Anyone have reviews of the dive operations and/or accommodations on Saba? We're thinking of going there this summer - either the week before or the week after July 4th.
Thanks!
I will be back on Saba for my 7th trip May 7-18, 2010
Our first trip in 2006 we stayed in Windwardside at Scout's Place. The rooms were OK, the pool was small but enough, they also have a restaurant here and the food is good. Friday nights are quite loud because of Karaoke and the hotel is right beside a busy section of road and there are lots of young people with noisy cars that like to drive past here. Probably because there are not a lot of places to drive on Saba.
Our second trip in 2007 we stayed for a month at The Cottage Club and this was a great place to stay. It's about 4 minutes from Scout's place and just about everything else in Windwardside. Each cottage has a fully equipped kitchen, the store in Windwardside has everything you will need. I found it quite nice to get up, have a coffee and some breakfast with out having to go to a restaurant for it. You can save some money by doing it this way too. If you don't mind cooking on vacation this really is a great place, we even cooked our own dinners sometimes as well. The pool here is secluded but with a good view, it was a little cool when we were there.
My other trips I stay with friends who live in Hell's Gate, it's about a 30 minute walk along the road from Windwardside. WWS is where you will find most of the restaurants and what night life there is on Saba is also there. Queens Garden is located in what they call The Bottom and it will take you about 45-60 minutes of very strenuous walking to get there, you will be sweating by the time you arrive, I kid you not! I would only stay at Queens Garden if I wanted total peace and quite and was not planning too mant trips to WWS. You could rent a car I guess but it's not cheap.
Saba is really just a mountain and the road there is actually called "The Road" by the locals. It is just like a rollercoaster, anywhere you walk will be either up hill or down hill, the only flat spot on Saba is the runway and even that is slightly sloped. Go to youtube and search Saba rollercoaster and there should be a video of it from the airport to the harbor, it's quite cool. Also the cabs on Saba pretty much stop running at sunset, it's not like other Islands trust me. You can always thumb a ride which is safe to do on Saba but it's a long walk at night if you don't get picked up.
As for diving, I use Saba Deep. I have used Saba Divers in the past but I prefer Saba Deep. Sea Saba is good but they have 2 large boats and I prefer the smaller ones. Saba Divers was good but sometimes not so accomodating for the more experienced divers, if they can get away with one boat then that is what they do. Saba Deep is very accomodating and I have personally seen them take out 2 boats instead of 1 to accomodate divers of different skills levels. (Plus that is where my friend works.)
Hope this helps you some. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else. I have other posts about Saba on SB, I guess you could say that I'm a Saba junky. You'll either love it or hate it.
