Hi All,

I am considering doing a day trip to Saba in April. I'm planning to fly over, both for the experience of the 15 minute flight and landing, and to maximize my time on the island since its only for a day. I will likely have been on SXM for a couple of days by then with a rental car and so plan to drive myself to the airport. My questions are :

1. Where can one park one's car at the airport for the day ?
Is there any free parking, or if paid parking how much is it ?

2. Is there a departure tax leaving SXM to Saba, and/or a similar tax when leaving Saba for the return flight ?

Thanks,

Mathieu,

To the very best of my knowledge there is NO free parking at the airport. Depending on where you're staying on the island it may even be less expensive to take a taxi than to park there.

I can't recall if we paid any departure fee to go to Saba but I'm thinking not. Perhaps something about going from one Dutch island to another? But it was a few years ago now so anything's possible.

I hope you enjoy Saba as much as we did - it was so clean and perfect and the air actually felt crisper over there. Oh, to be there now.

Respectfully,

pat

Thanks Pat.
I'm really looking forward to going to both islands. I've been going to SXM since 1985 when I first backpacked there with a buddy just after graduating Uni, and weeks before starting our new jobs. Travelled back often until 2000 after which other destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America hit the list. I've kept in touch with island news but am now very much looking forward to returning in April.

After reading your response it occurred to me to check the airport website and I found out there that theres a USD 10.00 departure tax to Saba which is included in the return ticket price if I fly on Winair, which I most likely will. FYI, for short haul flights the tax is $10.00, for international flights its $30.00 and most but not all airlines include it in the ticket price so you don't have to pay it at the little booth. They give you a list of those airlines that do.

I also found out that there are 220 parking spaces at the airport and the charge is $1.00 per half hour. There was no mention of a flat daily or maximum rate. If I'm gone 10 hours, I'd pay $20.00 for parking. I seem to recall there being a parking garage at Maho. If they have a cheaper flat rate for the day, I certainly don't mind parking there and walking the short distance to the airport and back.

So my revised question now is : Does anyone know if either the airport or the Maho parking garage has a flat daily rate for parking ?
(I'll do a web search in the meanwhile.)

Thanks again.

M