Saba
Saba: The Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean
December 2015
Saba is a 5-square-mile (13-square-kilometer) volcanic island in the northeastern Caribbean and the smallest by land area of the three special municipalities that form the Caribbean Netherlands. The island is the exposed upper portion of a stratovolcano classified as active by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Its last known eruption occurred in or before 1640. Mount Scenery rises to 2,910 feet (887 meters), making it the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Saba can be reached by sea or through Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. Its approximately 400-meter (1,312-foot) runway is among the shortest used for scheduled commercial flights. Air service relies on small aircraft designed for short-runway operations, including the de Havilland Twin Otter.
The island’s steep terrain shaped its transportation network. Its principal route, known simply as “The Road,” was constructed in stages by Saban workers between 1938 and 1958. It connects the airport area, the villages, Fort Bay harbor and The Bottom, Saba’s administrative center and capital.
Saba has rugged volcanic shores rather than broad permanent beaches. Wells Bay has a small black-sand beach that appears and disappears as changing swells move sediment along the coast. The island’s long-established nickname, “The Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean,” refers to its mountainous landscape, limited development and strong conservation identity.
Developments Since the Photographs Were Taken
Mount Scenery National Park was established in 2018, three years after these photographs were created. The protected area includes Mount Scenery above 550 meters and part of northern Saba. It complements the Saba National Marine Park, established in 1987 to protect the waters and seabed surrounding the island.
