THE 4 BEST Things to Do in St. Eustatius

things to do in st. eustatius

Compared to the other Caribbean Islands the British Virgin Islands have their own speciality in terms of their destinations and attractions. Statia or St. Eustatius is one of them.

Many tourists choose St. Eustatius for their vacation. This district has got a significant history and beautiful attractions.

Here we incorporated everything you need to know about St. Eustatius for your vacation.

If you are willing to travel abroad you have to comply with the travel restrictions because of the covid-19 situation.

About the British Virgin Islands

Located to the east of Puerto Rico and Northwest of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands is a group of more than 50 smaller islands.

The citizens in these islands are British Overseas Territories citizens. The Capital city is Road Town.

The population is around 30,030 and the Population density is 260/km^2. 76% of the population are black, 5.4% are white, 5.4% are mixed and 2.1% are East Indian.

The climate of the British Virgin Islands is tropical rainforest. The average temperature in summer is 32°C and 29°C in winter.

The annual rainfall recorded in this region is about 45.3 inches.

Sailing is the most popular sport on these islands.

 

things to do in st. eustatius

Here we listed important points regarding Statia:

  • History of Statia
  • The Weather of Statia
  • The Beauty of Statia
  • Resorts in Statia

History of St. Eustatius

Statia…another name for St.Eustatius, is a special municipality located in the lesser Antilles, about 5 miles Northwest of St. Kitts.

The Capital of Statia is Oranjestad. The Population in this district is about 3140 and the population density of this district is 150/km^2. 93% of them speak English, 36%  speak Dutch, and  33.8% speak Spanish.

This district was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. Tobacco and Sugar are highly cultivated in this district.

Dutch invaded this island in 1636. Thereafter, Britain and France had been involved in waging wars with Dutch and the supremacy had changed from time to time among them for 21 times.

It was served as a Freeport in the 18th century for the transportation of goods to its neighbouring islands.

In 1848, This island saw the rise of the Revolution against slavery. People started to revolt against the government by making protests in front of them asking for more free hours and an increase in wages and finally, in 1863 the government had declared them free.

The Weather of Statia

The climate prevailing in this district is Hot. The Annual Average temperature is around 27°C. The maximum temperature is around 32°C whereas the minimum temperature is around 22-25°C

This island is prone to cyclones. The Cyclone season is between June and October. The Government pre-alerts their citizens regarding upcoming storms and implements necessary Safety measures.

Most of the people arrive between December and April for their vacation.

St. Eustatius’s highest peak is about 600m above sea level. The Sand present at all beaches in this district is made of volcanic eruptions.

Sea turtles, Leather Back, loggerhead and Hawksbill etc. are abundant in this district.

The Beauty of Statia

Oranje Beach, Statia

Being located in Statia, this beach was severely affected by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 but the locals did a great job in restoring this beach.

This beach is also known as Smoke Alley beach due to the varied colour of sand. There are some limitations regarding this beach.

Snorkelling isn’t easier at this beach due to the unusual tides. Amenities like restaurants, shops etc aren’t available near this beach. You have to bring items on your own.

Lifeguards aren’t available at this beach due to the presence of dangerous sea urchins.

Zeelandia Bay, Statia

Being located about 3km from the Airport, the name “Zeelandia” is derived from the natives who hailed from Zeeland, a province in the Netherlands.

Endangered species like hawksbill Turtles, leatherbacks etc. are residing at this beach. Activities like swimming, Snorkelling are prohibited due to uneven currents at this beach.

The above species gets nested at different months in a year. Hawksbill turtles are nested around May and December whereas Leatherbacks nest around March and June.

Lifeguards aren’t present at this beach.

Lynch Beach, Statia

Located in the Atlantic, this beach is best for solitary purposes. Tourists often choose this beach for their romantic getaways.

People like to hang out at this beach just by sitting by the sea or having a stroll along the stretch.

Like the other beaches, this beach doesn’t have any lifeguards. So, it is advisable not to go swimming at this beach as there are chances of getting eaten up alive by the sharks.

Resorts in Statia

Golden Rock Dive and Nature Resort

Located in St. Eustatius, Golden Rock Dive and Natural Resort are one of the best resorts in Statia. This resort has 32 dive sites.

The historical town, Oranjestad has located nearby this resort. You can easily travel to this city and visit its attractions.

Luxurious amenities like a swimming pool, a design restaurant with a cosy bar, sports facilities, massage and spa, free internet service etc. are available at this resort.

The packages at this resort are as follows:

  • Junior Suite: suitable for 2, Seaview, fully-equipped kitchen.
  • Master Suite: suitable for 2, Seaview, separate living area
  • Family Suite: suitable for 4, Seaview
  • Royal Suite: suitable for 2, sea view, separate living area

Kings Well Resort

Located by Oranje Beach, this resort is a semi-private villa offering various packages to its guests.

Facilities like fridge, cable tv, balcony etc. are present for every room at this resort. Massage and Spa, a bar is also available at this resort.

As the Oranje beach is nearby this resort, you can experience the life of Oranjestad at this resort.

The weather conditions are suitable enough to spend your vacation at this resort.

Famous destinations in the British Virgin Islands

Some of the attractions of these islands are:

The Baths National park, Virgin Gorda

This park is one of the most famous destinations in the British Virgin Islands and also in the Eastern Caribbean islands.

This park is accustomed to big rocks (boulders) and crystal clear waters where people often visit this place to snorkel in these waters.

North Sound, Virgin Gorda

Considered as one of the best destinations for water sports in the Eastern Caribbean islands, North Sound is located by the northeast shore of Virgin Gorda.

Activities like diving, windsurfing, parasailing, jet skiing, water skiing etc. are allowed here.

Road Town, Tortola

Being the Capital city of the British Virgin Islands, Road Town is the commercial centre and its harbour is filled with charters, cruise ships etc.

J.R O’Neal Botanical gardens is one of the best gardens in the Eastern Caribbean islands, located in the Road Town where you can find so many varieties of tropical flowers, koi ponds (you may laugh if you are a “The Office” fan), fountains and palms.