Saba Island
Saba is a small Dutch island paradise with only just over 1,000 inhabitants. It is a special community of the Netherlands, but is not part of any Dutch province, and together with two other communities in the Lesser Antilles forms the Dutch possession of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, also called the Caribbean Netherlands.
General information
The island with its jagged cliffs is the cone of an extinct volcano that rises to 850 meters, being the highest peak in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. You can climb the steps to the top – there are more than 1000 of them. Or you can take a single spiral road that snakes between steep cliffs, passing through lush vegetation. The road links outlandish villages with strange names: Hell’s Gate, Windward Side, St. John’s, and Bottom.
.These four villages are as distinctive and charming as the hospitable population, and a trip to the island is like traveling back in time. The emerald forests, the bright red roofs of the huts, all contrast spectacularly with the clear blue of the sea with all its underwater wonders.
Scuba diving based tourism is slowly developing here. In the beginning, many people came here just for a day from St. Maarten, but swimming here became increasingly popular and, realizing the potential for tourism, local fishermen signed an agreement with a store selling scuba gear, while agreeing to ban fishing on the divers’ favorite reefs. From this perspective, Saba is unique in that the decision to protect the local reefs was made before they were even damaged.
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Although divers are drawn here by the strikingly shallow reefs and barrier walls, these waters are best known for their “peaks” – indeed, they are the tops of underwater mountains ranging from 26 meters high that go all the way down to endless abysses. These mountains are very imposing and there are quite a few fish around them.
.As the number of divers coming to the island is steadily increasing, the Saba government has decided to invest in a hyperbaric chamber where they will treat decompression-related ailments.
.Be sure to try the local Saba Spice Rum, it is blended with Canadian rum for a combined mild and completely unique flavor. There’s nothing better than sitting on the shore sipping a cocktail after a day of swimming and diving in the glittering waters of this underwater Eden.
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