Saba

Saba is a Caribbean island and the smallest special municipality of the Netherlands, located in the Caribbean Sea.

Saba has four main villages - The Bottom, Windwardside, St John's and Zion's Hill (aka "Hell's Gate").

There is one main road on the island, known as "The Road", which connects these villages. It is a steep and winding drive. Car hire is located at Saba's only Shopping Mall, the Breadline Plaza in Windwardside.

Bicycles and scooters are also available for rent. Driving is British style, on the left.

The Bottom has several small restaurants, bars and grocery stores. Drive from The Bottom to Well's Bay and you'll see the old Customs House that sits atop "The Ladder", the rugged steps that formed Saba's route to and from the sea long before the road was built.

Windwardside is the most tourist orientated of the villages. Wander through small streets, visit the Harry L. Johnson museum for some island history or browse the local shops for souvenirs, clothing or diving equipment. The tourist office, an art gallery and several restaurants/bars can also be found here.

Obtain a map at the trail shop and ascend the Mt. Scenery Trail to climb to the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

St John’s is one of the smaller villages on the island. It is located before The Bottom. On a very clear day you can see the neighbouring islands St Eustatius, St Kitts and Nevis.

Zion's Hill (Hell's Gate) is home to the Holy Rosary Church, a stone structure built in 1962, as well as a community centre where visitors can purchase locally made Saba Lace, also called Spanish Work, and Saba Spice, a locally produced and very potent spiced rum. Hell's Gate is also the start of the Crispin trail, which takes roughly 2 hours to complete and gives stunning views of Diamond Rock and the Saban coastline.

Take a jeep safari tour to explore the island, or visit the national park for hiking and mountain biking.

The island has many marked trails (guides are available), visit rainforest, tidepools, historic ruins, and learn about the surrounding nature.

There are lots of water activities to try, including snorkelling, diving in Saba's Marine Park, which is located around the entire island, sailing and fishing as well as swimming, parasailing or riding a banana boat.

Creole and Caribbean specialities such as curry goat or seafood chowder as well as international options such as Chinese, American, Italian and French can all be found on local menus. Try some fresh fish or seafood, such as Saba lobster, crab, mussels or tuna.

Smaller cruise ships anchor on the south east shore of the island, outside Fort Bay Harbour, and tender passengers ashore.

Taxis are available at the port area.

The capital of Saba, 'The Bottom' is around a mile away.

The Saba Marine Park, dive shops and two restaurants can be found within the port area.