Saba Educational Services (SES, N.V.) ΓÇö Windward Side's One-Stop for Supplies, Shipping & Customs
The little Windward Side operation that quietly keeps Saba stocked, shipped, and cleared through customs.
Why Go
Locals will tell you SES isn't really an 'educational' business in the tourist sense ΓÇö it's the workhorse Windward Side storefront where teachers grab classroom supplies, homeowners collect FedEx packages, and shipping agents sort out cargo paperwork. If you've ordered anything to the island, chances are it passed through this door.
The Experience
Saba Educational Services sits on the main road through Windward Side, the village that clings to the ridge above The Bottom and just below Mount Scenery's cloud forest. It's a compact, multi-purpose Saban business rather than a boutique ΓÇö think stationery shelves at the front, a FedEx counter behind, and a back office quietly handling customs brokerage and vessel agency work for the harbor at Fort Bay. On a typical morning you'll overhear a mix of English, Dutch, and Papiamento as Saba Comprehensive School staff pick up notebooks, a contractor asks about an inbound shipment, and a returning resident collects a parcel from the U.S. It's the kind of place that reminds you Saba only has around 2,000 people ΓÇö one small storefront can genuinely serve the whole island.
What to Try
If you're a visitor: use them as your FedEx drop-off/pickup point if you need to send something off-island reliably (the postal system on a 5-square-mile volcano has its quirks). If you're relocating, renovating, or on a longer stay, ask about their customs brokerage service before you ship a container or oversized item to Fort Bay ΓÇö sorting the paperwork on-island through SES is far smoother than trying to do it remotely. Teachers and parents rotating through the med-school community also use them for basic office and school supplies you'd otherwise have to import.
Insider Tip
Hours on Saba run on 'island time,' and most Windward Side businesses close for lunch and shut early on Saturdays ΓÇö call ahead before making the drive up from Fort Bay or The Bottom, especially if you're timing a FedEx pickup around a cruise-day or a public holiday. Bring cash or a card that works on the Dutch Caribbean networks; ATM options in Windward Side are limited.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Windward Side, Saba (Caribbean Netherlands). The village sits on the main cross-island road between The Bottom and Hell's Gate, roughly a 10ΓÇô15 minute drive up the switchbacks from Fort Bay harbor or Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. Parking is on-street and tight ΓÇö the whole village is. Services span office/school supplies, FedEx representation, customs brokerage, and vessel agency. Best to phone ahead for hours; expect a midday break and reduced Saturday hours.
Pair It With
- Big Rock Supermarket Guide — Two doors down the errand list ΓÇö knock out groceries and household basics in the same Windward Side loop as your FedEx pickup.
- Bizzy B — Grab a bakery coffee or fresh pastry next door to reward yourself after wrestling with customs paperwork.
- Angelina's Saba By OwAiChie — A proper sit-down Windward Side lunch after your morning errands, with local Saban home-cooking flavors.
- Barney's Ground — Once the practical stuff is sorted, this nearby spot is a good excuse to swap admin mode for a bit of Saba's outdoor character.