Old Road Town

Located on the west coast of Saint Kitts, just to the south of Middle Island, Old Road Town was settled in 1624 by Thomas Warner, his wife, and a small group of settlers interested in trying their hand at tobacco farming. Though dwarfed in size and significance by the capital Basseterre, Old Road is nonetheless blessed with healthy tourism and farming industries, including a massive local investment from the Taiwanese government in a new fisheries complex that has modernized the local industry.

Just outside of Old Road are a number of interesting Carib petroglyphs, testifying to the once dominant native population. Area residents are more approachable and laid back than in more bustling parts of the island. While visiting Old Road, be sure to stop off at Wingfield Estate, recipient of the first land grant given by the King of England in the entire English-speaking West Indies and an active archeological and historical site.

Practical Info

Apart from a local convenience store, modest accommodations in Old Road Town are virtually nonexistent. Travelers on a budget should aim for nearby Middle Island, Basseterre or any number of locations blessed with broader options. Hungry travelers should take care to stop for some chicken, ribs, mahi mahi and lobster at Sprat Net, where the food is the stuff of legend.