This Unexpected West Indies Island Is The Mango Capital Of The Caribbean

A mere three hour plane ride from Miami, toward the more well-known islands of Anguilla and St. Martin, you’ll find Nevis. This less than 36-square-mile island was once a star in the sugar trade world, but when the last sugar factory shut down in the 1950s it became an island that thrives on tourism — though it’s not an island that’s typically on everyone’s radar. Fun fact: it’s where Alexander Hamilton was born. To get to Nevis, you’ll probably fly into its more urban sister-island, St. Kitts, and take a 15 minute boat ride over.

A peaceful and magical getaway, Nevis is a barely touched gem that allows its visitors to get a true taste of the Caribbean. And one of those delicious things you’ll undoubtedly taste on a visit to Nevis is mango — 44 different kinds, in fact. There’s so many mangoes on Nevis that it’s without a doubt the Mango Capital of the Caribbean, but you’ve got to visit the island in order to enjoy this abundantly juicy fruit since it’s not exported off the island.

Ronald “Bankie” King, not only works for the Nevis Department of Agriculture, but he’s known for being the foremost expert in all things mango in Nevis. Though the official variety count of mangoes in Nevis is 44, Bankie says there’s easily 200 or so that he can name off the top of his head, because over the years people have grafted trees from other countries and brought them over knowing they’d thrive in the island’s soil.

“Because of Nevis Peak (a potentially active volcano that sits in the very center of the island), our soil is rich and mangoes can grow anywhere,” says Bankie. “Everyone has mango trees, they even grow wild on the side of the road. You don’t really have to nurture or take care of the trees for them to survive. They just appear and produce.”

Some of the more popular varieties are God’s Blood, Ice Cream, Round Ball, Amory Polly, Stephen, Teeny, Julies, Cream, and Grafted mangoes — all of which Bankie mentions he can recognize by blind tasting or just a quick glance at the fruit.

With as many mangoes as there are on the island, Bankie says they can’t possibly use them all. “We’re almost overrun with mangos. We can’t make our way through all of them,” says Bankie. Plus, with the regulations around fruits, it’s not possible for them to export this delicious crop, because it can be affected by the mango seed weevil. Fortunately, this pest doesn’t affect mangoes eaten on the island, but requires that every Nevisian mango stays put basically in its own version of quarantine.

In an attempt to make use of the thousands of mangoes produced on Nevis each year, the Nevis Tourism Authority hosts an annual Nevis Mango Festival that takes place the first weekend in July featuring three days of events and activities all centered around the tasty fruit, as July is peak season for mangoes.

“With so many different types of mangoes grown here, they are an integral part of Nevisian cuisine,” said Devon Liburd, Nevis Tourism Authority interim CEO. “Each variety has a slightly different look, taste and texture, giving our chefs lots of opportunities to be creative. We believe the Mango Festival is the perfect way to experience a Caribbean vacation with a distinctively Nevisian flavor.”

The festival features a dozens of chefs from both Nevis and St. Kitts showcasing mango-centric dishes. Think mango chutneys, mango salsas, mango curries, mango hot sauce, mango smoothies, mango skewers, mango rice — everything mango. There’s also a Mango Eating Contest, a Mango Cocktail Competition with some of the island’s top bartenders, a Mango Wellness Zone where guests are treated to mini massages using mango butter products, and a Mango Cooking Competition featuring notable local chefs who compete Chopped-style on stage with a mystery basket of ingredients while still making sure to highlight Nevis mangoes in each dish.

Those looking for even more mango during their visit to Nevis are encouraged to pop over to Mango restaurant at Four Seasons Nevis, a stunning open air restaurant right on the water serving delightful Caribbean cuisine and delicious cocktails by resident Master Mixologist, Kendie Williams. Naturally, as the name implies, you’ll find plenty of mango dishes and beverages on this menu — from a mango and pumpkin soup with quinoa and coconut cream to curried green mussels with mango chutney, and a mango cheesecake for dessert.

Looking to sip your mango? Opt for the Mangojito, a fun take on a mojito made with Brinley mango rum, mango puree (most likely made using mangos grown right in Kendie’s backyard), soda, mint, and lime.

Unlike most Caribbean islands, Four Seasons Nevis is the only big resort you’ll find on the island. There’s a charming law in Nevis that states nothing can be built higher than a coconut tree, so you tend to find lots of small inns, rental homes, and villas — many of which are also home to lots of mango trees with fruit ready for picking if you’re visiting anytime from June to early September.

If you’re visiting, don’t be shy in your mango consumption. The locals say they are best eating straight from the tree and there’s plenty to go around.