Bay Path (Slave Path): Statia's Oldest Road
A cobbled stairway of stone, memory, and Caribbean sea light.
Why Go
Half hidden between bougainvillea and old warehouse ruins, the Bay Path is the single most storied stretch of pavement on Sint Eustatius. Locally still called the Baaipad and, since the 1970s, the Slave Path, this switchbacking cobblestone route was cut into the cliff face in 1636 and paved in 1787 — making it the oldest surviving road on the island. Every step is literally on top of history: enslaved laborers built it and used it to haul sugar, tobacco, and imported goods between the harbor of Oranje Bay and the merchants perched up in Upper Town.
The Experience
The walk itself is short but atmospheric. From Lower Town near Van Tonningen Weg, the path climbs in tight, shaded zig-zags of dark volcanic stone, framed by dry-stone walls, wild aloe, and the crumbled brickwork of 18th-century warehouses that once made Statia 'the Golden Rock' of Caribbean trade. As you round each bend the view opens onto the turquoise roadstead where hundreds of tall ships used to anchor. At the top you emerge blinking into the sunlight of Fort Oranjestraat, a few paces from Fort Oranje's cannon batteries. Going down is easier than going up; either way, allow yourself to stop, because the interpretive signs and the silence do a lot of the storytelling.
What to Try
Walk it in both directions — descending gives you the sweeping Oranje Bay panorama, ascending forces you to feel, in your legs, what generations of enslaved porters carried. Pause at the plaque near the top that explains the 1636/1787 construction dates. Detour a few meters to the ruins of the old cotton warehouse and the Dutch Reformed Church tower before you reach the fort. Bring a small torch or use your phone light if you walk it near dusk — the lower steps stay in deep shade.
Insider Tip
Do the climb early, ideally right after sunrise or just before 5pm — the cliff face bakes at midday and there is almost no shade on the upper switchbacks. Wear real shoes, not flip-flops: the 1787 cobbles are beautifully uneven and slick after any rain. And don't rush past the bottom entrance — the unmarked stone arch and the low wall to your left are original 17th-century masonry, not restoration.
The Practical Stuff
Free and open 24/7, but best walked in daylight. The lower trailhead sits on Van Tonningen Weg in Lower Town, Oranjestad; the upper end lets you out beside Fort Oranje in Upper Town. Distance is roughly 300 meters with about 50 meters of elevation gain — 10 to 20 minutes of actual walking. No tickets, no guide required, though the St. Eustatius Historical Foundation Museum (a short walk from the top) offers excellent context if you want to layer the story in first. Bring water; there are no facilities on the path itself.
Pair It With
- Fort Oranje Guide — The Bay Path deposits you almost at its gates — walk straight into the 17th-century bastion that fired the 'First Salute' to an American flag in 1776.
- Bacchanalia Guide — A short stroll away in Oranjestad, this is where locals go to decompress after a hot walk — a cold drink here is the natural coda to the climb.
- St. Eustatius Historical Foundation Museum — Housed in the 1755 Simon Doncker House up in Upper Town, it fills in the trade, slavery, and 'Golden Rock' backstory that makes every cobble on the path make sense.
- Lower Town warehouse ruins — Right at the bottom of the path — pair the climb with a beach-level wander through the roofless brick shells of the merchant houses the path once served.
