Things to do in Saba

The main activities on Saba are snorkeling and diving and hiking. This tiny island in the Caribbean is a diver’s paradise with many vibrant kinds of coral, steep drop-offs, a rich and varied marine life and several wreck dives found here. However, the best part of diving in Saba has to be the underwater pinnacles. These pinnacles rise from the ocean floor to stop just under the surface of the water and are home to many amazing corals and sponges and is the habitat for a vast array of marine life including turtles, sharks and sting rays. There are 26 dive sites in Saba.

To preserve Saba’s underwater beauty, the waters around this island are protected by the Saba Marine Park that was created in 1987. The world’s only self-supporting marine park, the Saba Marine Park charges a US$ 3 fee for every dive made, which is indeed a small price to pay when you consider the pristine diving conditions found here. The water temperatures are warm from December to July and the underwater visibility here is also incredible.

One thing to note about diving in Saba is that there is no individual diving here. All divers must register with the marine park office and are required to dive through one of the three diving outfits found on the island. There are, however, several tour companies on Saba that can arrange dive tours for you, which include everything from your airfare to room rates and meals.

If you are interested in snorkeling there are ample opportunities in Saba, with the best being at Wall’s Bay and Torrens Point, Ladder Bay also offers some good snorkeling, but is a bit difficult to reach with its steep vertical descent.

Hiking is the second most popular activity on Saba with many of the trials having existed for centuries. If you are interested in hiking here remember to dress well and in layers with a good pair of hiking boots, as the trails can get rather tough to navigate in some places. The best trail to hike on Saba has to be to the top of Mt Scenery, which offers some great views of the Saba and her neighboring islands.

Another popular trail is the Sulphur Mine Track, where you can trek past hot springs into an abandoned old mine. One of the easiest trials on Saba is the Sandy Cruz Trail, which leads to Mary’s Point Mountain.

All trails on the island are accessible to experienced hikers, except the North Coast Trail where you will need the expertise of a guide. It is a good idea to hire a guide if you are interested in hiking on Saba as they can often show you things you might ordinarily miss out on.