Nevis What Is Known For

BEACHES

A pinney for your thoughts ... and sand. Pinney's Beach, miles of sugar-soft white sand lined by coconut palms is Nevis's finest. The shallow, calm water is just right for swimming, and while you'll have no problem finding an uncrowded stretch all to yourself, you can also meander down to a restaurant or beach shack for a midday snack.

HIKING

Scaling Nevis Peak is an all-day undertaking (and often visually disappointing because clouds near the summit usually obscure the view). For an easier outing – and a chance to spot one of the island's many (but skittish) African green monkeys – take a walk along the Upper Round Road. Built in the sugar cane heydays of the 1600s, this 9-mile trail now circumnavigates about two-thirds of the island, passing through rain forest and open fields with spectacular coastal views of the west coast.

SIGHTSEEING

If Alexander Hamilton seems like an old friend (he's on the U.S. $10 bill, after all), you can pay homage at his birthplace on the waterfront in Charlestown. The Georgian-style house is actually a replica (the original, built in 1680, was hammered by a hurricane in the 19th century), and it now houses the small but interesting Museum of Nevis History. For a look at another great figure from the past, visit the Horatio Nelson Museum south of Charlestown; exhibits include paintings and furniture from the admiral's flagship.