Travel
Talk about your diverse destinations: The Bahamas is the sum of over 700 islands and cays, each offering a different version of the Caribbean experience.
FAMILY FUN
With water parks, watersports and tons of family-friendly resorts to choose from, Nassau and Paradise Island are some of the best destinations in The Bahamas for parents traveling with kids. Paradise Island’s Atlantis resort is an obvious choice for families thanks to its massive water park, conveniently located just a stroll from its towers of accommodations, allowing parents to veg out by the pool or on the beach while the kids run wild from slide to slide. But there’s more to Atlantis than its water park—it’s also home to the Caribbean’s largest casino, restaurants bearing the names of celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, and a wide variety of activities from shopping to dancing the night away in its chic nightclub.
Families won’t want to miss Dolphin Cove, where guests can interact, pet and even swim with dolphins rescued from the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina. In addition to the variety of ways to stay at Atlantis from its standard rooms in its Royal Towers, to the chic new rooms at The Cove, to spacious villas of up to three bedrooms at its Harbourside Resort—visitors to Paradise Island can also stay at one of the resorts nearby, such as Comfort Suites and Best Western. Some even include access to Atlantis’ waterpark in their room rates, making a visit to the pink mega-destination that much more affordable.
Nassau has less of Paradise Island’s fl ashy appeal, but there’s plenty of down-to-earth fun for families here, too. Kids and adults alike will get a kick out of the Pirates of Nassau museum, an interactive experience that teaches kids about the pirate history of the Caribbean in a fun, Disney-esque way. Tour guides lead the group through a replica of a pirate ship, pointing out tools like swords and cannons and telling tales of Nassau’s most famous pirates, including Blackbeard, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. It’s a touristy attraction, but an enjoyable one, and sure to engage kids’ imaginations.
Though Nassau and Paradise Island make up the biggest tourist destination in The Bahamas, there’s plenty for families in the rest of the islands as well. In fact, a favorite Bahamian playground for kids and parents alike is Freeport, home to the expansive Our Lucaya resort complex. Located on Grand Bahama Island—a destination that bridges the gap between bustling Nassau and the ultra-quiet Out Islands—Our Lucaya is something of a miniature village for tourists. The property alone accounts for 10 distinct restaurants, a handful of bars and cafes, and every beachside activity you could think of from beach volleyball, to limbo and hula hoop competitions. The resort also offers swimming pools, palm tree dotted lawns and wide, winding walkways and the Isle of Capri casino.
THE BAHAMAS ARE FOR LOVERS
When couples imagine a romantic island getaway, it inevitably involves a pristine, deserted beach—relaxing on the beach, long walks on the beach, bathing in the ocean, all in utter privacy and serenity. And what better place than The Bahamas, which counts thousands of beaches among its 700 islands and cays?
With so many options, you’d think picking one beach above the rest would be impossible. And yet, time and again, Treasure Cay on the east coast of Great Abaco tops the lists of the best beaches in The Bahamas, and often in the world as well. The site is the real-life realization of all those cliched terms: powder soft-sand, wide white shorelines, cool and inviting turquoise water as far as the eye can see. And though couples won’t often have this beach all to themselves—it’s also the site of a small beach bar and grill, as well as Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina—privacy is a small price to pay for paradise.
For more Out Island romance, look to Dunmore Town on Harbour Island, a quaint island town with pink sand beaches and New England- style small hotels and inns. This is one of the oldest settlements in The Bahamas and once harbored the Governor of Virginia when he fl ed persecution during the Revolutionary War. Couples can stroll the quaint streets and take in the historic architecture of buildings like St. Stephen’s Lodge Hall, built in 1876. Or, charter a boat and cruise around the neighboring islands. The whole area is just a short trip from Eleuthera’s Governor’s Harbour or North Eleuthera airports.
