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THE
ISLAND OF SABA
Columbus
discovered Saba on his second voyage to the New World in 1493.
Over the centuries, the island changed hands several times between
the English, French, Spanish and Dutch, but for the past two
hundred years Saba has remained a quiet, stable, Dutch island.
Today, Saba is rightfully known as the "Unspoiled Queen
of the Caribbean". It is located in the Central Caribbean,
28 miles south of St. Maarten.. There are several, daily, direct
flights from the United States and Europe and five flights a
day to Saba from St. Maarten.
The island of Saba, which is five square miles, has a total
population of just over 1,400 residents. Tourists frequently
visit Saba for its world-renowned diving, tropical rain forest,
and safe, relaxing, environment. This charming, friendly island
is virtually crime free and poverty is non-existent on Saba.
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CHARACTERISTICS
OF SABA
Climate
The mountains on Saba create a temperate climate with temperatures
that range from 78-82F year round. In the evenings the air may
cool to the mid 60's; minimum rainfall is 42 inches annually.
Hiking
The elevation of Saba ranges from sea level to over 3,000 ft.
of tropical rainforest often hidden in the clouds. The Saba
Conservation Foundation has marked and groomed trails for hikers
of all abilities.
Diving
The Saba Bank has established itself as one of the most pristine
diving spots in the world. The Saba Marine
Park Foundation, under the direction of the Saba Government
and a marine biologist, has 29 permanent moorings for dive boats.
Diving is excellent on Saba all year round, with visibility
between 100-125 feet and water temperatures between 75-86 F.
The diving sites include lava flows, sand spills, overhangs,
caves, Elkhorn coral forests and underwater mountains. Several
dive centers are located on Saba which can provide NAUI and
PADI instruction.
Shopping, Sightseeing, and Sailing
Duty free shopping on both Saba and St. Maarten is a must. St.
Maarten, less than 15 minutes from Saba, has a population of
22,000 residents, with hundreds of restaurants, world class
hotels, and surrounded by white sandy beaches. Sailboats are
readily available on St. Maarten for day sailing between the
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SABA
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The following holidays are observed on Saba. On these legal
holidays, business offices, banks and most shops are closed.
- January
- April
- Good
Friday
- Easter
Sunday
- Easter
Monday
- 30th
Coronation Day & Queen's Birthday
- May
- June
- July
- Saba
Summer Carnival Festival
- Saba
Grand Carnival Parade
- Carnival
Monday
- October
- December
- Saba
Days "Mini Winter Carnival" First Friday of
the month
- Christmas
Day-December 25th
- Boxing
Day-December 26th
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TRAVELING
TO SABA
All air travel to Saba connects in St. Maarten.
Several major airlines from North America, Europe and South
America carry daily flights into St. Maarten (SXM). Special
charter flights area also available from major cities during
the winter season.
Winair
(Windward Islands Airways) makes five or more flights
each day to Saba to Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. Inter-island
flights can be arranged, some are scheduled weekly.
Windward
Express Airways N.V.
A
new "Air Charters Passengers and Cargo Services"
to Saba and the surrounding islands.
Dawn II Ferry
Please contact Saba C-Transport, N.V. at 011-599-416-2299. Email: info@sabactransport.com
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SHIPPING
TO SABA
Although all housing on Saba is fully furnished, occasionally
students and faculty may want to ship additional items directly
to Saba. Shipping by Fed-Ex or Air Cargo tends to be very expensive
and not practical for heavy boxes such as books or household
items. For an alternative shipping solution contact Hassell
Free Exports. They ship cargo containers to Saba from
Florida on a bi-weekly basis. Thier rates are moderately
reasonable
when compared to the major shipping companies. For
more information please visit their website by clicking here.
Shipping From St. Maarten to Saba
If Winair
cannot ship your luggage due to size, content, etc., you may
send it via the boat Captian Johnny One. Please contact Eddy
Hassell in Saba at 011-599-416-2436 or 011-599-416-2506.
Please note that Winair
will not ship bikes. |
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For a more
detailed and complete list of information about the Island Of
Saba please visit the Saba
Tourist Office website.
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