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Welcome to Bacchus Field |
Rental Estate Villa on the island of
Nevis, West Indies
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Nevis evokes memories of old Caribbean Janice Mucalov Contributing Writer "Just 15 more minutes to the rock," cajoles our guide Jim as we inch up the muddy slopes. We're "hiking" Nevis Peak, the 3,232-foot mountain that dominates the middle of the tiny Caribbean island of Nevis. I'd been warned this would be "strenuous" and a "true challenge," but it hadn't really sunk in that we'd be pulling ourselves up by ropes tied to roots along the trail, as we bushwhack our way through thick rainforest. I can't wait to rest on the nice, big, flat rock. But the rock isn't flat. It's an almost vertical slab of 12-foot high granite - and it has to be scaled to finish the last 500 feet to the top. I call it quits. Only after we slide back down to the bottom does Jim explain that he also offers 15 other less tortuous hikes, such as "Jessup's Rain Forest: a lovely walk and the best for experiencing a true rainforest" and "The Bamboo Valley: a nice walk . . . into a secluded valley." Unlike other Caribbean islands, where lazing on the beach is pretty well the only thing to do, Nevis offers a host of adventures for the fit and active. In the past decade, this previously little-known island has gotten serious about tourism. It's welcomed the development of a Four Seasons resort and spruced up its plantation inns. It's attracted the likes of Beyonce Knowles and main squeeze rapper Jay-Z, the late Princess Diana, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and best-selling author John Grisham. And it's established itself as an upscale vacation retreat offering everything from hiking to horseback riding, mountain biking, wind surfing, scuba diving and golfing on a Robert Trent Jones II championship course. That's not to say the place is hopping. You won't find casinos, shopping malls, or the frenetic nightlife of, say, Aruba or St. Maarten or several other Caribbean getaways. Goats, donkeys and green vervet monkeys are more visible than the 9,000 residents who inhabit the 36 square miles of terrain. But that's just the way people who come here like it. "Nevis still evokes memories of the Caribbean as it used to be," says Helen Kidd, CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority. Quaint, friendly, unspoiled, and with enough rainforest, reefs and riding trails to satisfy the appetite of any outdoor lover. Take the dormant volcano of Mount Nevis - scene of our hike - which is blanketed with rainforest. When experienced with a guide (recommended for safety), you discover how amazingly rich and diverse it is. Our guide, plant pathologist Jim Johnson of Top to Bottom Tours, was passionate about everything green. "Here, smell this," he exclaimed, after breaking off a leaf from a cinnamon tree, then later a bunch of wild sage, which he explained was used in tea by the Carib Indians to treat colds and chills. At our urging, he also twirled mountain maho bark into a thin strand of string, simulating a lizard tail, to entice a big donkey spider out of a hole. The island's monkeys are found amid the lower fringes of the rainforest. The area around Golden Rock is a good place to spy them, especially in the morning and late afternoon when they're feeding. Meander along the marked nature trail - an easy loop that takes about an hour (you don't need a guide for this) - and you should get lucky. Of African origin, the monkeys were introduced to Nevis by French sailors who brought them in as pets. Jim estimates there are now 7,000 to 8,000 on the island. But though loved by visitors, they're considered a bit of a pest by islanders whose gardens they raid. "They're totally wasteful," scorned T.C., our engaging taxi driver/guide who ferried us around the island. "They take a bite from one mango, throw it away, then pick up another mango to ruin." The Golden Rock Plantation Inn itself makes for a great lunch stop after walking the nearby nature trail. In the gardens of the former 1801 sugar plantation - where pink flowering Corelita vine competes with brilliant hibiscus and bougainvillea - owner Pam Barry serves the best lobster salad sandwiches on home-made sourdough bread. Quite a different perspective of Nevis is gained from atop a four-hoofed mount. A popular two-hour ride offered by the Nevis Equestrian Center is its "beach and trail" ride. Starting out along a stretch of golden sand beach, it wends past a 350-year-old fort and a lagoon where clipper