Saba Island Day Trip: The Caribbean’s Unspoiled Queen

Saba isn’t your typical Caribbean destination. The island contains no beaches. Nor is it home to casinos, yacht clubs or high-rise resorts. Covering an area of only thirteen square kilometers and home to only one road (aptly named “The Road”), Saba is little more than an out-of-place fleck on the Caribbean map.

Despite the 10,000 travelers who find their way to the little island every year, Saba lies largely under the tourist radar. Those who break away from the crowds and visit the Caribbean’s Unspoiled Queen, however, will find an island that is charming, safe, stunning and wholly authentic.

To the eclectic mix of locals and expats that call Saba home, the island is a little utopia. A garden of Eden. And a quiet refuge from the monotonous hum-drum of modern life.

 

DAY TRIP TO SABA ISLAND

I visited Saba with Aqua Mania Adventures as a day trip from St Maarten. Aqua Mania Adventures offers a ferry service between St Maarten and Saba three times a week. The return trip takes about three hours and affords day-trippers the opportunity to explore Saba on their own for the better part of five hours.

The ferry from St Maarten to Saba makes a round trip voyage every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from the Simpson Bay Marina. The boat leaves St Maarten at 9:00am and returns at 3:30pm.

Ideally, I would have loved to spend a few days in Saba. But even though I visited Saba as a day trip, I’m glad I was able to get a taste of the Caribbean’s Unspoiled Queen. For visiting Saba—even if just for one day—is certainly worthwhile.

 

SABA: THE CARIBBEAN’S HIKING PARADISE

Much like St Lucia, Saba is characterized by its lush green scenery and its volcanic landscape, rather than by its stretches of powdery sand. Dense rainforest drapes the island’s peaks, while traditional gingerbread-style houses sit cradled in its valleys. The forest that crowns the mountain’s summit resembles the cloud forest in Monteverde and is home to a remarkable array of plants and flowers.

All around, an extensive network of hiking trails offer breathtaking views of St Kitts, St Eustatius and the surrounding sea.

A special municipality of the The Netherlands, tiny Saba is as mountainous as its motherland is flat. Its highest peak in Saba, Mount Scenery, rises nearly 3,000ft from ocean level. Mount Scenery is the tallest point in the Netherlands and one of the most iconic volcanoes of the Caribbean.

 

MOUNT SCENERY HIKE IN SABA

I spent my day in Saba hiking to the top of Mount Scenery from the village of Windwardside. The hike to the top of Mount Scenery passes through lush green jungle and climbs 1,064 steps to the top of the dormant volcano. It is a tough hike, with few switchbacks or stretches of level ground. I could feel the burn in my legs as I conquered the precipitous climb.

Despite the fact that climbing Mount Scenery is one of the most popular things to do on Saba, I had the entire trail to myself. The only sounds along the way were the thud of my heavy footsteps, the rustling of the leaves and chirping of the birds.

I relished the sense of solitude along the trail and stopped frequently to catch my breath and to take in the views of Windwardside and its sapphire backdrop.

The top of Mount Scenery is often encircled by clouds that obstruct the surrounding views. Unfortunately, the day I visited was no exception. So, after hiking to the top of Mount Scenery and waiting unsuccessfully for the clouds to subside, I made my way back down the mountain, toward Windwardside.

For the next hour or so, I meandered around the village’s perfectly manicured streets, ate lunch at a hole-in-the-wall cafe and admired the town’s uniform red-roofed houses.

It seemed like no time at all before I had to head back to St Maarten.

 

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Though I enjoyed my day trip to Saba from St Maarten, I would have love to spend more time on the island. I’d have loved more time to relish Saba’s unspoiled scenery and arresting views. I’d have loved to hike along the island’s extensive network of walking trails. I’d have loved to venture below the water’s surface, to witness the UNESCO-recognized kingdom of colorful coral and fish. And I’d have loved to wait for a clear day in order to soak in the views of neighboring St Kitts and St Eustasius from the summit of Mount Scenery.

Saba is a remote escape that, while well-equipped for tourists, has little in common with its Caribbean neighbors. Saba is rustic, rugged and off-the-beaten path. If you are looking for the Caribbean staples–fancy resorts, buzzing nightclubs and pristine beaches–you may want to head to nearby St Maarten or Anguilla instead.

Yet, if you are a lover of the outdoors, of lush and tropical scenery, of incredible views and of places that ooze with originality and authenticity, then Saba is sure to deliver.

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