Andrew & Cristina

If you ever wanted to know a little more about the island of Saba (and who doesn’t?) here’s a little information for you.

Saba is a tiny island in the Caribbean. It’s so small that you can barely even see it on a map so you probably shouldn’t bother looking for it. All you need to know is that it’s south-west of St. Maarten. What’s that? You don’t know where St. Maarten is either? It’s 300 kilometers south-east of Puerto Rico. Saba is one of five island that currently form the Netherlands Antilles. I say currently because the Netherlands Antilles will be disbanded at the end of 2008. The other four islands are St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, Bonaire and Curaçao and I’m sure you’ve heard of at least a couple of these islands.

Let’s get back to Saba now. The island is a 5 square mile volcano that rises out of the sea to an altitude of 2855 feet, thanks to Mount Scenery, which is the highest point in the Netherlands. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but you’d have to see this with your own eyes to understand just how steep the island is. There are four villages on the island: The Bottom, St. John’s, Windwardside, and Hell’s Gate. These four villages are connected by a single road, which is aptly called The Road. There’s a neat little story behind this road, which is also known as “the road that couldn’t be built.” Driving here is quite an experience and here’s a video that showcases the road’s roller coaster-like qualities:

Most tourists come here for the excellent SCUBA diving. Saba’s nickname is the Unspoiled Queen and for good reason. Its diving sites are managed by the Saba Marine Park and are kept in pristine condition. Don’t take my word for it though, come check it out yourself. You’ll have your pick of three different dive shops staffed by many experienced divers: Saba Deep, Saba Divers, and Sea Saba. If diving isn’t your thing, perhaps you can snorkel or hike the many trails on the island. There’s even a cloud forest here on top of Mount Scenery so bring your hiking boots.

If this sounds like a place you’d like to visit and you’d like more information about hotels and restaurants on Saba, you can check out the Saba Tourist Bureau’s very comprehensive website. If, however, you are a future medical student contemplating a move to Saba and you want to learn more about the island from the perspective of someone living here, stay tuned.