The West Indies island of Nevis has rich history and plenty of great sites to see on its thirty-six square miles but I don’t recommend doing it alone. The roads are tiny and poorly marked. The best way to see the historical sites is with a tour guide. Here’s an in-depth look at my afternoon with Funky Monkey Tours.

The adorable Waz was my tour guide for the half-day excursion in a 4×4 Crew Ranger. When he told me to buckle up, I laughed. He was not kidding! Flying through the island in the 4×4 reminded me a lot of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. If you’ve ever ridden it, you’ll know what I mean. I was enchanted by how many wild donkeys, goats, and monkeys we saw during the tour, even on our way to the very first site! Waz was extremely knowledgeable about each and every site, explaining the historical significance of each place as we went along.

This was the top historical site I wanted to see on Nevis. Alexander Hamilton was born on Nevis before moving to St. Croix (I’m going there next!) and of course ending up in America. The Hamilton family continued operating the Nevis sugar mill until the sugar business crashed in the 1950s. It’s now in ruins but considering Hamilton was born in 1755, the Hamilton sugar business had a good run! Monkeys hopped around the ruins, which still boast fantastic sea views.

St. Thomas Anglican Church

This is the oldest continuously operating church in the Caribbean. Built in the 1600s, the tombstones alone are worth the visit. If walls could talk, St. Thomas Anglican Church would have a lot to say. I bet a service here would be incredible!

Lovers Beach

This secluded beach has a great view of nearby St. Kitts. The water looked lovely but it’s on the north side of the island where the waves are rougher. I would much rather swim at Montpelier Plantation‘s private beach club on the south side of the island.

Cottle Church was the first non-segregrated church in the Caribbean. The master was said to be noble and kind. Now you can actually get married here, right under the arches! The goat nicely modeled a wedding portrait for us.</div.

Having driven around most of the island, it was nice to take a break and enjoy a beach at Nisbet Plantation! We drank rum punch (perfectly spiked by bartender Akeem) at Coconuts Bar on the beach as we swapped stories about island life versus American life while waves crashed into the shore. I was in a damn good mood by the time I left.

The last stop on the tour was rather epic sugar mill ruins that had so much industrial equipment intact. Built in the 18th century when the island’s sugar industry was booming, the New River Plantation still has the sugar cellar where barrels used to go. I really haven’t seen ruins this cool since Greece.

I definitely recommend booking a Funky Monkey Tour for your first full day on the island, as it really helps you get the lay of the land. I saw all of the famous sights without having to find them and I got to have rum along the way. You can’t beat that!

Disclaimer:  This article is intended to be a general resource. Any recommendations are based on personal opinion. A portion of this trip may have been compensated but opinions are my own, always. I’m not a fan of negativity so if I don’t like something, I don’t write about it.