Things to Do in Saint Kitts and Nevis in April

April's drier trails make the 90-minute scramble up Nevis Peak's upper ridge possible - you'll start in farmland that smells of ripe sugar apples, climb through cloud forest where bromeliads drip on your neck, and emerge above the canopy to see both islands spread out like a map. The summit usually sits in cloud by 9am, so 6am starts are essential.

The leeward side's calm April seas make the full 30km (18.6-mile) sail around St Kitts a dream - you'll anchor in coves that larger boats can't reach, snorkel over undisturbed elkhorn coral where sea turtles surface beside the boat, and beach the catamaran on the deserted sand spit that connects St Kitts to Booby Island at low tide.

April's trade winds make the climb up this 170m (558ft) volcanic plug fortress bearable - you'll still sweat walking the 18th-century ramparts. But the breeze carries the scent of frangipani from the slopes below. The 11am cannon firing demonstration uses real black powder that you can smell for hours afterward.

The 12km (7.5-mile) coastal loop between Charlestown and the ruins of Coconut Walk Estate is flat enough for casual riders - you'll pass 300-year-old sugar mill towers draped in purple bougainvillea, stop at roadside stalls selling fresh coconut water that tastes slightly salty from the sea breeze, and coast downhill past the 17th-century Jewish cemetery where the stones face toward Jerusalem.

Easter Monday transforms South Friar's Beach into one massive potluck - every family sets up oil-drum grills, the air fills with jerk smoke and curry goat steam, and you'll get invited to taste as long as you bring something (even ice from the gas station counts). The party starts at 10am when church lets out and runs until the green flash sunset.