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US and Canadian citizens don't need visas or passports, only proof of citizenship. Others need a valid passport, birth certificate or voter's registration. This will change as of December 31 2006, however, when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative mandates that all travellers reentering the US will be required to carry a passport. A round-trip or onward ticket is officially required.
One of the most exciting things about a trip to Saba is the hold-your-breath landing and take off at Juancho E Yrausquin Airport, where the tiny runway ends in sheer cliff. The only scheduled flight service to Saba is with Winair, which has several flights a day from Sint Maarten, a 15-minute hop. Winair also has a daily flight from Sint Eustatius and weekly flights from St Barthelemy.
Saba does not have a deep-water port capable of handling large cruise ships. However, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and a few other small ships stop over at Saba by anchoring in Fort Bay and bringing passengers ashore by dinghy. Two motorized catamarans run between Sint Maarten and Saba's Fort Bay.
The island has two designated anchorages for yachties: the harbour at Fort Bay and the area from Well's Bay to Ladder Bay. To help support the Saba Marine Park, there is a small yacht visitor fee per person. People arriving by boat should first clear immigration at the harbour office at Fort Bay.
Languages: Dutch and English
Currency: Netherlands Antillean florin or guilder
Temperature: Average 80°F year-round
Square Miles: 5
Approx. Population: 1,200
This tiny mountainous island boasts a highest point of 2,877 feet above sea level atop Mount Scenery, a volcano which last erupted circa 1636. The steep volcano continues under the water, where divers can enjoy the Saba National Marine Park. However, there are no beaches on this Dutch island, so those in search of sand and surf may wish to visit a different island. Several villages dot the windy road that splits the island, connecting a little port and a small airstrip. Saba also hosts a small medical school, SABA University, where about two hundred students come to study. The hotels and restaurants on Saba are small and inexpensive.
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