Saba - Location Guide & Travel Tips 
Location
Saba is located in the northern part of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean, just to the northwest of St. Eustatius. Nearby and a little east of north are Anquilla, St Martin/St Maartin, and St Barthélemy. Southwest of Saba, 4.3 km away, is the Saba Bank, a large submerged atoll of rich biodiversity, and a prime fishing ground, particularly for lobster.
Geography
Saba ("SAY-ba"), the smallest island of the Netherlands Antilles, has a land area of 13 km² or 5 sq. miles, and consists largely of the dormant volcano, Mount Scenery (888 m), its highest point. The population consists of only about 1,400 people who represent an intermixing of Dutch, Scottish, and African heritage, and the island's small size has led to a fairly small number of island families.
Currently there are 4 major settlements which include The Bottom, Windwardside, Hell's Gate and St. Johns. Of note in The Bottom area, are 800 steps carved from stone, to go from Ladder Bay to The Bottom. Everything was carried to the island by hand until the late 20th century.
There is one road, aptly called "The Road". Its construction was masterminded by Josephus Lambert Hassell who believed a road was possible despite Dutch engineers conviction that the island's steep terrain prohibited road building. He took a correspondence course in civil engineering, and started building the road with a crew of locals in 1938. After five years, the first section from Fort Bay to The Bottom was completed. However, it wasn't until 1947 that the first motor vehicle arrived. In 1951, the road to Windwardside and St. Johns was opened, and in 1958 the road was completed.
Saba has no beaches and its mountains tend to drop sharply into the surrounding ocean. Its environment is mainly woodland forest with lots of mango trees, lush plants, ferns and damp soil along with diverse animal wildlife. There used to be forests of Mahogany trees until a hurricane in the 1960s destroyed most of them and now the Mahogany trees are close to extinction. Saba's forests have long been called "the Elfin Forests" because of their high altitude mist and mossy appearance, and when a woodland reserve was created, it was appropriately named the "Elfin Forest Reserve".
Traveling to Saba
Sabas Juancho Yrausquin Airport, located at Flat Point in the village of Hell's Gate, has the worlds shortest commercial runway at 400 meters or around 1300'. Since it can't accommodate large aircraft, most travelers reach Saba via St. Maarten located 28 miles to the northeast, which offers many international direct flights by several carriers. Connecting there with Winair on any of 5 daily flights, they can reach Saba in 15 minutes.
Ferries are also a convenient way to reach the island after flying into St. Maarten and are a viable alternative to flying the last leg. The trip takes a couple hours via "Dawn II" or "The Edge", and many travelers use the ferries for day trips as well.
Climate
Tropical with average daytime temperatures of 80°F. Range from winter to summer is 78 to 84 Fahrenheit or 25 to 28 Celsius. Temperatures will always be cooler at altitude, especially on the top of Mt. Scenery.
Dress
Casual sportswear is appropriate anytime on Saba. Bathing suits should not be worn in the villages. A sweater or light wrap may be needed in the evenings during winter or at higher elevations such as Windwardside.
Language
Dutch is the official language, although English is more widely spoken. You may also encounter Spanish, French, German, and Papiamentu.
Time Zone
Atlantic Standard Time. Four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time GMT-4).
Currency
The Netherlands Antilles Guilder (NAfl) is the official currency, with an exchange rate of about NAfl 1.80 = $1.00 US. Travelers checks, US dollars, and major credit cards, are widely accepted. There are also 2 branch banks and an ATM machine available in Windwardside.
Telecommunications
Hotels offer direct dialing worldwide. Landsradio has phone booths located in The Bottom and Windwardside for making calls anywhere in the world.
Electricity
100v / 60hz (U.S. standard). Adapters may be required for European and other plug styles.
Medical Facilities
A.M. Edwards Medical Center
Resident Doctors and Registered Nurses oversee this medical facility.
Tel: 599-4-63239 / 63288 / 63289
Saba Marine Park Hyperbaric Facility
A four-person re-compression chamber administered by the Saba Marine Park and operated by a staff of specially trained volunteers. It has been operating since 1980 and serves the Eastern Caribbean region.
Contact:
Saba Marine Park, P.O. Box 18, Fort Bay, Saba, Netherlands Antilles
Tel: 599-4-63295 Fax: 599-4-63435
SABA University School of Medicine
The Saba University School of Medicine, established by American expatriates in coordination with the Netherlands government, was chartered in October 1992. It provides students from the U.S.A. and abroad an opportunity to acquire a medical degree and fulfill their ambition of becoming a physician. Applications are invited from all qualified students with a sincere desire to practice medicine. All courses are taught in English by an experienced M.D./Ph.D. faculty whose only responsibility is medical education.
Contact:
Saba University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 1000, The Bottom, SABA, Netherlands Antilles
E-mail: saba@tiac.net Telephone: 599-4-63456 Toll-free: 800-825-7754 (U.S.)
Government
The islands of Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Curacao, and Bonaire form the Netherland Antilles. However the idea of the Netherlands Antilles as a state never has enjoyed full support of all islands and political relations between islands were often strained. In fact Aruba was included until 1996 when they seceded to form their own state, but are still associated with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In 2004 a commission of the governments of the Netherlands Antilles and the Netherlands met and advised a revision of the Statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in order to dissolve the Netherlands Antilles. Saba voted overwhelmingly to become directly administered by the Netherlands. The desire for secession was also strong in Sint Maarten.
On November 28, 2005, an agreement was signed between the Dutch government and the governments of each island that would put into effect the commission's findings by July 2007. At that time, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaire will become part of the Netherlands as Kingdom Islands while Curacao and Sint Maarten - who voted for more autonomy - will become two new associated states within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Customs & Immigration - Passports
Saba is a free port and there are no customs. Travelers from North America, Australia, and the European Union will need a valid passport to enter, as well as a return or ongoing ticket. Citizens of other countries may need a visa for entry, and should contact the nearest tourist office for entry requirements. Visitors may stay for up to 90 days.
Entry Requirements for the United States change effective December 31, 2006 -- All air & sea travelers, including U.S. citizens, to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Bermuda must have a valid passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality, to enter the United States.
Service Charges, Tax & Tipping
A 10% to 15% service charge will be added to hotel bills, and room tax is 5%. Gratuities in restaurants and for taxis or guides is discretionary.
Disclaimer
We attempt to ensure the accuracy of all information provided, however we are not responsible for the content provided herein. For the most current information, please visit the Saba Tourism website, or contact them at:
Saba Tourist Office
PO Box 527, Windwardside, Saba Dutch Caribbean
Tel: 599-416-2231/2322 Fax: 599-416-2350Netherlands, contact:
Kabinet van de Gevolmachtigde Minister van de Nederlanse Antillen
Badhuisweg 173-175, 2597 JP's-Gravenhagen, Holland
Tel: 0031703512811 Fax: 0031703512722