SPORTING CHANCES
The Bahamas won’t disappoint fishermen in search of their next big catch. In fact, most of the Out Islands were settled by Bahamian fishermen, and today, locals use their years of experience to seek out some of the biggest trophy fi sh in the sea. Marsh Harbour, located in the Abacos, has only about 5,000 residents, but that number increases drastically in the summer when fishing tournaments draw world-class fishermen from all over the world to compete for prizes of hundreds of thousands of dollars. And you don’t have to be a pro to get a bite here either, especially during those lucrative summer months. Even amateurs have recorded marlin, sailfi sh and tuna at record sizes.
Though Marsh Harbour’s tournaments have made the destination famous in the fishing world, there’s only one truly legendary spot for fishermen in The Bahamas: Bimini. Up until a few years ago, Bimini boasted only a marina, a few small bars and hotels, and very little else—and that simplicity was what drew writer Ernest Hemingway to spend the years from 1935 to 1937 there fishing and writing. Hemingway wrote parts of “To Have and Have Not” on Bimini, but most of his time was spent fishing aboard his boat Pilar. His former residence survived as a bar and hotel for a mostly fi shing-oriented clientele until a few years ago, when it was lost in a fi re, but the real reasons Hemingway stayed on Bimini remain: its world-famous Gulf Stream fishing, and its relative obscurity.
Today, the new and ultra-modern Bimini Bay Resort has added a spa, casino and a brand-new marina to the island. But for the most part, Bimini remains a laid-back destination that’s mostly undeveloped and appealing, primarily to deep-sea fishermen.
Outdoorsmen don’t have to boat all the way to the Gulf Stream to make a catch, though. In Great Exuma, fishermen can try their hand at bonefishing, a variation of fl y fishing aimed at the surprisingly strong and fast bonefish who reside in the shallow waters of the south coast. Visitors who are new to the sport can book time with a bonefishing guide, who’ll take them out to the mud flats and teach them the tricks of the trade. Experienced fishermen can simply wade out into the knee deep water and cast their line.
GO NATURAL
With only a few developed destinations among its hundreds of islands, The Bahamas is an ideal spot for any eco-tourist eager to get out and explore on her own. Isolated Cat Island is the sixth largest land mass in the island chain, but it’s also one of the most untouched Bahamian destinations. Pristine, virgin beaches like Pink Sand Beach stretch for miles. Venture offshore, and you’ll have the chance to scuba dive among reef sharks and schools of fish into a brilliant blue hole. There’s very little tourist infrastructure here, preserving Cat Island’s deserted paradise ambiance—just a few small inns and guesthouses serving travelers who really, really, really want to get away from it all. But the island is also easily visited by day trips from surrounding islands including Eleuthera, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.
The final frontier for eco-exploration in The Bahamas, however, is Andros. The largest island in the Bahamian chain, Andros also ranks as the fifth largest island in the Caribbean, and a large portion of that land mass—300 acres, to be exact—is protected as natural parks, giving travelers plenty of ways to explore its tropical environment by land or at sea. Divers won’t want to miss the Andros Barrier Reef, the third largest barrier reef in the world. Portions of the reef are included in the national park protections and teem with diverse undersea ecosystems made up of corals, conch, sponges and a full roster of colorful tropical fish.
Andros is also home to a few species found here and only here. The Bahamian boa, the Atala hairstreak butterfly, and the unmissable Andros rock iguana, splashed with bright yellow, magenta and fluorescent green colors, all call Andros their one and only home. Visitors on the lookout for these creatures trek through the island’s pine forests, mangrove fields and wetlands, all protected areas in their own right.
Because the nature here is so raw and untouched, it’s best to book a tour of the national parks with an experienced guide who knows the local area. Catering to the eco tourist market, Small Hope Bay Lodge offers a variety of tours: scuba diving the blue holes, birdwatching, and historical canvasses of the ancient settlements and former pirate hideouts scattered among the tropical vegetation.
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Travel
The Bahamas
Talk about your diverse destinations: The Bahamas is the sum of over 700 islands and cays, each offering a different version of the Caribbean experience.
