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Caribbean Map
| General Information |
Area: 13 sq km (5 sq miles).
Population: 1466 (1996).
Population Density: 112.8 per sq km.
Capital: The Bottom.
Geography: Saba is one of three Windward Islands in the Netherlands Antilles, although geographically it is part
of the Leeward Group of the Lesser Antilles, lying 265km (165 miles) east of Puerto Rico, 44km (27 miles) south
of St Maarten and 21km (13 miles) west of St Eustatius. Saba is the peak of a submerged extinct volcano. Mount
Scenery is thick with forest and rises to almost 900m (3000ft) in less than 2km (1.2 miles). There are four villages,
until recently connected only by thousands of steps cut from the rock. A road now links the airport with The Bottom.
Government: Part of the Netherlands Antilles; dependency of the Netherlands. Gained internal autonomy in 1954.
Head of State: HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, represented locally by Governor Jaime M Saleh. Head of Government:
Prime Minister Miguel Arcangel Pourier since 1999. The Netherlands Antilles consist of Curaçao, Bonaire,
St Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba. The capital of the island group is Willemstad, Curaçao.
Language: Dutch is the official language. Papiamento (a mixture of Portuguese, African, Spanish, Dutch and English)
is the commonly used lingua franca. English and Spanish are also widely spoken.
Religion: Roman Catholic majority; also Anglican and Wesleyan.
Time: GMT - 4.
Electricity: 110/220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Communications:
Telephone: Fully automatic system with good IDD. Country code: 599. Outgoing international code: 00. Calls made
through the operator are more expensive and include a 15% tax. IDD is available from hotels and some phone booths.
Mobile telephone: Analogue networks operated by Windward Islands Cellular and digital analogue network (system
B) by East Caribbean Cellular system B (web site: http://www.eastcaribbeancellular.com). Compatible with most US
handsets but not with GSM handsets. Roaming agreements exist. Handsets can be hired at the company offices in The
Bottom. GSM network is being developed and should be in operation in 2001. Most US handsets can be used, and can
be activated with a temporary number before or after arrival on the island. Visitors can also register online with
ECC.
Internet/E-mail: Main ISP is Unspoiledqueen.com. There is currently one cybercafé on the island, in Windwardside.
Telegram: Services operated by Lands Radio Dienst and Antelecom.
Press: The Saba Herald is published monthly in English. |
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| Travel |
AIR: The national airline of the Netherlands Antilles
is ALM (LM). Airlines serving Saba include Winair.
Approximate flight times: All international air travel is via St Maarten. From Saba is 13 hours, to Los Angeles
is 10 hours, to New York is 6 hours, to London (via St Maarten and Amsterdam) and to Singapore is 34 hours (these
will vary considerably, depending on connections).
International airport: Juancho Yrausquin (SAB) at Cove Bay. The runway, at 400m (1300ft), is one of the shortest
in the world. There are daily STOL turboprop flights to St Eustatius and St Kitts (and thus the airport may be
classified as 'international') and three times daily to St Maarten.
Departure tax: US$2 to Netherlands Antilles, US$10 for all other destinations.
SEA: Small boats operate from the Leo A Chance Pier at Fort Bay. There are regular ferry services to St Maarten
(journey time - 1 hour). A weekly cargo boat brings groceries and other supplies from St Maarten. Cruise ships
call occasionally. |
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| Entry |
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Passport |
Visa |
Return Ticket Required |
| Australian |
Yes |
5 |
Yes |
| British |
Yes |
4 |
Yes |
| Canadian |
3 |
5 |
Yes |
| Japanese |
Yes |
5 |
Yes |
| Other EU |
1 |
4 |
Yes |
| USA |
2 |
5 |
Yes |
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PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all except the
following:
(a) 1. nationals of Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands holding national identity cards;
(b) 2. nationals of the USA holding voters' registration cards or birth certificate, and alien residents of the
USA with an Alien Registration Card; nationals of the USA born outside the USA with naturalisation certificates
of American citizenship;
(c) 3. nationals of Canada with birth certificates or proof of citizenship or with Certificate of Naturalization
or with Certificate of Proof of Canadian Citizenship; alien residents of Canada still holding their national passport
with either Canadian Immigration of Identification Certificates (CIIC) or Canadian Certificate of Identity;
(d) nationals of Brazil, Mexico, San Marino and Trinidad & Tobago holding national identity cards;
(e) nationals and alien residents of Venezuela, and travellers in Venezuela visiting the Netherlands Antilles as
tourists with national identity cards.
VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) 4. nationals of Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the UK for visits of up to 90 days (stay can be extended locally
by the same period); nationals of The Netherlands (including Aruba) for an unlimited stay;
(b) nationals of Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Hungary, Israel, Jamaica, Korea (Rep.
of), Malawi, Mauritius, Niger, The Philippines, Poland, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Swaziland, Surinam, Togo and
the USA for visits of up to 90 days (stay can be extended locally by the same period);
(c) 5. nationals of countries mentioned in the chart above and most other countries for a stay of 14 days (stay
can be extended locally by the same period).
