SHOPPING HOURS: Mon-Friday 8:00am-12:00pm and from 1:00pm-4:00pm (except on Thursdays when many shops close at noon). Saturdays open 8:00am-12 noon. Supermarkets generally stay open later. Post offices keep the same hours as the banks.

CURRENCY: St. Kitts & Nevis' official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$). US Dollars are widely accepted as are credit cards. You can expect an exchange rate of US$ 1.00 = EC$ 2.70

DRESS CODE: Casual dress is normal although some hotels and restaurants require 'elegantly casual' in the evenings. Please ensure to cover up if you are venturing into the shops from the beach.

ELECTRICITY: Depending on where you are staying, you may find either 110 Volt or 220 Volts. Best to check before you travel so you know whether to bring travel adaptors and transformers.

LANGUAGE: The local language is English with a delightful local dialect.

LOCATION & CLIMATE: Nevis lies in the Leeward Islands, 17 degrees North and 61 degrees and 30 minutes West. It is 36 square miles in area. Cooling Trade Winds blow consistently along with a sunny climate all year round and an average temperature of 28°C - 84°F and the water temperature only a few degrees lower it is understandable that you might want to spend all day in the sun. To ensure you still go home with a good tan try to avoid the intense 'mid-day' sun between 11.00am and 2.00pm and always use a high protection sun cream, even on overcast days. Build your tan slowly - there's plenty of time. Rainfall is modest when compared with the rest of the region with slightly wetter conditions in the hills.

TELEPHONES: Telephone and other telecommunication services are supplied by Cable and Wireless and are very reliable. Direct dialing is available for both local and overseas calls. Phone cards are popular and widely available.

WATER: Generally safe to drink, but you can opt for bottled water if you prefer.

NEVIS CALANDAR OF EVENTS 2000 :