FAMILY FUN
With water parks, watersports and tons of family-friendly resorts to choose from, Nassau and Paradise Island are some of the best destinations in The Bahamas for parents traveling with kids. Paradise Island’s Atlantis resort is an obvious choice for families thanks to its massive water park, conveniently located just a stroll from its towers of accommodations, allowing parents to veg out by the pool or on the beach while the kids run wild from slide to slide. But there’s more to Atlantis than its water park—it’s also home to the Caribbean’s largest casino, restaurants bearing the names of celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, and a wide variety of activities from shopping to dancing the night away in its chic nightclub.
Families won’t want to miss Dolphin Cove, where guests can interact, pet and even swim with dolphins rescued from the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina. In addition to the variety of ways to stay at Atlantis from its standard rooms in its Royal Towers, to the chic new rooms at The Cove, to spacious villas of up to three bedrooms at its Harbourside Resort—visitors to Paradise Island can also stay at one of the resorts nearby, such as Comfort Suites and Best Western. Some even include access to Atlantis’ waterpark in their room rates, making a visit to the pink mega-destination that much more affordable.
Nassau has less of Paradise Island’s fl ashy appeal, but there’s plenty of down-to-earth fun for families here, too. Kids and adults alike will get a kick out of the Pirates of Nassau museum, an interactive experience that teaches kids about the pirate history of the Caribbean in a fun, Disney-esque way. Tour guides lead the group through a replica of a pirate ship, pointing out tools like swords and cannons and telling tales of Nassau’s most famous pirates, including Blackbeard, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. It’s a touristy attraction, but an enjoyable one, and sure to engage kids’ imaginations.
Though Nassau and Paradise Island make up the biggest tourist destination in The Bahamas, there’s plenty for families in the rest of the islands as well. In fact, a favorite Bahamian playground for kids and parents alike is Freeport, home to the expansive Our Lucaya resort complex. Located on Grand Bahama Island—a destination that bridges the gap between bustling Nassau and the ultra-quiet Out Islands—Our Lucaya is something of a miniature village for tourists. The property alone accounts for 10 distinct restaurants, a handful of bars and cafes, and every beachside activity you could think of from beach volleyball, to limbo and hula hoop competitions. The resort also offers swimming pools, palm tree dotted lawns and wide, winding walkways and the Isle of Capri casino.
THE BAHAMAS ARE FOR LOVERS
When couples imagine a romantic island getaway, it inevitably involves a pristine, deserted beach—relaxing on the beach, long walks on the beach, bathing in the ocean, all in utter privacy and serenity. And what better place than The Bahamas, which counts thousands of beaches among its 700 islands and cays?
With so many options, you’d think picking one beach above the rest would be impossible. And yet, time and again, Treasure Cay on the east coast of Great Abaco tops the lists of the best beaches in The Bahamas, and often in the world as well. The site is the real-life realization of all those cliched terms: powder soft-sand, wide white shorelines, cool and inviting turquoise water as far as the eye can see. And though couples won’t often have this beach all to themselves—it’s also the site of a small beach bar and grill, as well as Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina—privacy is a small price to pay for paradise.
For more Out Island romance, look to Dunmore Town on Harbour Island, a quaint island town with pink sand beaches and New England- style small hotels and inns. This is one of the oldest settlements in The Bahamas and once harbored the Governor of Virginia when he fl ed persecution during the Revolutionary War. Couples can stroll the quaint streets and take in the historic architecture of buildings like St. Stephen’s Lodge Hall, built in 1876. Or, charter a boat and cruise around the neighboring islands. The whole area is just a short trip from Eleuthera’s Governor’s Harbour or North Eleuthera airports.
