Saba

 

Quick Facts

• Continental region – North America
• Currency symbol of Saba –US dollar, $. (Since 2011 US Dollar officially replaces Netherlands Antillean guilder )
• Capital City –The Bottom
• Official languages –Both English and Dutch
• Population –1,915 (Jan 1, 2019)
• Country dialling code  –  599
• Official website – Saba
• Top 3 biggest industries  – Tourism, Finance, Construction
• Google Maps link –Saba
• Where is it? –Saba is a five square mile island located at Latitude – 17.38 North ~ Longitude – 63.13 West in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, 28 miles southwest of its international hub the island of St. Maarten.

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Saba In Pictures

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Saba History

• How did the country get its first name? –  Saba refers to the Biblical queen of Sheba.
• How did the country get its current name? –  Saba refers to the Biblical queen of Sheba. Christopher Columbus is said to have sighted the island on 13 November 1493, then this name become known to outsiders.
• When and by whom the country was first discovered? – Ciboney people were on the island as early as 1100 BC. Christopher Columbus was the first European to have sighted the island on 13 November 1493
• Who were the first Inhabitants? – Saba is thought to have been inhabited by the Ciboney people as early as the 1100s BC. Later, circa 800 AD, Arawak people from South America settled on the island.
• When it was first recognized as a country? – It is part of The Netherlands.
• Who was the first leader of the country? – Wycliffe Smith, 1 November 1983 to 1989.

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Five Significant Events

1. Discovery: Christopher Columbus, on his voyage to the Americas in the 15th century, sailed past the island but never landed on it. This is thought to be because of its rocky shoreline and cliffy periphery. (https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/saba/history-and-culture)
2. 1640: In 1640, Saba experienced an influx of new European arrivals from neighboring islands. (https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/saba/history-and-culture)
3. 1943: Before 1943, Saba’s transportation was by pack mules. However, the first road was built between 1943 and 1958, not to mention a new airport in 1963. (https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/saba/history-and-culture)
4. Tourism Attraction: In 20th century Saba developed enough infrastructure to become a worthwhile tourism destination. (https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/saba/history-and-culture)
5. 2010: The Netherlands Antilles dissolved in 2010, but Saba remains under direct administration by the Netherlands today. (https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/saba/history-and-culture)

Five Places to Visit in Saba

1. Saba Airport: Arriving and Departing from the Saba Airport Air travel used to be an adventure in itself: on Saba, it still is, owing to the hair-raising experience of landing and taking off from Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, built around a mere 1,300-foot runway that can accommodate only small prop-powered aircraft like Twin Otters or Islanders. (https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582)
2. Dive the Saba National Marine Park: Saba is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best, most pristine dive destinations. The Saba National Marine Park surrounds the island, and the waters and reefs are protected to a depth of 200 feet. There are dozens of great dive sites, including reefs, wrecks, caves, tunnels, walls, and the Pinnacles, which are unique rock formations thrust up from the ocean floor by volcanic action. Corals remain relatively healthy, there is abundant marine life thanks to the park’s protection. (https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582)
3. Climb Mt. Scenery: Mt. Scenery is a (potentially still active) volcano with a prominent lava dome at the center of Saba. This 3,000-foot mountain — the high point not only on Saba but the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands — can be summited in a half-day hike from Windwardshire, but it’s not easy going. The trail is quite steep, but on a (rare) clear day you’ll be rewarded with awesome views from the top, with St. Martin, St. Barts, St. Kitts, and St. Eustatius dotting the horizon. Figure on devoting 3 hours or so to the journey, which is aided by more than 1,000 stone steps, which as you imagine can get pretty slippery in a rainforest. Bring water and good hiking shoes, plus a camera if you’re an optimist about the near-constant cloud cover lifting when you reach the top. (https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582)
4. Hike Saba’s Trail Network: For a small island, Saba has a surprisingly diverse array of hiking opportunities. Beyond the hike to the top of Mt. Scenery (see above), trails snake through rain forests, along cliff tops with spectacular ocean views, to historic sites, and accessing the island’s undeveloped quarters. Some are relatively well-marked and not too strenuous; others are marked as dangerous and you probably should hire a local guide unless you’re an experienced hiker. (https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582)
5. Drive “The Road”: You have to love an island where the only road is simply called “The Road.” So what’s so interesting about driving on a road? On Saba, it’s more like an adventure, especially if you’re a bit afraid of heights, or sharp turns, or narrow roads, or … did we mention heights? The Road is actually something of an engineering marvel — some said it could not be built — but now connects the three main settlements on Saba — The Bottom, Windwardside, Hell’s Gate and St. Johns. Drive it if you dare (better yet, hire a local driver and let him or her negotiate The Road for you). (https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582)

References: 

• https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/saba/history-and-culture
• https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582