ACCORDING to the story, Columbus thought the mists around the mountain peak were snow and he called the island Santa Maria de las Nieves.
Centuries of warfare, buccaneering, slavery and sugar cane opulence later, the ubiquitous beet destroyed a way of life. What followed was a protracted tale of decline. In the wind-swept highlands and along the coast of the 36-mile-square island, the great plantations slipped into decay.
But today Nevis has a rising standard of living, a measure of its old elegance and a sense of community. Indeed, despite a long history that has left its share of scars, Nevis seems to be negotiating its way more successfully than others Caribbean islands into the 21st century.
I saw this first hand while staying at the island’s Montpelier Plantation Inn, which sits 750 feet above the dark sea. Like many others on Nevis, Montpelier’s original manor house went to ruin. An English couple bought the nearby sugar manufactory and acreage in the 1960s and caringly recreated it as a graceful inn that attracted a loyal, mainly English clientele that included Princess Diana.
New owner-managers Tim and Meredith Hoffman have kept the inn’s faithful European guests and drawn more North Americans since taking over in 2002
The main dining area features fresh fare and a sophisticated wine list. Higher on the hill sits a stone windmill that once powered plantation machinery. It now shelters an intimate restaurant.
When you go to sleep, it’s in a bed in an airy cottage room, surrounded by frog songs and windrush. Occasionally, a donkey brays (from $400/night; http://www.montpeliernevis.com ).
For the most part, the island itself feels low-key and personal. The main settlement, Charlestown, is a real place with real people going to or coming from the wharf, or buying from the produce sellers who work out of their truck opposite the tiny square. The town is basically a single street lined by old stone buildings.
If you’re looking for a fast singles scene or thrilling recreation on jet skiis, you won’t find it here. You can do the usual windsurfing, scuba diving and snorkeling, but for the most part, pleasures here are simple.
For example, there’s the weekly beach barbecue held at the Oualie Beach Hotel. The entertainment that accompanies the food ultimately devolves into a sort of loose-limbed musical hodgepodge, with pretty much anyone at the mike and everyone else dancing (rooms from $195/night; oualie.com).
For music and good times, there’s also Eddy’s in Charlestown (Main St., Wednesdays only).
A real attraction of the place is the slightly off-center personalities you can encounter like flaming-haired T.C., a lady of a certain age from Leeds who drove a double decker in England and now gives tours of Nevis. She takes you around in her van amidst cell phone calls for a charity she’s managing while waving to other drivers.
You can also drive yourself around. Rent a jeep in Charlestown – and remember to drive on the left side ( http://www.thrifty.com ). A temporary
Nevis driver’s license costs about $25 for three months.
The Atlantic coast is less developed and you can drive on any number of side roads and then walk down toward the ocean. You’ll pass the broken bodies of the old factories, windmills and other structures, as well as large fields of grass and scrub inhabited by skittish herds of goats.
Info: http://www.nevisisland.com
—
THE TICKER: ROMANCE FOR ALL: Sandals Resorts has lifted its longstanding ban on bookings by gay couples at its Caribbean vacation properties.