile walk to the beach, which takes about 20-30 minutes. Taxis are also available, and take only about five minutes.
Visit the Nevis Botanical Gardens
As you might expect from the island’s location, Nevis has fantastic growing conditions for a huge array of plant species. And the five-acre Botanical Gardens of Nevis is home to hundreds of those plants, including tropical flowers, orchids, water lilies, and even a bird aviary. There’s also a really cool “Rainforest Conservatory” with parrots, waterfalls, and a recreated Mayan temple — an unexpected but very unique spot you won’t want to miss. The garden’s hours vary seasonally, but it’s generally open from 10 AM to 4 PM, three or four days a week.
The Botanical Gardens of Nevis: Montpelier Estates, Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis
Hike Nevis Peak
The island’s terrain is dominated by Nevis Peak, a dormant volcano that dramatically rises from the center of the island to an elevation of 3,232 feet above sea level. The hike to the summit passes through lush rainforests and rewards visitors who don’t mind a little sweat with panoramic views of the island and sea beyond. It starts near the Gingerland police station and is about three miles round trip, with an elevation gain of about 2,100 feet. For most people, it takes three to four hours to finish. Start early in the morning to avoid the midday heat.
Nevis Peak trailhead: near 4CPJ+674, St Kitts &, Stonyhill, St. Kitts & Nevis
Soak in historic hot springs
The Bath Hotel was built in 1778 next to the adjacent hot springs, making it the first hotel in the Caribbean. The nearby natural pools are at a temperature of 104 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and were a popular wellness destination for British aristocrats in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today, the springs are open to the public and popular with both locals and visitors. It’s a communal experience, since the pools are free to visit and and get fairly busy (busy for Nevis, anyway). There’s a small changing area, but otherwise, they’re not too fancy, so bring everything you need. You can reach them by walking right from the ferry station to the edge of Charleston, then taking a right at the fork toward Bath Village. The entire walk takes about 15 minutes. The springs are open 24 hours a day.
Nevis Hot Springs: 49MF+9G8, Unnamed Road, Charlestown, St Kitts & Nevis 