Note: Nationals of the following countries must apply for a visa before entering the country even for tourist purposes:
Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China (PR), CIS, Croatia, Cuba, Dominican Republic,
Estonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Korea (DPR), Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Mauritania,
Mongolia, Myanmar, Romania, Syrian Arab Republic, Vietnam and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
Additional Visa Information:
http://www.netherlands-embassy.org |
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| Scuba
Diving |
Water Temp
A skin suit, shorty, or at most, a tropical 2 mm suit is sufficient. Water temps hover around 80 F throughout the
year.
Visibility
Not only is the water nice and warm, it's clear too. Expect an average of 100+ feet.
Diving
Saba's diving reputation comes from its pinnacle dives. The Eye of the Needle, for example, starts at 90 feet and
goes down and down, supporting a profusion of sea life both on and around it. Sharks, turtles and other pelagic
are drawn to the area like magnets. But even the shallow dives are terrific. Green Island, between 20 and 35 feet
has bright, colorful ledges and mini-walls, at 50 feet, there are 3 healthy green and pink black corals, 8' across. |
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| Misc.
Info. |
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The Netherlands Antilles is an autonomous part
of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprised of five islands: Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius (aka Statia),
and Sint Maarten (aka St. Maarten) (Dutch side). Tourist facilities are widely available.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS: Netherlands Antilles
customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning importation into and exportation out of the Netherlands
Antilles. Travelers are allowed to purchase a maximum of $600 worth of duty free merchandise based on the retail
value.
CRIME INFORMATION: In recent years, street
crime has increased. Valuables, including passports, left unattended on beaches, in cars and hotel lobbies are
easy targets for theft. Burglary and break-ins are increasingly common at resorts and beach houses. Armed robbery
occasionally occurs. As the American boating community in Curacao has recently reported a handful of incidents,
visitors are urged to exercise reasonable caution in securing boats and belongings.
Car theft, including that of rental vehicles for
joy riding and stripping, can occur. Vehicle leases or rentals may not be fully covered by local insurance when
a vehicle is stolen. Be sure you are sufficiently insured when renting vehicles and jet skis.
MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical care is generally good in Curacao and St. Maarten, but may
be limited on the other three islands. Hospitals have three classes of services (i.e. first class: one patient
to a room, TV, better food; second class: two to three patients to a room, shared bathroom, etc.; third class:
15 to 29 people in one hall), and patients are accommodated according to the level of their insurance.
Bonaire: San Francisco Hospital, a small hospital
(35 beds) has an air ambulance connection/service to Curacao and Aruba.
Curacao: St. Elizabeth Hospital, a public hospital,
and several private clinics can be compared to mid-range facilities in the U.S.
St. Maarten: St. Maarten Medical Center, a relatively
small hospital (79 beds) where general surgery is performed. Complex cases are sent to Curacao.
Statia: Queen Beatrix Medical Center, a small medical
center (20 beds) is a facility well equipped for first aid. Surgery cases are sent to St. Maarten.
Saba: Saba Clinic, a small clinic (14 beds) is
a well-equipped first aid facility. Surgery cases are sent to St. Maarten.
MEDICAL INSURANCE: U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the U.S. U.S.
Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the U.S. Doctors and hospitals
often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas
may face extreme difficulties.
Check with your own insurance company to confirm
whether your policy applies overseas, including provision for medical evacuation, and for adequacy of coverage.
Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the U.S. can cost tens of thousands
of dollars. Ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be reimbursed
later for expenses you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition
of remains on event of death.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter
road conditions that differ significantly from those in the U.S. The information below concerning the Netherlands
Antilles is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
In St. Maarten, recent hurricanes have degraded road quality, and cruise passengers in particular are uncomfortable
with the aggressive behavior of taxi drivers.
Safety of Public Transportation: good
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: good
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: fair
Availability of Roadside Assistance: good
Driving in the Netherlands Antilles is the same
as in the U.S., on the right-hand side. Right turns on red are prohibited in the Netherlands Antilles. The traffic
conditions in the Netherlands Antilles require defensive driving, as other vehicles tend to follow rather closely,
have a tendency to drift over the center line, and do not reliably stop for yellow and red lights. Local laws require
drivers and passengers to wear seat belts and motorcyclists to wear helmets. Children under 4 years of age should
be in child safety seats; if older they should ride in the back seat.
Major road hazards specific to the Netherlands
Antilles are hidden and poorly maintained street signs. Night driving is reasonably safe in the Netherlands Antilles
as long as drivers are familiar with their routes. Most main streets are properly lit, but smaller side streets
may not be. Taxis are the easiest yet most expensive form of transportation on the islands. As there are no meters,
passengers should verify the price before entering the taxi. Vans are inexpensive and run nonstop during the daytime
with no fixed schedule. Each van has a specific route displayed in the front windshield. Buses, which run on the
hour, have limited routes. The road conditions on the main thoroughfares are in good to fair condition.
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