Saba, a five square mile island in the Caribbean, unspoilt by time and only 28 miles south of St. Maarten, is known as the "Unspoiled Queen". With a reputation earned from her rich, tropical, natural beauty, Saba is ideal for the traveller looking for a secluded haven, in peaceful and friendly surroundings. Rising steeply from the azure sea through a tropical rain forest with giant elephant ears, cashew, coconut, banana and mango trees, and a dazzling array of colourful hibiscus, oleander, orchids and bougainvillea, Mount Scenery at 2,864 feet above sea level stretches over half a mile or so into the sky, beckons climbers to conquer the more than 1000 stone steps to its summit, the highest peak in the "Kingdom of the Netherlands".
Saba's four small villages, The Bottom, Hells Gate, Windwardside, and St John's are quaint and charming and each has several small and individually unique restaurants. Most of them offer outdoor dining as well as a friendly bar. You'll want to sample them all though, because there is a wide variety to choose from, American, European, Chinese, Italian, and that delicious blend of Indonesian and West Indian Creole. Try the delicious homemade Saba Spice, the sweet rum-based liquor, made from the local spices in the kitchens of many Saban ladies. Each restaurant becomes a gathering place for conversation anytime, day or night. Weekends will always find an "island-wide party", that means everyone is invited. It may also be disco music, steel band drums at poolside, or a barbeque at the bay under the stars.
Visitors feel they have stepped back in history, yet many modern luxuries are here to be enjoyed. This tiny island in the Caribbean is a magical experience far away from the cares and worries of today's hurried world.
Saba is a monument to nature's best above and below the ocean's surface. The famous Saba Marine Park is second to none, and diving is now an island tourist attraction supporting three dive operations.
Saba 's beauty extends below the waterline into an exciting marine environment rich in corals and active with fish life. A busy population of colourful tropical fish as well as large groupers and jacks live around Saba . Lava tunnels and hot springs remind divers of the dramatic volcanic beginnings of the island. The small leeward side hosts gentle, medium depth, spur and groove formations. Along the edge of Saba 's sheer wall dives, divers can sight turtles and rays of all shapes and sizes.
