Saba & St. Eustatius (STATIA) -Two easy and interesting day trips from St. Maarten.
Two easy and interesting day trips from St. Maarten.
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Saba has a few small hotels and less than a dozen restaurants. Visitors are captured instantly by its curious charm. Though Dutch, Saba changed flags a dozen times in its history.
Saba, one solid mountain, has one road (called The Road) to its capital, The Bottom. Over a thousand stone steps (The Ladder) climb to the crest of Mt. Scenery and descend to Ladder Bay where divers take the plunge to 29 designated dive sites where grey sands cast eerie shadows on marine life. Outer Limits, a mountaintop shooting up from 2,800 feet of water, is spectacular.
Hikers praise the trails and the island's all-around natural beauty. History buffs praise the quaint museum. Handicraft collectors like the intricate threadwork called Saba lace.
Statia was once a wealthy commercial and shipping center. Today, it's a sleepy spot with a small population and appeal for tourists seeking complete change.
The capital, Oranjestad, is a split level arrangement with Upper and Lower ends. Fort Oranje features fascinating ruins and a plaque commemorating the Andrea Doria, which figured prominently in its history. (Ask the active Historical Foundation.) Explorers like the old synagogue (c. 1840) and its tiny cemetery with beautifully preserved tombstones. Gravestone rubbing is a popular pastime, especially in the yard of the restored Dutch Reformed Church.
Not much shopping or many hotels. Beaches are at a premium and the surf is serious. But lovers of the quaint and quiet consider it paradise. Look for colorful shards of pottery, glass, buttons and bones among the ruins and in the sea. Or summon energy to climb The Quill, a volcano with resplendent rain forest on the slopes of its dormant crater.
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STATIA: HOW TO GET THERE
AIRLINES: * Windward Island Airways (from St. Maarten). AIRPORTS: SAB-Juancho E Yrausquin Airport. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. and...STATIA: MONEY/ BUSINESS GUIDE
BANKS: * Barclays Bank PLC. * Commercial bank. BANKING HOURS: Monday to Friday 0830-1230. BUSINESS HOURS: Monday to Friday 0800-...STATIA: COUNTRY PROFILE AND MAP
GEOGRAPHY: Saba is 5 sq miles, rising 2,900 ft above sea level The capital is The Bottom. 172 miles east of Puerto Rico and 90 miles east...STATIA: WHAT TO SEE AND DO
SIGHTSEEING: Trail from windward side up the 1,064 steps to the crest of the central volcano, Mt. Scenery. Botanical hike of Saba Botanito...STATIA: USEFUL INFORMATION
TOURIST OFFICES: St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation (Main Official) Telephone: (599-3) 182433/182107. e-mail: i...@statiatourism....Sint Eustatius
Sint Eustatius or Statia, the name ‘Statia’ comes from St Anastasia, as it was named by Columbus, but the Dutch later changed it to Sint...