Introduction
St Eustatius, popularly known as ‘Statia’, was a thriving transshipment port during the 17th and 18th centuries, becoming known throughout the Caribbean as ‘The Golden Rock’. The subsequent decline of the island has only recently been halted by an influx of tourists. Statia is quiet and unhurried, with reminders of its bustling commercial past surviving only in the ruins of old warehouses, the weed-choked Jewish Cemetery (connected to Synagogue Honen Dalim, the second-oldest synagogue in the New World); colonial houses; Fort Oranje, built by the French in 1629 above the town; Fort Amsterdam on the Atlantic coast and the foundations of the Dutch sea walls, now sunk beneath the clear waters of the bay.
Other attractions of the island include the newly restored Old Town; walking up to The Quill, a dormant volcano surrounded by lush tropical rainforest; the Miriam Schmidt Botanical Garden; many beautiful and unspoilt beaches with unusual layers of black and tan sand; snorkelling and scuba diving; surfing off the northeast coast; and fishing trips. Contact the Tourist Office for details (see Contact Addresses section).
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