Sint Eustatius

Key facts

• Region: The Caribbean
• Sovereignty: Non-sovereign territory administered by the Netherlands
• Capital: Oranjestad
• Currency: US dollar (USD), adopted on 1 January 2011
• Languages: Dutch (official), English and Papiamento
• Main airport: EUX — F. D. Roosevelt Airport
• Best time to visit: December to April, the dry season; the island is small and quiet, and diving the submerged volcanic crater is the main draw

Overview

Sint Eustatius, usually called Statia, is a special municipality of the Netherlands and one of the SSS islands. It is a small, quiet island with a dormant volcano, the Quill, and an important eighteenth-century trading history. Its main draws are diving and hiking rather than beaches, and air service is very limited. The island uses the US dollar.

Airports

F.D. Roosevelt Airport (EUX) is Statia's only airport, located near Oranjestad. It handles only small aircraft, with limited scheduled service connecting to Sint Maarten and nearby islands, and it is not reachable by nonstop flights from North America.

Main cities

Oranjestad is the capital and only town of any size, divided into Upper Town on the cliff and Lower Town at the waterfront. Upper Town holds the historic core, including Fort Oranje and the ruins of the Dutch Reformed and Jewish synagogues. Golden Rock, Concordia, and Jeems are the island's small outlying settlements.

Places to go

The Quill, a dormant stratovolcano, forms the centre of Quill/Boven National Park, with trails to the crater rim and down into the rainforest crater itself. The Statia Marine Park protects the reefs and historic wrecks offshore; notable dive sites include the Chien, Charlie Brown, and the double wreck near the harbour. Fort Oranje, above Oranjestad, is where the island first saluted the American flag in 1776. Lower Town's waterfront warehouses and old fortifications are part of the island's historic remains, and Oranje Bay is a modest beach used mainly by dive boats.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Sint Eustatius, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked