Visiting Saba is like traveling to a land barely touched by time. It wasn’t until the mid-1930s, in fact, that residents built the island’s first road. This winding thoroughfare is an attraction in itself. Lined with spectacular stone walls, it twists and turns its way up the mountainside. Saba may be tiny, but this special municipality of The Netherlands offers much to ecotourists: rocky cliffs, lush green forests and mountains that seem to rise out of the ocean. At the top of Mount Scenery, A nonactive volcano, you can see for miles on a clear day.
If it’s overcast, you’ll find yourself caught up in the vapor of the clouds. The climb up Mount Scenery is something of a challenge. You have to hike through a tropical rain forest and up hand-carved stone steps. But the welcome distraction of views, birds, plants and other wildlife makes this hike well worth the effort.
Saba also boasts some of the best diving in the region. Strict regulations on fishing and diving mean that you’re able to see a wide variety of sea life. Turtles and lobsters are regular visitors to this spectacular underwater haven, and if you’re lucky, you may just get to hear or see a whale or two. If you are more into the history of the island, then you’ll enjoy making your way through charming villages, past picturesque homes with red roofs and well-tended gardens. Along the way, you will meet up with a variety of friendly locals who will be happy to tell you all about their distinctive home.
Journey to Saba aboard a high-speed ferry offered by Aqua Mania Adventures. You can book your 90-minute trip on Edge from Simpson Bay or online before you arrive. Packages include taxi tours around the island, with a tasty lunch poolside, hiking excursions with lunch and transfers, and guided adventures with local guides.
With regularly scheduled service to Saba, Great Bay Express, based at Bobby’s Marina in Philipsburg, will get you there fast. The high-speed ferry offers competitive prices, online booking and a shuttle service. No matter what you decide to do once you have arrived in Saba, it is certain that you will leave with a new appreciation of history, nature and the efforts that this tiny island has made to preserve it all.
Reach the top of Saba’s 2,910-foot Mount Scenery, a dormant volcano and the highest elevation in the Netherlands, and you’ll be rewarded with a certificate attesting to your hiking prowess. It’s free at the Saba Tourist Bureau in Windward side. “Just show us a picture of the mud on your shoes,” says Glenn Holm, director of tourism. The office is open Monday THROUGH Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saba is an island located south-west of St Maarten. Find Saba on the map below!
