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Saba, A Raw Caribbean Island Adventure

For someone looking for something different in a Caribbean island, Saba may well be the place for you. Saba is a small island that has just became a municipality of the Netherlands after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on October 10th, 2010. At only five square miles it makes Saba the smallest of the Netherlands’ Caribbean islands.

Saba is home to a now inactive volcano, known as Mount Scenery. The island’s flora and fauna have helped it to develop into a center for eco-tourism. Many tourists visit Saba to climb the mountain, hike and scuba dive. The quality of the coral formations in Saba is said to make it the best island in the area for diving and the island has the benefit of hyperbaric facilities in the event of a diving emergency.

Great Views from Saba

Saba is an extremely pretty island, with plenty of greenery, and Dutch style villages, shops and inns. The views from the top of Mount Scenery, for all those who are able to reach the peak are tremendous on a clear day, with the islands of St Martin/St Maarten, St Bart’s, St Eustatius and St Kitts and Nevis all being visible.

There are several mooring points scattered around the island, making Saba a great place to call into if you are sailing this area of the Caribbean. Saba has only one road on the island, quaintly known as The Road. The Capital of the island is The Bottom.

The official languages of the island are Dutch and English, although English is the more commonly used. Whilst the official currency is the Netherlands Antilles Gilder, the United States Dollar is accepted in most establishments.

Saba's Extremely Short Runway

Travelling to Saba is possible by boat, by air from St Maarten into its small airport or, the most straightforward way, by ferry ride from St Maarten which houses Princess Juliana International Airport, an international hub, which takes regular flights from the United States and Canada and Europe.

If you want a typical beach holiday in the Caribbean with lots of white sandy beaches and beach activities, the Saba is probably not for you. If alternatively, you want to savour the astonishingly lush scenery and the breathtaking coral formations of the Caribbean, Saba is as good a place as many and far better than most!

Author: Billy Phillips. Check out a Great Caribbean Resort in his Best Travel Comparison Websites directory, with links to the Best United Kingdom Comparison Sites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billy_Phillips

Saba – Shortest Commercial Runway in the World

Saba is a five square mile island in the northeastern Caribbean, 28 miles south of St. Maarten. Together with Statia, these three islands form the Windward Islands of the Dutch Caribbean which is part of the Dutch kingdom.

Known as the “Unspoiled Queen,” Saba earns this reputation from her rich, tropical, natural, beauty. At 2,864 feet above sea level, a dense rain forest often peeks out from a light, cool cloud of moisture.

It also has the distinct reputation of having the shortest commercial runway in the world. The island is a dormant volcano that emerges vertically out of the Caribbean Sea on all shores to a peak of 3000 feet. There are not any beach areas on the entire island since the entire shoreline is made up of cliffs that drop straight down into the ocean

Saba's Airport

The locals claim that Saba’s runway is the shortest commercial airport runway in the world. It is 400 meters (1300 feet) in total length. The span of runway between the white lines marking the “usable” runway length measures just under 1000 feet. There are not any overrun areas on either end of the paved runway where shear cliffs immediately drop off over 200 feet into the sea. Officially, the runway is permanently closed to all air traffic as is designated by the “X” on each end. However, aircraft are permitted to operate on Saba by obtaining waivers from the Netherlands Antilles’ Civil Aviation Authority.

Here are a couple adrenaline fueled, white knuckle videos of landing and taking off on this tiny air strip.