Searching For Statia's Blue Beads

Have you been to Sint Eustatius? Have you even heard of Sint Eustatius?! If you haven’t, you’re not alone. Most Caribbean travelers bypass this tiny Dutch-Caribbean island - commonly known as Statia - that’s a 20-minute flight from St. Maarten and just seven miles from St. Kitts, yet feels a world apart.

On my first visit last month, I made the hour-long trek to the summit of The Quill, a dormant volcano that dominates the southern end of the island.

And I ventured almost 2,000 feet lower, to its caramel-sand beaches, in search of the famous blue beads that locals say will guarantee your return.  

Read all about my visit; my stay at Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort (the island’s first luxury hotel); and my quest for the ultimate Statia souvenir in my latest feature for Islands.com.