Know More
History
The earliest inhabitants of the island were the Ciboney peoples who had small settlements near the current harbor back in1,000 years BC.
Archeological findings have since discovered that the Arawak peoples established small villages inland, dating back to the 7th Century. The Arawaks referred to the island as “Siba” meaning “rock”.
In 1493, Christoper Columbus sailed past the island, but did not land upon it, owing to its formidable shoreline and unwelcoming sheer cliff faces.
In the early 1600’s the island was settled by people from many different neighboring islands, contributing to the diverse heritage of the island. Over the next 200 years, the island’s political ownership changed hands no less that twelve times, finally remaining as a Dutch territory, since 1816.
Geology
The island of Saba was formed approximately 500,000 years ago as a result of volcanic eruptions below the sea. The island’s most prominent feature, Mount Scenery, is actually the peak of a stratovolcano where the lava dome has collapsed and formed a crater. The last suspected eruption of any sort was estimated to have been 5,000 years ago owing to the presence of volcanic ash in archeological diggings near the capitol, that pre-dated the first settlements. It was probably this final volcanic activity that cleared away much of the rainforest in that portion of the island and created relatively flat meadowlands that were farmed in The Bottom. Evidence of its geological past is still present on Saba today, with several hot springs and a defunct sulphur mine. Mount Scenery is currently listed as Alert Level 1 (out of a possible 5), and will not be reclassified lower until 10,000 years have passed since it’s last activity. More news about seismic monitoring here.
Geography
Located at 17°38’ north latitude and 63°13’ west longitude, Saba is 13km² in land mass and has a population of 2,000 people spread out over four connected villages. There is one major road running from the harbor to the airport. At 877m above sea level, Mount Scenery is not only the highest point on the island, it is also the tallest peak in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The capitol is The Bottom, initially named De Botte (literally, “the bowl” in Dutch), for it’s basin-like appearance between several hills. Many visitors find it ironic that you have to climb so far upwards, only to arrive at The Bottom. All government administration offices and the University of Saba Medical School is located in this area.
Windwardside features many shops and restaurants, a bank and two grocery stores; while St. John’s is home to the island’s schools. Hell’s Gate overlooks the airport and the solar energy farm.
Want to see where Saba is on a map, click here.
Social
Since October 10, 2010 (ten-ten-ten), Saba has secured its status as a “special municipality” in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with Bonaire and Sint Eustatius (affectionately known as “Statia”). Formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles, which also included Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten - Saba sought to maintain closer ties with the Netherlands, while the three larger islands took on allied country status.
Saba has a Governor, appointed by the Netherlands and an elected Island Council. The currency of the island is the United States Dollar, and both English and Dutch are widely spoken.
Island-wide cell phone coverage is available on Saba (area code 599) and North American 110 voltage is used. Saba is located in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone.
People
The people of Saba are proud, industrious and friendly. Upon meeting a Saban, one can expect a smile, a wave, or a friendly honk of their car’s horn. With such a small population, everyone knows each other and several prominent family names are repeated throughout the land. There is almost no crime on the island, with people sharing what they have and helping each other out as much as possible. Offering rides up hilly roads is commonplace and genuine - they can be accepted without fear and with the likelihood of hearing a new story along the way. Driving in Saba is a practiced art of intuitively knowing what is around the next corner and being prepared to stop and back up along narrow thoroughfares. Fortunately, taxis are plentiful and reasonable, and are hosted by the island’s best ambassadors.
Weather
Being one of the Windward Islands, Saba is always favored with gentle breezes and therefore has very few insects. With temperatures averaging 28°C year-round, it is a comfortable warmth that you’d expect in the Caribbean. Given Saba’s altitude, the land ranges from an elfin cloud forest atop Mount Scenery, to a tropical rainforest and grassy meadows farther below. Rain is always welcome, for farming and to fill cisterns, so an occasional shower is always seen as a “blessing”.
The Ladder
Prior to the creation of the harbor at Fort Bay, the best way to access Saba was by mooring a schooner at Ladder Bay. All merchandise and travelers would then climb a series of switch-back stairs to reach the capital, The Bottom. Navigating 800 uneven hand-made steps from sea level to the town was the only way to bring supplies to the island for much of its early history. At the half way point stands a now abandoned Customs house that regulated the flow of materials and people to and from Saba. Today it remains as a popular hiking trail (easy going down and tough climbing up to The Bottom) and a stark reminder of the resilience of the Saban people.
Beaches
With cliff faces rising steeply from the Caribbean Sea, it is easy to say that Saba has no beaches. Strictly speaking however, this is absolutely wrong. Wells Bay has a very bashful beach that depending upon the tides and the season, may or may not be there when you visit. What is guaranteed however is the man-made beach at Cove Bay near the airport. If you want to assure success, just tell a Saban something can’t be done, and they will surely prove you wrong. With a break-wall and white sands, the beach at Cove Bay is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.
The Road
What do you do when you live on a small island with extremely steep hills and small villages, but no roads? If you are Joseph Lambert “Lambee” Hassell and you have consulted with experts who told you the task was impossible, you take a correspondence course in engineering, then build it yourself. Yes, with very little training and no machinery, Lambee and a group of ambitious local workers did the impossible. “The Road That Could Not Be Built” or simply “The Road” was constructed between 1938 and 1963 and stretches from the harbor at Fort Bay to the Airport at Flat Point. The road is concrete and winds its way precariously up and down steep hills and inches away from sheer drop offs. Although there have been ongoing improvements and widening ever since, The Road is still not for the feint of heart, but the views are stunning!
The Airport
So now if you were one of those so-called experts and the ingenious Sabans asked you about the possibility of building an airport on their tiny island, would you at least say “maybe”. Once again, despite being told it couldn’t be done, the inventive population located the flattest portion of the island and bull-dozed it smooth. A pilot familiar with the island took a chance and successfully landed a small aircraft there in 1959. The Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport officially opened in 1963 and at 400 metres is the world’s shortest commercial runway, reaching from one end of a plateau to another with a cliff and the Caribbean Sea waiting on either end. Again, not for those with a weak constitution but if you like roller coasters then you should try a landing and take-off at Saba.