Above: Port
of St. Eustatius Island in the Caribbean.
About the island In the 18th century the island became known as the Golden Rock,
since the island's economy flourished by ignoring the trade embargoes
between the great powers. Geographically, the island is saddle-shaped.
Capital: Oranjestad. Location: St. Eustatius is one of the islands making
up the Netherlands Antilles; it is in the northern, Leeward Islands
portion of this territory, to the east of the Virgin Islands. Size: 8,1 square miles (21 square km) Population: 2,498 Language: Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English
dialect), English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish
6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% Climate: Tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade
winds Terrain: The island is saddle-shaped. The highest
point on the island is Mount Mazinga at 1,975 feet (602 meters). Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) Tourism info: Call Tour Operator (800) 544-7631 Getting there from Miami: St. Eustatius is located
1,191 miles (1,918 km) from Miami, FL. The easiest way to visit the
Island is to fly.
Travel Requirement: Beginning Jan 1, 2008, the Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all U.S. citizens, citizens
of the British Territory of Bermuda, and citizens of Canada and Mexico
visiting St. Eustatiusto
have a passport or other secure document that establishes the bearer’s
nationality to enter or re-enter the United States.
Attractions
You can explore the island on a
jeep safari tour, visit the national park for hiking and mountain
biking, take a quadracer tour, or rent a jeep or scooter and go cruising
for a day.
If you like the ocean, you can swim, snorkel, dive, sail, go fishing,
try snuba or seatrek, parasailing, banana boating or any of the many
sea activities available.
See a birds eye view of the region with our Google Caribbean
Map.
Getting around.
If you plan to rent a car in St. Eustatius
, be aware you will be driving on the left. The only islands in the
Caribbean where you drive on the right are Aruba, Cuba, Dominican
Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, and the Netherlands Antilles.
Taxi service is available on the island. Although metered rates vary,
they are reasonable and are fixed by law. Bicycles and scooters are
also available for rent at most popular tourist centers.
You can use your home driver’s license but you'll need to purchase
a temporary St. Eustatius driver's license for $20. Remember, when
you take to the road, British rules apply, so keep to the left. Pedestrians
should remember to look rightbefore crossing streets.
Check dates and prices for Miami Cruises
to St. Eustatius.
United State diplomatic representation Embassy of Netherlands
4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Phone: (202)
244-5300
Fax: (202) 362-3430
www.netherlands-embassy.org
