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If you are a lover of nature related, sportive activities, you can hardly find anything better in the Caribbean than Saba. Imagine: On such a small territory, you can dive, snorkel, hike, watch birds, wildlife, study exotic flora or climb to a volcano. A beautiful historic museum and art and crafts workshops will fill your more restful moments. Do not expect jet skis, car races and other noisy and polluting activities you may find elsewhere. Saba is an unspoiled nature island and wants to remain so. And Saba’s visitors are thankful for that.
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Diving/Snorkeling
Saba has some of the most beautiful reefs of the world, and its crystal clear waters teaming with marine life have become a first class attraction for divers. The volcanic island raises steep from the bottom of the ocean: the underwater walls along the shore are a favorite habitat for sea turtles, rays, sharks and a huge variety of colorful tropical fishes. Pinnacles and coves are covered with corals, sponges and other invertebrates. The visibility is excellent, making Saba a first class spot for underwater photography.
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But what makes Saba diving truly unique is that all of its numerous dive sites are not far from shore – no long boat trips - , not very deep – up to 110 feet – and attractive as well for beginners as for experienced divers. Already at 15 feet, the water abounds with swarms of colorful fishes and the bottom is “blooming” with corals and sponges. All this also allows for fascinating night dives. And even if you do not dive but love to see marine life, snorkeling is an easy and great alternative, especially due to the abundance of shallow reefs. Dive operators are very well equipped and experienced. Visit Saba Divers web site for more information about diving in Saba.
For diver's security, there is a hyperbaric facility in Saba.
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The Saba Marine Park was created in 1987 in order to protect Saba’s rich underwater life. The park, considered an example to follow in the world, surrounds the whole island and has clear regulations about mooring and anchoring. There is a zoning system establishing exactly the moorings for different activities. All dive operators respect those rules. The Park also manages numerous educational and research programs, like slide shows benefiting divers on the island. |
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Fishing and sailing
Considering the abundance of fish life, it doesn't surprise that fishing is one of the favorite activities for locals and visitors alike. Saba is famous for its lobsters. But before you explore Saba's waters, make sure to get the right information about where you can catch what, when and how! The Saba Marine Park will gratefully help you. The same is true if you sail through Saba's waters: Mooring and anchoring is not allowed everywhere
and the presence of shoals and shallow reefs around the island affords a good knowledge of your marine environment! |
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Hiking
From the bottom of the sea to the windy heights of Mount Scenery: The other big sportive activity practiced on Saba is hiking. Saba has several vegetation zones: a cloud forest – around the volcano -, a rain forest, a lowland-evergreen forest, deciduous woodlands and shrub lands near the sea. Such a variety makes hiking not only a pleasant but also a very instructive activity. In order to make hiking save and interesting to visitors, the Saba Conservation Foundation has marked a network of trails which are well maintained and marked. Some of them are easy to follow alone, others require a guide. The trails are classified by degrees of difficulty, to make sure nobody gets into trouble.
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The most famous trail takes you to Mount Scenery, with 2877 feet the highest point of the Dutch Kingdom. But all the other trails will take you through breathtaking nature, where you can admire a huge variety of tropical plants: Orchids, Ferns, Elephant Ears and Heliconias on higher grounds, Cedar, Redwood,and rare Cacti on lower altitude. You will walk along steep cliffs and through grassy meadows, and admire spectacular views of the ocean and the nearby islands of St. Martin, St. Barths, Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis. |
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Hiking is also an opportunity for botanists and other interested people to study the rich tropical flora of the island. The Saba Conservation Foundation publishes a huge amount of information material, organizes regular trekking excursions in order to allow you to study the unique variety of plants existing on the island. every year in October, many naturalists, scientists and academics participate in the "Sea & Learn" event, where lots of excursions and other activities related to nature are open to experts and the public. |
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Fauna
Watching the numerous species of animals will result equally fascinating. Saba is home to over sixty species of birds, making the island a paradise for bird watchers. Among other animals to be found in Saba are harmless Red-Bellied Racer snakes,unique Anole lizards , tree frogs and lots of insects... Well, some people really study them, they even organize slide-shows about them in Saba! |
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And everywhere you go in Saba, you will discover the island's "national" flower, the humble and beautiful Black-Eyed Susan. So, whether you prefer the thrill of discovering the endless depths of the ocean or climbing mountains while studying flora and fauna: Be sure that you cannot be bored one single instant in Saba. We could also guarantee serious weight loss, but considering all those nice little bars and restaurants where you certainly will land after a strenuous day, we prefer not to do so. Have a safe dive and a great hike...And lots of fun afterwards! |
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