St. Eustatius (Statia) is the secret gem of the Caribbean. This idyllic Dutch island nestled between St. Barths, St. Maarten and St. Kitts has a rich history dating back to 1493 when the island was discovered by Christopher Columbus.
Christopher Columbus first sailed into the Caribbean Sea from Spain in 1492. He thought he had arrived in the islands near India. Therefore, he called the Caribbean islands the West Indies and the people who lived there Indians. Whilst he never set foot on Statia as he sailed past, he named the island St Eustache, after the Merchant Saint, a name which the island lived up to in the years to follow.