Shopping

The best inventory of contemporary paintings in Nevis is within the Café des Arts, at the northern end of Main Street, in Charlestown (tel. 869/469-7098). Don't be fooled by the simple, clapboard-covered facade: Inside what used to be the Trott family homestead, immediately adjacent to the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, is the most elaborate art gallery in Nevis, replete with large-scale contemporary paintings from, among other places, Nevis, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, and Barbados. There's also an inventory of modestly priced soaps, candles, and spices. Also within the compound is the charming cafe and restaurant. Everything you'll see within this verdant compound is owned and managed by British expat Gillian Smithy, a savvy entrepreneur with extensive experience in, among other places, Turkey.

For original art, visit Eva Wilkin Gallery, Clay Ghaut, Gingerland (tel. 869/469-2673). Wilkin was the island's most famous artist; even Prince Charles showed up to look at her work. Until her death in 1989, she painted island people, local flowers, and scenes of Nevis life. Prints are available in some of the local shops, but originals sell for US$150 (£75) and up. You can visit her former atelier, on the grounds of an old sugar-mill plantation near Montpelier.

In a stone building about 60m (200 ft.) from the wharf, near the marketplace, Nevis Handicraft Cooperative Society, Cotton House, Charlestown (tel. 869/469-1746), contains locally made gift items, including unusual objects of goatskin, local wines made from a variety of fruits grown on the island, hot-pepper sauce, guava cheese, jams, and jellies.

Hand-painted, tie-dyed, and batik clothing are featured at Island Hopper, in the TDC Shopping Mall, Main Street, Charlestown (tel. 869/469-0893), which also has locations on St. Kitts and Antigua. From beach wraps to souvenirs, a wide selection of products is available.

Island Fever, Main Street in Charlestown (tel. 869/469-9613), has a tasteful and varied selection of items that might range from puppets and batiks from Indonesia to caftans, informal ware, steel drums, painted fish, or handmade jewelry. It's closed in September.

The best souvenir shop on Nevis is Knick Knacks Boutique (tel. 869/469-0893), in the Henville Building, on the waterfront in Charlestown, a few steps from the departure point of the ferryboats departing and arriving from St. Kitts. Most of its inventory was made on Nevis. It includes a colorful and sophisticated array of batiks, mobiles whose individual elements seem to dance in the wind, hand-painted T-shirts, and whimsical jewelry. Jeannie Rigley is the England-born artist and owner, whose work is most heavily featured.

Consider the Island Hopper Boutique, TDC Plaza, Main Street, in Charlestown (tel. 869/469-0893). Its gifts and mostly women's clothing are among the most appealing of any you'll find in town.

Some newcomers develop a fascination for the local postage stamps during their time on-island, interpreting them as a combination of nostalgia for the British Commonwealth mixed with the pride of independent nationhood and a celebration of the natural beauty of Nevis. Postage stamps issued under the auspices of the Nevis Philatelic Bureau are available for sale at the Philatelic Office, on Market Street (tel. 869/469-5535), about a 2-minute walk from the main Post Office (also on Market St.) Especially prized are stamps commemorating the late Princess Diana, Alexander Hamilton, or anything to do with Nevis' flora, underwater fauna, and architecture. Because of their relative rarity (if not in Nevis, then within the world at large) Nevisian collectors' stamps sell for a slight premium over their face value.

A craftsperson worthy of mention is Kennedy Tyrell (tel. 869/469-3442), who sells hand-carved wooden figures of monkeys, birds, pineapples, and other objects from his workshop along the road in Zion's Village, in Zion, on the eastern side of Nevis.