Planning a trip to Saba

Getting There

By Plane

You'll have to get to St. Maarten before you can get to Saba. American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300 in the U.S. and Canada; www.aa.com) flies nonstop from New York's JFK. From Queen Juliana Airport on St. Maarten, you can take the 12-minute hop to Saba on Winair (tel. 866/466-0410 in the U.S. and Canada, or 599/545-4237; www.fly-winair.com). There are at least five flights per day, depending on volume; fares are from $115 round-trip.

Saba's Juancho Yrausquin Airport (tel. 599/416-2255; www.b-v-i.com/sabaairport/default.htm) is one of the shortest landing strips in the world, stretching only 394m (1,293 ft.) along the aptly named Flat Point, one of the few level areas on the island.

Many guests at hotels on St. Maarten fly over to Saba on the morning flight, spend the day sightseeing, and then return to St. Maarten on the afternoon flight. Winair connections can also be made on Saba to both St. Kitts and St. Eustatius.

By Boat

You can also take a high-speed ferry from St. Maarten's Pelican Marina at Simpson Bay to Fort Bay on Saba; you'll arrive in about an hour. The Edge (tel. 599/544-2640; www.sabatourism.com) departs Wednesday to Sunday at 9am, returning at 5pm, making a day trip to Saba possible. Sometimes the waters are turbulent, making passengers seasick. The round-trip fare is $75 per person or $50 one-way if returning on a different day from your departure. There is also a port fee of $12 per passenger.

Fast Facts

Banks -- The main bank on the island is First Caribbean International, Windwardside (tel. 599/416-2216), open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. The Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago is another option. It's located at Windwardside (tel. 599/416-2454) and is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3pm.

Currency -- Saba, like the other islands of the Netherlands Antilles, uses the Netherlands Antilles guilder (NAf), valued at 1.78 NAf to US$1 (1 NAf = 55¢). However, U.S. money is accepted by almost everybody here. As such, prices in this guide are quoted in U.S. dollars.

Customs -- You don't have to go through Customs in Saba; it's a free port.

Documents -- The government requires that all visitors have a passport, plus a return or ongoing ticket.

Electricity -- Saba uses 110-volt AC (60 cycles), so U.S.-made appliances don't need transformers or adapters.

Emergencies -- Call tel. 599/416-3289 for an ambulance, and tel. 599/416-3237 for the police.

Hospital -- Saba's hospital complex is the A. M. Edwards Medical Centre, the Bottom (tel. 599/416-3239 or 416-3289).

Language -- The official language is Dutch, but English is widely spoken.

Pharmacies -- Try the Pharmacy, A. M. Edwards Medical Centre, the Bottom (tel. 599/416-3239), open Monday to Friday 8am to 1pm and 2 to 5:30pm, and Saturday 10am to noon.

Safety -- Crime on this island, where everyone knows everyone else, is practically nonexistent. But who knows? A tourist might rob you. It is always wise to safeguard your valuables.

Taxes -- The government imposes a 5% tourist tax on hotel rooms, plus a 3% "turnover tax" on all rooms. If you're returning to St. Maarten or flying over to Statia, you must pay a $6 departure tax. If you're going anywhere else, a $20 tax is imposed. A service charge of 10% to 15% will be added to your restaurant bill.

Telephone -- To call Saba from the United States, dial 011 (the international access code), then 599 (the country code for the Netherlands Antilles), and finally 416 (the area code for all of Saba) and the four-digit local number. To make a call within Saba, only the four-digit local number is necessary.

Time -- Saba is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, 1 hour earlier than Eastern Standard Time. When the United States is on daylight saving time, clocks on Saba and the U.S. East Coast read the same.

Water -- The water on Saba is generally safe to drink.

Weather -- Temperatures from January to April average 69°F to 83°F (21°C-28°C). The rest of the year, temperatures range from 70°F to 88°F (21°C-31°C).

Getting Around

By Taxi

Taxis meet every flight. Up to four people are allowed to share a cab. The fare from the airport to Windwardside is $8, or $15 to the Bottom. A taxi from Windwardside to the Bottom costs $6.50. There is no central number to call for service. Taking a taxi ride on Saba is likely to involve you in local life -- it's decidedly informal here. Don't be surprised if your driver interrupts the trip to rush a sick child to a plane to be flown to a hospital or pick up an old man to take him up the hill because he's fallen and hurt himself.

By Rental Car

None of the major U.S. firms operates on Saba, partly because most visitors opt to get around by taxi. In the unlikely event that you should dare to drive a car on Saba, locally operated companies include Caja's Car Rental, the Bottom (tel. 599/416-2388), starting at $55 per day and including a full tank of gas and unlimited mileage. Some insurance is included in the rates, but you might be held partly responsible in the event of an accident. Because of the very narrow roads and dozens of cliffs, it's crucial to exercise caution when driving on Saba. Note that traffic moves on the right.

By Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking has long been an acceptable means of transport on Saba, where everybody seemingly knows everybody else. And if you hitchhike, you'll probably get to know everybody else, too.

On Foot

The traditional means of getting around on Saba -- walking -- is still much in evidence. Just don't do the walk from the Bottom up to Windwardside unless you're fairly fit and have shoes with good traction, particularly after a recent rain.