Fodor's Expert Review Oranjestad

Statia's only town sits on the western coast, facing the Caribbean. Both Upper Town—with cobblestone streets that designate its historic section—and Lower Town are easy to explore on foot.

Three bastions have clung to these cliffs since 1636. In 1976, Statia participated in the U.S. bicentennial celebration by restoring Ft. Oranje and now the black cannons extend beyond the ramparts. In the parade grounds, a plaque presented in 1939 by U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, reads, "Here the sovereignty of the United States of America was first formally acknowledged to a national vessel by a foreign official." Restorations to the site are ongoing.

Built in 1755, the partially restored Dutch Reformed Church, on Kerkweg (Church Way), has lovely stone arches that face the sea. Ancient tales can be read on the gravestones in the adjacent 18th-century cemetery, where people were often buried atop one another. The stairway to the top of the steeple has been restored, and visitors can climb to the top for a spectacular view.

On Synagogepad (Synagogue Path) off Kerkweg is Honen Dalim ("She Who Is Charitable to the Poor"), the second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. Dating from 1738, it has a partially restored exterior, an oven for baking Passover matzah, and a mikvah (Jewish ritual bath). A short walk away is the Jewish cemetery, with impressive marble stones from the same time period.

Lower Town, which sits below the fort and some steep cliffs, is accessible from Upper Town on foot via the zigzagging, cobblestone Bay Path or by car via Van Tonningenweg. Some of the warehouses and shops that were piled high with European imports in the 18th century are now either abandoned or used to store local fishermen's equipment; others, however, have been restored and now house two hotels, dive shops, and other businesses.

Along the waterfront, a lovely park with palms, flowering shrubs, and benches, is the work of the historical foundation. Peeking out from the shallow waters are the crumbling ruins of 18th-century buildings, reminders of Statia's days as the merchant hub of the Caribbean. Near to the shore, a reef, once strengthened to form a seawall, provides a convenient location for fascinating snorkeling. Note that although conch shells often wash onto Oranjestad's shores, it's forbidden to remove them from the Dutch Caribbean islands; if you try and are caught, they will be confiscated, and penalties will be applied, so let them be.