SPORTING CHANCES
The Bahamas won’t disappoint fishermen in search of their next big catch. In fact, most of the Out Islands were settled by Bahamian fishermen, and today, locals use their years of experience to seek out some of the biggest trophy fi sh in the sea. Marsh Harbour, located in the Abacos, has only about 5,000 residents, but that number increases drastically in the summer when fishing tournaments draw world-class fishermen from all over the world to compete for prizes of hundreds of thousands of dollars. And you don’t have to be a pro to get a bite here either, especially during those lucrative summer months. Even amateurs have recorded marlin, sailfi sh and tuna at record sizes.
Though Marsh Harbour’s tournaments have made the destination famous in the fishing world, there’s only one truly legendary spot for fishermen in The Bahamas: Bimini. Up until a few years ago, Bimini boasted only a marina, a few small bars and hotels, and very little else—and that simplicity was what drew writer Ernest Hemingway to spend the years from 1935 to 1937 there fishing and writing. Hemingway wrote parts of “To Have and Have Not” on Bimini, but most of his time was spent fishing aboard his boat Pilar. His former residence survived as a bar and hotel for a mostly fi shing-oriented clientele until a few years ago, when it was lost in a fi re, but the real reasons Hemingway stayed on Bimini remain: its world-famous Gulf Stream fishing, and its relative obscurity.
Today, the new and ultra-modern Bimini Bay Resort has added a spa, casino and a brand-new marina to the island. But for the most part, Bimini remains a laid-back destination that’s mostly undeveloped and appealing, primarily to deep-sea fishermen.
Outdoorsmen don’t have to boat all the way to the Gulf Stream to make a catch, though. In Great Exuma, fishermen can try their hand at bonefishing, a variation of fl y fishing aimed at the surprisingly strong and fast bonefish who reside in the shallow waters of the south coast. Visitors who are new to the sport can book time with a bonefishing guide, who’ll take them out to the mud flats and teach them the tricks of the trade. Experienced fishermen can simply wade out into the knee deep water and cast their line.
GO NATURAL
With only a few developed destinations among its hundreds of islands, The Bahamas is an ideal spot for any eco-tourist eager to get out and explore on her own. Isolated Cat Island is the sixth largest land mass in the island chain, but it’s also one of the most untouched Bahamian destinations. Pristine, virgin beaches like Pink Sand Beach stretch for miles. Venture offshore, and you’ll have the chance to scuba dive among reef sharks and schools of fish into a brilliant blue hole. There’s very little tourist infrastructure here, preserving Cat Island’s deserted paradise ambiance—just a few small inns and guesthouses serving travelers who really, really, really want to get away from it all. But the island is also easily visited by day trips from surrounding islands including Eleuthera, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.
The final frontier for eco-exploration in The Bahamas, however, is Andros. The largest island in the Bahamian chain, Andros also ranks as the fifth largest island in the Caribbean, and a large portion of that land mass—300 acres, to be exact—is protected as natural parks, giving travelers plenty of ways to explore its tropical environment by land or at sea. Divers won’t want to miss the Andros Barrier Reef, the third largest barrier reef in the world. Portions of the reef are included in the national park protections and teem with diverse undersea ecosystems made up of corals, conch, sponges and a full roster of colorful tropical fish.
Andros is also home to a few species found here and only here. The Bahamian boa, the Atala hairstreak butterfly, and the unmissable Andros rock iguana, splashed with bright yellow, magenta and fluorescent green colors, all call Andros their one and only home. Visitors on the lookout for these creatures trek through the island’s pine forests, mangrove fields and wetlands, all protected areas in their own right.
Because the nature here is so raw and untouched, it’s best to book a tour of the national parks with an experienced guide who knows the local area. Catering to the eco tourist market, Small Hope Bay Lodge offers a variety of tours: scuba diving the blue holes, birdwatching, and historical canvasses of the ancient settlements and former pirate hideouts scattered among the tropical vegetation.
- 5 Picturesque Locations In The Caribbean
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Rising out of the western edges of the Caribbean Sea, the Cayman Islands beckon travelers of all types with their varied charms. Whether you’re looking for an action-packed escape, a lazy retreat, or a little bit of both, you’ll find it somewhere...