Health & safety
Staying Safe and Well on Saint Kitts and Nevis: Evenings, the Sea and Island Laws
Saint Kitts and Nevis are travelled at an easy pace: beach days on two coasts, guided hikes into the volcanic rainforest, the ferry across the channel and drives on narrow island roads. Before the trip, read your own government's current travel advice for Saint Kitts and Nevis. On the ground, staying safe is mostly a matter of evening habits and of respect for the sea and the roads, and staying well starts with arrangements made at home.
Updated 2026-10-05
Valuables in the room safe
Passports, spare cards and other valuables stay in the room safe, and a day out — on the beach, in Basseterre or across on Nevis — carries only what it needs. Large sums of cash and jewellery are best left behind altogether.
Evenings, parties and taxis
Walking alone, keep to the main roads, above all after dark. Street parties and beach parties draw large crowds at night, especially in the festival season, and in a crowd a bag stays closed and a phone stays in a pocket. Isolated places, quiet beaches among them, are left alone after dark. The ride back is a licensed taxi: its licence plate is yellow, with “T” or “TA” in the number. Taxis have no meters, so the price is agreed with the driver before setting off.
Left-hand traffic and country roads
For anyone driving on Saint Kitts and Nevis, traffic keeps to the left. Minor roads have potholes and speed bumps without markings, country roads are narrow with blind corners, some roads have no lighting at night, and pedestrians walk on the road. An unfamiliar road is therefore driven slowly, and a first drive round an island goes best by daylight.
Mount Liamuiga and earthquakes
Mount Liamuiga, the volcano that rises over the north-west of Saint Kitts and whose crater is reached on a guided hike, is potentially active and is monitored by a regional seismic research centre. Earthquakes are a risk too. Should either make itself felt during a stay, visitors follow the instructions of the local authorities, and the accommodation is the first place to ask.
Local laws and customs
Penalties for drug offences are severe. Marijuana is decriminalised, but using it needs a licence, and smoking it in a public place is fined. Public displays of affection are uncommon for any couple and can draw unwanted attention. Starting a wildfire is a serious offence.
Hospitals and medical cover
Each island has a government hospital — in Basseterre on Saint Kitts and in Charlestown on Nevis — that can provide many forms of treatment. Treatment is charged for, so travel insurance that covers medical care is arranged before departure, and the policy documents travel with the passport.