Saba is the peak of a submerged extinct volcano. With only one road ('The Road') and a population of less than 1500, Saba is the most unspoilt of The Netherlands Antilles; the inhabitants will claim that visitors are so few that each one is something of a celebrity. Until 50 years ago, Saba was a secluded oasis, having neither an airport nor a sheltered harbour.

There are four villages, until recently connected only by thousands of steps cut from the rock. A road now links the airport with the island's capital, The Bottom. The Bottom is situated 250m (820ft) above the ocean on a plateau surrounded by volcanic domes.