Water Taxi from Basseterre to Charlestown Nevis

[Daveskib]

My wife and I will be on the January 11th Apex sailing and have a few questions  about the logistics of taking a water taxi from Basseterre, St.Kitts to Charlestown, Nevis to Pinney's beach. Is the taxi walkable from the pier at Basseterre and is Pinney's beach walkable from the water taxi in Charlestown?

[Tom and Ingrid]

35 minutes ago, Daveskib said:

My wife and I will be on the January 11th Apex sailing and have a few questions  about the logistics of taking a water taxi from Basseterre, St.Kitts to Charlestown, Nevis to Pinney's beach. Is the taxi walkable from the pier at Basseterre and is Pinney's beach walkable from the water taxi in Charlestown?

My quick response would be no (to walkable from pier) and maybe (to walk to Pinney's). The water taxis seem to run from Reggae Beach (bottom of St Kitts) to Oualie Bay (close to top of Nevis).  We took a taxi all over St Kitts when staying there at the Marriott (including down to the bottom for Turtle Beach, and that was not a quick journey).  In Nevis, we stayed at the Four Seasons (on Pinney's beach), and walked easily to Charlestown and back along the beach & some small streets.

 

Mostly, it all comes down to how fit you are and how much walking you enjoy.

 

If you like to plan your own schedule, you can opt to schedule a water taxi from Reggae Beach, on the South East Peninsula of St Kitts, and dock at Oualie Bay, which sits on the north of the island. 

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, Daveskib said:

My wife and I will be on the January 11th Apex sailing and have a few questions  about the logistics of taking a water taxi from Basseterre, St.Kitts to Charlestown, Nevis to Pinney's beach. Is the taxi walkable from the pier at Basseterre and is Pinney's beach walkable from the water taxi in Charlestown?

There is a distinct difference between a Water Taxi and the regular Ferry Service.  

The regular Ferry service, schedules, price, walking directions, entrance (outside port) are posted for the independent traveller - Ferry from Basseterre to Nevis … https://www.sknvibes.com/travel/new_ferry.cfm

Then short taxi ride from Charlestown to Sunshine’s - Killer Bees?

A Water Taxi being ‘adjacent’ to the Ship is only for the Ship or Private booked Tours.  Hence, the short walk inside the Cruise Port/Terminal.

 

Independent travellers are not allowed to take a Water Taxi being used for the Ship or Private booked Tours.

 

Or 

Book the a Water Taxi Tour from inside the Port area with … https://bluewatersafaris.com/tour/nevis-beach-getaway/

 

Or

Another method to Nevis, pre COVID (open to general public)

 

Take a taxi (about $30/35 per cab each way) to Reggie Beach Pier to catch sea shuttle to Nevis (think it was $20/25 ppp each way) to Charleston port.  There was no actual timetable with plenty of transfers.  Ample taxis at Nevis port.

Additional:

There will also be plenty of shuttle minibus taxis to Reggie and return to ship (Not sure about the fare but work on $10/12 pp e//w)

 

 

 

[PORT ROYAL]

Additional

From the ship it’s about a 10 minute walk.

Exit Port Zante, turn left into the main road, walk about 3 minutes, you’ll see a wood footbridge on left, take it, this is the entrance to the Ferry Terminal.

[hcat]

We took a great X excursion to NEVIS..

 

Our transportation (with water and drinks)  was a water taxi type vessel both ways but took diff scenic routes going and returning.

 

 We had a  great local tour ( lots of Alexander Hamilton history),   with an excellent lunch   (a boutique shop),  and a fairly long  beach stop.   There are various combinations. Highly rec.  

 

Very hot sun. .. .hat, sunglasses and beach shoes rec.

 

What a great day we had!

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 5/29/2024 at 12:31 PM, hcat said:

We took a great X excursion to NEVIS..

 

Our transportation (with water and drinks)  was a water taxi type vessel both ways but took diff scenic routes going and returning.

 

 We had a  great local tour ( lots of Alexander Hamilton history),   with an excellent lunch   (a boutique shop),  and a fairly long  beach stop.   There are various combinations. Highly rec.  

 

Very hot sun. .. .hat, sunglasses and beach shoes rec.

 

What a great day we had!

 

This sounds a lot like a tour I'm looking at on HAL. Was this with bluewater safaris? Which beach area were you at? Were there umbrellas, or just chairs? 

 

@PORT ROYAL, how recently have you done bluewater's trip? It sounds similar to what HAL is offering. Probably less expensive, but as a solo, I might feel better about a ship-affiliated tour. were they good about keeping track of people and staying on time? Did you have lunch at Lime Beach Bar?

 

There's another excursion that goes to Yachtsman but doesn't include the tour before the beach. Has anyone been to Yachtsman? I'm leaning toward the tour that goes to Lime Beach Bar because there's a microbrewery next to the bar!

[PORT ROYAL]

3 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

This sounds a lot like a tour I'm looking at on HAL. Was this with bluewater safaris? Which beach area were you at? Were there umbrellas, or just chairs? 

 

@PORT ROYAL, how recently have you done bluewater's trip? It sounds similar to what HAL is offering. Probably less expensive, but as a solo, I might feel better about a ship-affiliated tour. were they good about keeping track of people and staying on time? Did you have lunch at Lime Beach Bar?

 

There's another excursion that goes to Yachtsman but doesn't include the tour before the beach. Has anyone been to Yachtsman? I'm leaning toward the tour that goes to Lime Beach Bar because there's a microbrewery next to the bar!

Last visit 4 years ago.. But will book again for next year when their booking opens for one’s day.  Bluewater have never lost a guest… they count them on/off.

Bluewater went to Lime… 2 beds/1 umbrella.  Never taken lunch at Lime, one took the  short stroll to Sunshine’s for bees, beer and brunch.

 

To assis, copy/paste from another thread……

 

Personally yes, many times, and going with them in March 25 on the QM,
 

 

Bluewater will take one to the beach bar called Lime, with chairs and shade, sometimes a free rum punch.

But, just short walk down the beach is “Sunshine’s”.   Sit at the bar, sip a few “Killer Bees”, with beer chasers.  
 

Bees is a deceptive rum punch, thinking this is very easy drinking, let’s have another one, repeat and repeat.

Then after a few Killers, one opens one’s eyes and say to oneself “Why am I sitting in the back of a Police Van?”

 

Insider tip…Take Bees with no ice as it equals more Bee

 

Sunshine’s food is good and reasonably priced.  Also free WiFi.

 

Sunshine has a bottles of this famous brew for a takeaway, so one will heavily stock up for onboard stateroom balcony consumption with friends.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks, @PORT ROYAL. I would be okay with the lunch at Lime if the micro wasn't next door. I think it's fairly new, so you wouldn't have been able to try it four years ago. Their food sounds great, and I love to try local beer. I hate to spend money on a lunch I don't want, but I wouldn't let that me keep that from enjoying a beverage (and possibly lunch) elsewhere. I'm not sure I have the "bar stamina" to chase a rum punch with a beer. But good to know I can get a "Bee" to go. 

[WisCruiser2]

It's easy to get to Nevis on your own -- Google St. Kitts - Nevis ferry schedule to see what works for the times you want. We used Next Edition last February as they had the times we wanted (10:00 and 3:00), $24pp roundtrip. The ferry dock is a short walk from where the cruise ships dock. There are taxi services on Nevis, either for a tour or to take you to Pinney Beach.