Fast Facts

Banks -- Barclays Bank, Upper Town (tel. 599/318-2392), is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm. The Post Office Bank (tel. 599/318-2207), Post Spaarbank, is open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4pm. The Windward Island Bank, Upper Town (tel. 599/318-2846), is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to noon and 1:30 to 3:30pm. The banks have ATMs.

Currency -- The official unit of currency is the Netherlands Antilles guilder (NAf), at NAf 1.77 to each US$1 (1 NAf = US56¢), but nearly all places will quote you prices in U.S. dollars. Unless otherwise specified, prices here are quoted in U.S. dollars and British pounds.

Customs -- There are no Customs duties since the island is a free port.

Documents -- U.S. and Canadian citizens need proof of citizenship, such as a passport or a birth certificate with a raised seal and a government-authorized photo ID, along with an ongoing ticket. British subjects need valid passports. All visitors need an ongoing or return ticket. Frommer's urges all travelers to be in possession of a valid passport when traveling in the Caribbean, even though it may not be required.

Electricity -- It's 110-volt AC (60 cycles), the same as in the United States.

Emergencies -- For the police call tel. 911, for an ambulance call tel. 913, in case of fire call tel. 912.

Hospital -- A licensed physician is on duty at the Queen Beatrix Medical Center, 25 Princessweg, in Oranjestad (tel. 599/318-2211 or 599/318-2371).

Language -- Dutch is the official language, but English is commonly spoken.

Safety -- Although crime is rare, it's wise to secure your valuables and take the kind of discreet precautions you would anywhere. Don't leave valuables unguarded on the beach.

Taxes & Service Charges -- There's a $5.65 (£2.95) tax if you're returning to the Dutch-held islands of St. Maarten or Saba; if you're going elsewhere, the tax is $12 (£6.25). Hotels on Statia collect a 7% government tax, plus a 3% turnover tax. Most hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants add a 10% to 15% service charge.

Telephone -- To access AT&T Direct for calls to the United States from Statia, call tel. 001-800/872-2881.

To call Statia from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code), then 599 (the country code for the Netherlands Antilles), and finally 318 (the area code for Statia) and the four-digit local number. To make a call within Statia, only the four-digit local number is necessary.

Time -- St. Eustatius operates on Atlantic Standard Time year-round. Between November and March, when it's 6pm in Oranjestad it's 5pm in New York. During daylight saving time (April to October) the island keeps the same time as the U.S. East Coast.

Water -- The water here is safe to drink.

Weather -- The average daytime temperature ranges from 78°F to 82°F (26°C-28°C). The annual rainfall is 1.1m (45 in.).