The Ladder

Before there was The Road, there was The Ladder: a series of hundreds of stone steps built into the cliffs of Saba that snake along the steep terrain at Ladder Bay. This was the sole access point for goods and people on Saba from European occupation of the island until the 1970s, when other forms of infrastructure (including the airport) rendered the laborious climb obsolete. 

The descent begins with a forested set of stairs lined with rock walls, leading to an old Customs house. Take in the expansive view from the frame of the house, and keep an eye out at sea for red-billed tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus) and brown boobies (Sula leucogaster), and on land for brown-throated parakeets (Eupsittula pertinax) and black-whiskered vireos (Vireo altiloquus). A sidewinding set of steps allows you to dive down toward the turquoise bay, while to the distant right is Well’s Bay, one of island’s rare strips of beach. As you travel down enjoying the views, be sure to watch your step — the walls may be low or non-existent at times, and the lowest few steps near the ocean have eroded. 

When you’re ready to begin the steep ascent, imagine the not-so-distant history when this was the sole access point to the island, where provisions, boats, and literally everything else was brought from the sea to the island (even a grand piano!). Bring water and be prepared for a breathtaking hike, in more ways than one.

Header image by Kai Wulf.