Saba is an island located in the Caribbean. Classed as a special municipality of the Netherlands, Saba features a population of fewer than 1,500 inhabitants spread across approximately five square miles of land area. Unlike other Dutch islands in the Caribbean, on Saba the most common spoken language is actually English, a fact that makes travel here convenient for tourists coming from the United States to enjoy holiday rentals on Saba. Moreover, since January, 2011, the official currency on Saba has been the U.S. dollar, though some merchants will still accept the Netherlands Antillian Guilder.
The most outstanding landmark on Saba is the aptly-named Mount Scenery, which is a potentially active volcano that forms the highest point anywhere in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Major towns on Saba include Windwardside, Hell's Gate, St. Johns, and The Bottom.
Ecotourism on Saba
Saba receives fewer than 25,000 visitors each year, which means excellent holiday deals are often available to those who wish to enjoy the outstanding climbing, hiking, and scuba diving available here. Well-equipped to handle diving emergencies, Saba has two hyperbaric chambers to help divers recover in the event of an underwater mishap.
Dive sites here are considered by many experts to be among the top ten in the world, primarily because of the brilliantly colored coral reefs offshore. Because the island is remote and not heavily visited, sites have retained their pristine beauty. The establishment of Saba National Marine Park in 1987 has the potential to preserve this facet of Saba even if the island becomes increasingly popular in years to come.