All Your Questions, Answered

Nevis has several practicing doctors, some specialists, and a full-time hospital. There is a pharmacy that has been in business for 50 years, however, it is recommended that all visitors bring their own medicines with them, as not all medicines are available on the island. It is possible to obtain air ambulance service from the island in case of an emergency that cannot be handled on Nevis, however, it is recommended that one purchase insurance for this prior to traveling here.

There is regular mail service, but the speed of the service varies. More predictable means of sending mail to and from the island is Federal Express, DHL, or UPS.

It is possible to open a bank account at the local banks. However, you will need two references, including one from your home bank account. It is possible to open accounts in both US and EC dollars, however you must keep $1000 US minimum in a US account.

Most businesses will accept US dollars, but you will most likely receive change in EC. Some smaller shops and vendors might not accept US dollars. You can change money or traveler's checks at any of the banks. Most banks have ATM machines which will give you EC dollars only.

Most restaurants, hotels and larger shops will accept VISA, MC and Discover. The larger ones may take American Express, but the others are more prevalent.

There are two shipping companies that come to the island weekly-Tropical Shipping and Bernuth. It is possible to ship containers to Nevis on either line. Amerijet also has service to St. Kitts. When purchasing a home, a container load of personal goods and furnishings can be shipped to the island duty-free, however, duty must be paid on new items. The contents of the container are inventoried by the Customs Department and appropriate duties are levied.

There are several freight forwarders in Florida who will send items to Nevis from Florida using Tropical Shipping or Bernuth. They will consolidate items and ship them in a container or send them piecemeal.

Yes, foreign cell phones work on Nevis, but you must set them up for international roaming in your home country with your company (Cingular, Verizon, etc.) before traveling. Make sure you check the rates when you are arranging for service. If you travel to Nevis often, it may be cheaper to purchase a cell phone here at either Cable and Wireless or Digicel and then purchase pre-paid phone cards. These can be used for overseas calls.

There is both high-speed cable and ADSL service offered by the local phone company, Cable and Wireless. Many homes and hotels now also have wireless Internet.

Yes, it is now necessary for Americans traveling to the Caribbean to have a passport. If you do not have time to get a passport, there is a service that can expedite the process quickly. The website is www.abriggs.com

There is a process in place for foreign travelers to bring pets with them to the island. There is a home quarantine that is overseen by the government veterinarian. The process can be long and costly, so it might not be practical to bring a pet for a short holiday, but if you are coming for a longer stay or moving to the island, that is certainly possible. See more information under "Buying a Home."

Like everywhere else in the world, Nevis has its share of petty crime, but very few incidents of violent crime. And like everywhere else in the world, it is unwise to carry around and/or flaunt large amounts of cash. It is wise to lock up houses and cars at night and when you leave them, just as it would in most other places in the world.

Nevis has a large number of very skilled and hard-working carpenters, contractors, and maintenance workers who can be counted on to complete jobs even if you are not on the island.

People who live on Nevis generally stay in their homes as a way of protecting them in case a problem arises. Most homes are built very well and withstand storms with little or no damage. Sometimes people get together for camaraderie during storms, and there is also a system of hurricane shelters around the island for people whose homes might not be as storm resistant.

One way to answer the question is to say that homeowners from New York City would prefer to be on Nevis in the summer-even without air conditioning. The wonderful trade winds keep the air moving almost all of the time, and living is really indoor-outdoor. The temperature has a range of about 7-degrees F. year round from about 80 to 87, though it can get higher and it can get lower, but that is the average. Of course, it is hot standing in the bright sun, but in the shade and with a breeze, most of the time it is comfortable. Ceiling fans placed inside and out generally keep things cool.

Nevis is thankfully a quiet, peaceful place, but seldom do folks complain of boredom. There is hiking, biking, and running and even marathons. There is fishing, windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing and scuba diving. There are scrabble clubs, bridge clubs, book clubs, and poker clubs. There are garden enthusiasts, animal enthusiasts and historical enthusiasts. There are beach clean ups and fairs and silent auctions to support organizations. There are night spots for dancing and many more for dining. There is an annual festival called Culturama to celebrate the island's culture with events and parades. There is world-class golf at the Four Seasons Resort Robert Trent Jones II course and more casual fun golf at the Nevis Golf Club and the Cat Ghaut course. There is of course the beach for swimming, sunning and walking. There is a car ferry so it's easy to go to St. Kitts for the day to go sightseeing, shopping or to play yet another golf course by Nick Faldo at the Marriott. There are easy flights to San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Barts, Saba, Statia, Antigua, Barbuda, Tortola, and Montserrat, so there is much to explore. Overnights and weekends exploring other islands is a common activity. Then there is just sitting around relaxing and reading, taking a step back to think and and just "be." As one long-time Nevis resident is known to say: "I don't know what I do all day, but it takes all day to do it".