Planning a trip to St. Eustatius

Getting Around

By Taxi

Taxis meet all incoming flights. Taxi rates are low, no more than $10 from the airport to your hotel. On the way to the hotel, your driver may offer himself as a guide. If you book a 2- to 3-hour tour (long enough to cover all the sights on Statia), the cost is about $80 per vehicle. To summon a taxi, call Taxi Servia (tel. 599/318-2620) or Ausvan Taxi (tel. 599/318-1300).

By Rental Car

Rainbow Car Rental (tel. 599/318-2811) or Walter's (tel. 599/318-2719) are your best bets if you want to reserve a car in advance. Drivers must be 21 years old and present a valid license and credit card. Walter's rents only cars.

Getting There

St. Eustatius can be reached from Dutch St. Maarten's Queen Juliana Airport via the 20-seat planes of Winair (tel. 866/466-0410 in the U.S. and Canada, or 599/545-4237; www.fly-winair.com). The little airline has an excellent safety record. Always reconfirm your return passage once you're on Statia. Several flights a day take only 16 minutes to hop the waters to Statia's Franklin Delano Roosevelt Airport (tel. 599/318-2887). There are usually three flights a day between Statia and Saba, and two per week between Statia and St. Kitts, but schedules are irregular. To be sure of getting to another island from Statia, you'll want to go to St. Maarten first.

Fast Facts

Banks -- First Caribbean International Bank, Upper Town (tel. 599/318-2392), is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm. The Windward Islands 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 1.78 to each US$1 (1 NAf = 55¢), but nearly all places will quote you prices in U.S. dollars. As such, prices in this guide are quoted in U.S. dollars.

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

Documents -- To be on the safe side, all citizens of any country should travel the Caribbean with a valid passport.

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. 912; in case of fire, call tel. 912.

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

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 tax if you're returning to the Dutch-held islands of St. Maarten or Saba; if you're going elsewhere, the tax is $12. 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. 001-800/225-5288. 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. When all time zones are on standard time, 6pm in Oranjestad is 5pm in New York. During daylight saving time, the island keeps the same time as the U.S. East Coast.

Water -- The water here is generally 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 (43 in.).