We are going to be in St. Martin March 7-14, and are thinking of doing a day trip to Saba. We don't dive but definitely enjoy hiking and exploring.

Does anybody have any suggestions on:

- How to get there - Boat vs. Winair.

- Places to eat?

- How easy is it to get a ride from the boat/ airport?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I would personally suggest flying over taking a boat. There are always taxis at the airport.

I would take a taxi tour of the island and then have the driver drop you in Windwardside for lunch and maybe a hike up Mt. Scenery. A couple of good places for lunch are Tropics Cafe and YIIK.

I can recommend a great driver for a tour if you wish.

Statia... I am also asking a ??? about a day trip from St. Martin. We are going for the 3rd time for 4 days, after leaving St. Kitts and Nevis in late June. Should we also look into a side trip????? I know that time is very limited with us in visiting 3 places in 12-14 days, but I have not been to Saba. I would rather take a boat/ferry vs. a plane, due to the ???? departure of a plane in the Caribbean. I have spent many an hour waiting for a 5-10 min. flight and I want to see it all. Any thoughts???? Thanks!

iw, I can see your point in flight delays in this area, but I think you would still be spending more time on a boat than going by air. The boat trip alone is more than an hour, and it can be quite rough at times. But, that's just my opinion. There are no boat services from my island to Saba, so I don't have experience with it myself as I always fly between the islands.

I cast my vote for flying as well - the landing is one of the most thrilling white-knuckle experiences ever, and worth the trip in itself!

I agree, seasweetie. And, don't forget to get a t-shirt that says, "I survived the Saba landing."

Statia,

Thanks for the info. I would love to know about a good driver if you're willing to share.

The travel guides suggest hiking Mt. Scenery in the a.m. to avoid the heat. At this time of year do you think that's an issue?

(Heh, We're coming from Boston where it was 14 degrees this morning, so I'm looking forward to the heat...)

Thanks again.

kristenloud, email me at [email protected] and I'll give you my friend's name and contact info for a great tour.

The last time I hiked Mt. Scenery, it was about noon time and the heat didn't bother us. But, we usually go to Saba about February, when it's much cooler than the rest of the year. I wouldn't think it's going to be too much warmer in March, so you should honestly be fine. I just wouldn't hike to the peak mid-day in the summer.

Too bad you are coming the week you are. Not too bad for you (nice weather), but too bad for me. I would love to meet you over there for lunch or coffee, but I will be taking my mom and sister to Rome that week.

Drop me a line and I'll set you up via email. If you have definite plans to visit Saba, that is. Looking forward to hearing from you.

kristen, I apologize for mis-spelling your screen name. I didn't by any means mean to imply you are "loud."

Also be sure to pick up your shirt that says "I've been to Hell", the main town on Saba.

Several years ago I was on a live-aborad dive boat that departed from St. Martin and went to Saba, Staia and St. Kitts. I found the sea crossings very rough and spent a lot of time yawning in technicolor (a horrible experiance) althought the diving off Saba was some of the best I have ever done.

Have a safe trip whatever you decide to do.

Cheers!!!

Statia-

I sent you an email a few days ago, just wondered if you'd received it.

Perfect timing, Kristen. I just checked that address last night and was just now responding to you. You'll be getting mail soon.

Statia,
Can you recommend a driver for an island tour on Saba? I'm planning a day trip on May 27.

thanks,
Houtravelchick

houtravelchick, sorry for the late response, but I've just returned from a few days on St. Maarten. Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll get back to you with the name and email for our favorite driver.