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I never dreamed about visiting the Caribbean. I’m not a fan of those busy ports of call where people go to gamble and buy duty-free junk and there’s no connection to the local culture or landscape. I don’t like all-inclusive resorts sequestered away from real people. I like cities. I like the cold. I like grime.

And, as it turns out, I love Saba.

Saba, the smallest island in the Netherlands Antilles, is a jagged, fertile volcanic island jutting out from the sea and piercing right through the clouds; the uneven terrain is speckled with little white houses trimmed with red roofs and green shutters. It’s lovely, and what keeps out the typical Caribbean tourist crowd is the lack of a true beach and the fact that no cruises stop here.

As someone raised in New York with tastes shaped by visits to various European cities, Saba was very, very strange—the pace of life is slow and easy, and no one’s ever in a rush. When my friend Camilla and I got off the vertigo-inducing puddle-jumper from Sint Maarten and made it through “customs,” we went to find a cab; but our cabdriver took her sweet time nursing a drink while we waited impatiently in our sandals. This is an island, and time moves slowly.

We soon adjusted to the new pace, which made it easier for us to enjoy the sumptuous fantasyland of thick foliage, plentiful sugar-rich fruits, rocky outcroppings, and winding pathways. It is one of the most majestic places I have ever been. (And there are no mosquitoes or crowds to spoil the reverie.)

Camilla and I made the most of our time in paradise: We painted with watercolors, we chased clucking chickens, we fanned ourselves with giant elephant ear leaves, we fed cat-sized iguanas and went deep into the rainforest to admire the bizarre flora and trudge through the cool, fertile mud.

Strangely enough, Saba is a fantastic budget destination—and not that difficult to get to, either.

STAY

The two best budget options also offer the most unique experience: the chance to stay in a cottage. Start off at Ecolodge Rendezvous, which ranges from $75 to $95 in the low season (April 16 through December 15) and $95 to $115 in the high season.

After a few nights, escape the rainforest and head to El Momo ($60–$100 for two), which looks out over the sea. The cottages are cute, but they’re also very basic—don’t expect any luxuries. Instead, spend your downtime chilling in a hammock or soaking in a hot tub.

EAT

Where’s the best place to eat in Saba? Answer: outside! For someone who’s used to getting their snacks from crowded currywurst stands or coughing up lord-knows-how much for a coffee in Copenhagen, I can’t begin to describe the sheer joy having access to an endless supply of sweet, wild fruits. Papayas, babys mangoes, avocados, mammee apples—whenever I saw something colorful on the ground, I picked it up and sniffed it. If it smelled good enough, I ate it. (I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to everyone, but it certainly shows how fertile and flowery the whole island is.) The best fruits are those that have fallen to the ground but that have not yet been attacked by animals; check for any bites or other signs of foulness before stuffing your face.

If you’re staying at El Momo, shell out for the tremendous breakfast ($8.50), enjoyed on a porch with lovely views of the sea. With homemade bread, homemade yogurt, homemade banana jam, homemade granola, eggs, and greasy bacon, it’s quite possibly one of the best breakfasts you’ll ever eat.

Ecolodge’s Rainforest Restaurant is a little pricier, but the ingredients in the generic-sounding “garden salad” are actually plucked from the garden in the back, and the soursop and papaya ice creams are crafted from local fruits.

Self-caterers will find that supermarkets are reasonably priced and surprisingly well-stocked.

EXPLORE

The best activities in Saba are free! The numerous trails are extremely well marked; you can also get a copy of Saba Trails at the hiking shack, which details the various flora and fauna you’ll encounter along the way.

The hikes range from easy to grueling—including one where using a guide is mandatory—but by far the most popular hike is the trail featuring 1064 steps to the top of Mt. Scenery (the highest point on the island—in fact, the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands). The hike leads you through a number of temperate zones, from brush and grass at the bottom, until the landscape becomes thicker with foliage and the humidity gets delightfully oppressive. By the end, you’ve passed through rainforest into the enchanted, should-have-gnomes-running-around-in-it cloudforest, which is literally a rainforest in the clouds. If you, like me, ever had childhood thoughts of bashing open the window next to your airplane seat to access the clouds, now’s your chance to finally get up close with them.

In the evening, have a few drinks at Scout’s Place, Swinging Doors, or Tropics Café, where $10 gets you a burger, fries, drink, and outdoor movie by the pool every Friday.

GET AROUND

Hitchhike. There’s probably no safer place on earth to do it—no one would dare try anything funny, since this is a small island where everyone knows everyone else’s business, and it wouldn’t be easy for them to escape. Hold up the thumbs, or don’t do anything. Oftentimes, when a driver sees a tired pedestrian making their way up the hill, they’ll pull over and let you hop aboard.

Hitchhiking is also a great way to make friends, and many locals are excited to point out their favorite spots. Otherwise, the weather’s beautiful year-round, so get up and hoof it.

WHOA!

Arriving by plane? How ‘bout that landing strip! Saba’s runway is the smallest commercial runway in the world, which can give the impression that your plane will go scooting right over the edge of the cliff when landing or taking off. To maximize the thrill, snag a seat up front behind the pilot.

WHAT ABOUT THE SEA?

Saba has fantastic scuba diving, but for those of us who freak out at the image or our lungs imploding, the snorkeling is also great. Find a day when the water’s not too rough, hit up one of the diving shacks, strap on your mask and head out with the divers to hang out with the sea turtles and rays.

GETTING THERE

JetBlue has some amazing deals from New York to St. Maarten—we were able to get our tickets from JFK for only $392 roundtrip per person in August, the low season on Saba, when the snowbirds are all comfortable up north and everyone’s terrified of hurricanes. (There were no signs of either during our visit).

From there, we paid $81 each way to Saba on local puddle-jumper Winair.