ships once filled up with fresh water. The trail then continues up cool mountain slopes, past the ruins of a sugar mill, and through a Nevisian village where children wave and ask the name of your horse. Proprietor Erika Guilbert-Walters raised Arabian show horses for 25 years in California before moving to Nevis and setting up the stables in 1995. She also coaches riders for the Special Olympics World Games. She knows her horses - if you want to do some advanced riding, she'll set something up for you. Underwater is just as captivating as topside. We were drawn to Nevis partly because of the reports of the scuba diving - intriguing because Nevis isn't known for this. Sea conditions on our planned dive day didn't permit us to dive the 144-foot wreck of the River Taw freighter, only 50 feet deep, or the coral grottoes, swim-throughs and tunnels at Devil's Caves that I'd read about. But we did manage two different reef dives by boat. And we were delighted. Sleepy nurse sharks hugged sand bottom patches, spiny lobster peeked out of crevasses, a mother and baby manta ray winged gracefully past our masks, and schools of colourful fish cavorted about the pristine reefs. Snorkelling is also offered in the island's waters. And from January to April, when humpback whales and dolphins visit Nevis, you can enjoy a special educational snorkel safari. No trip to Nevis would be complete, however, without either staying or dining at one of its five plantation inns. In the 17th century, Nevis was the richest sugar-producing country in the world. Today, five of the plantation estates have been restored and operate as elegant inns. Snuggled up in the hills and cooled by trade winds, they offer a very different experience from the typical beachfront hotel. Breakfast and sometimes afternoon tea are included in the rate, and you're treated like houseguests. One of the finest, the Montpelier Plantation Inn, is a secluded oasis surrounded by sugar cane fields and tropical vegetation. It was here that Princess Di retreated with her two boys after separating from Prince Charles. But more recently, it's gained a reputation for outstanding dining, garnering entry in Cond‚ Nast Traveler's "75 Hot Tables List." Evenings at Montpelier begin with cocktails and canap‚s hosted by the owners in the high-ceilinged stone great house. You then have a choice of dining on the terrace or in the plantation's 17th century sugar windmill tower. In the candle-lit mill, we gazed out at the stars through open vaulted windows while sipping complimentary champagne, which was followed by a mouth-watering three-cheese souffl‚, black bean chowder, escalope of veal with a tomato basil sauce, and fresh strawberries and cream. Reflecting back on the day, for this was the day we'd tackled Nevis Peak, I thought this was how I like my adventure - soft at the edges. If you go: Location: Nevis is the smaller of two islands that make up the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean. Where to Stay: Montpelier Plantation Inn: Stylish 17-room plantation inn, known for its excellent dining. Lovely freshwater pool and complimentary beach shuttle. Doubles start at $400 until April 4, 2005, then $315 until May 31. Full breakfast and afternoon tea included. 869-469-3462. www.montpeliernevis.com. Oualie Beach Hotel: Comfortable 3-star hotel with gingerbread cottages spread along a nice beach. Fun barefoot bar. Doubles start at $245 from January 4 to April 13, 2005, then drop to $195 until December 18. Call 869-469-9735. www.oualiebeach.com. Four Seasons Resort: Luxurious resort on four miles of beach. Spacious guest rooms, villas and estate homes (ideal for affluent families), lavish spa, two ocean-front pools and an 18-hole championship golf course. From $625 January 3 to April 9, 2005, then $500 until May 31. 800-332-3442 (toll free). www.fourseasons.com/nevis. Old Manor Hotel: Restored historic sugar plantation with tastefully furnished suites and rooms. A deluxe room costs $250 thru the winter high season, and includes breakfast. 800-892-7093 (toll-free). www.oldmanornevis.com. Nisbet Plantation Beach Club: The Caribbean's only historic plantation inn on the beach, with 38 guest cottages set in lush landscaping. Doubles start at $475 from January 3 to March 31, 2005, then drop to $300 until May 31. Breakfast and afternoon tea included. 800-742-6008 (toll free). www.nisbetplantation.com. Note - all rates quoted in US dollars. More Information: Nevis Tourism Authority: 866-55-NEVIS (toll free). www.nevisisland.com. |
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