Bimini IslandsCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Bimini
The Bimini group is 50 miles (80km) east of
Miami and spans an area no larger than 10 square miles (26 sq km). The main island,
North Bimini (or simply 'Bimini') is barely seven miles long (11km) and no more than 1,200ft (366m) across at its widest point. The islands are best known for the excellent fishing opportunities, with visitors from around the world coming here to test their skills and catch an array of fish including tuna, sailfish, mako shark, barracuda and, above all, blue marlin. Almost
all the action happens in
Alice Town, a laid back town where fishermen gather to swap stories. During spring break the town becomes a little raucous with the arrival of crowds of college students. Scuba divers are also lured by some mysterious stone blocks in the waters off North Bimini which islanders claim are part of the 'lost city' of Atlantis.
NassauCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Nassau - New Providence Island
Nassau, the nation's capital on New Providence Island, is a colonial
Caribbean city with a distinctly modern American flavor. It is a mixture of first-world facilities and romantic old-world charm. In downtown Nassau many buildings date back to the 18th century, including the ancient Fort Fincastle, reached by the Queen's Staircase that was constructed by the labor of hundreds of slaves. Garden enthusiasts should visit the Royal Victorian Garden, which has more than 300 species of tropical plants and exotic creatures. Enthusiastic shoppers on the other hand would be well advised to look out for great bargains at the Straw Market on Bay Street. Alternatively visitors can relax by spending an idle afternoon watching a cricket game at one of the many local sports grounds. Most tourists inhabit the spectacular resorts found on Paradise Island, connected by bridge and ferry to New Providence Island and the city.
Paradise IslandCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Paradise Island
Connected to New Providence Island by a bridge, Paradise Island is one of the most popular destinations in
the Bahamas. It offers a variety of beaches to suit a range of tastes. Most of the island's hotels and resorts are along Cable Beach, Paradise Beach or Cabbage Beach offering miles of white sand and outstanding watersport facilities. To escape the crowds, one can head over to the secluded Caves Beach or Love Beach, a popular spot for snorkelers.
Freeport, Grand Bahama IslandCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Grand Bahama Island
Fifty miles (80km) east of Miami, Grand Bahama is an idyllic island of white beaches and aquamarine seas beneath which the coral reefs teem with life. Most visitors stay in
Freeport, a few miles inland, or at the seaside suburb of Lucaya on the south coast of the island. Here you can sail, play golf or simply relax by the pool at one of the many all-inclusive resorts. In town there are plenty of boutiques and bazaars to tempt shoppers, and evenings can be spent at one of the many restaurants. Those travelers with cash left in their wallets can head to one of the island's casinos. There is also much to entice divers and snorkelers. Outside Freeport, between Sweeting's Cay and Pelican Point, are seven blue holes inviting exploration, and a little further west is Deadman's Reef, accessible from the powdery white beach at Paradise Cove. East of Freeport is the Lucayan National Park, home to the largest underwater cave system in the world. Walkers can enjoy the island's natural flora and fauna or hire a kayak and explore the mangrove creeks.
Andros IslandCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Andros
Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas and is a favorite for scuba divers and fishermen. The island is undeveloped, the atmosphere is very casual and hotels tend to be small and unpretentious. Much of the island is covered with palm savannas, primeval forest and huge mangrove wetlands making it a bird-watchers paradise. However, it is the underwater life that really makes Andros unique; it has the world's third largest reef running along its east coast for 167 miles (269km). The colorful assortment of fish life just beneath the surface, and blue holes and canyons (in the ocean and inland) which plunge down as deep as 200ft (61m) make this a truly spectacular place to explore whether you dive, snorkel or fish.
Exumas IslandsCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: The Exumas
The Exumas encompass a myriad of islands and cays that stretch for hundreds of miles. The largest, Great Exuma and Little Exuma, are home to the small community of several hundred island inhabitants, who farm the land and welcome tourists. Visitors usually arrive by yacht, for these islands offer legendary cruising opportunities. If you come without sails, you will be tempted to hire a boat and make the most of the inviting waters. Most cays are edged with towering palm trees and expanses of white powdery beaches. The surrounding reefs have magical underwater gardens that draw divers and snorkelers. The main destination for divers is the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, a 176-square-mile (456 sq km) natural underwater preserve, that can only be reached by seaplane or boat (charters can be arranged through the hotels).
Long IslandCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Long Island
One of the main events on the Bahamas yachting calendar is the
Long Island Regatta, which takes place in the town of Salt Pond each May, drawing visitors from all around the world to one of the most beautiful and unspoilt islands of the Bahamas. The locals still depend on fishing for their livelihood, while visitors revel in the shallow bays and white beaches of the western shore. The rugged windward coast features towering cliffs washed by wild waves. There are also some renowned offshore diving and snorkeling spots, and a spectacular view of the whole package from the northern tip of the island at the site of a monument to
Christopher Columbus, who enjoyed the vista when he came ashore in 1492. The island also boasts the deepest blue hole in the world, just north of Clarence Town.
Abacos IslandsCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: The Abacos
The chain of tiny
Abacos islands stretch for 200 miles (322km) and form the most northerly part of the Bahamas nation. Located only 200 miles (322km) from Miami they are a popular holiday destination, and therefore fairly well developed for tourism. The two main islands, Great Abaco and neighboring Little Abaco, are separated from each other by a narrow strait. They are often tagged the 'Loyalist Isles' because of the many Tory expatriates who fled there to avoid persecution after the American Revolution. The early Loyalist settlements are still much in evidence on the cays around Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco's main town. The accommodation on the island is fairly low-key and visitors are likely to stay in a small guesthouse by the beach or cottage near one of the many marinas. No glamorous resort complexes can be found here. The sheltered waters around the islands make it a hotspot for yachters, and islanders claim it is the cruising capital of the world. There are also coral reefs to entice divers and inland pine forests that provide wonderful bird-watching and walking opportunities.
Eleuthera IslandCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Eleuthera
You are never far from the beach on the most popular of the Bahama's
Out Islands,
Eleuthera, which stretches for almost 100 miles (161km) but is at most two miles (3km) wide. Eleuthera, and especially its satellite island, Harbour Island, just a short water-taxi ride away, have long been the holiday haunts of the fashionable set, sporting luxury hotels and fine restaurants that cater for trendy and wealthy visitors. The main entertainment here is sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, shell-collecting and fishing. The scenery can be enjoyed through a meander along the coast, passing scenic headlands and wandering through villages dotted between dozens of pristine beaches.
Half Moon CayCity/Region: The Islands
Resort Name: Half Moon Cay
The resort is a private paradise, reserved for passengers who are tendered ashore to the pier from
Holland America Line's cruise ships, and those who have paid for the pleasure will not be disappointed. Half Moon Cay (pronounced 'Key') is an island about 100 miles (161km) south of Nassau, capital of the Bahamas, and has been sensitively developed to preserve its natural assets and ecosystem, while ensuring it provides a fantastic day ashore for cruise passengers. The main attraction is the two-mile (3km) crescent of surreally beautiful beach, dotted with palm trees, adjacent to which are wonderful bird-watching opportunities in a well-preserved waterfowl nesting habitat. All the facilities at this pristine resort are connected by pathways, but those who prefer can catch a tram which runs continuously from the
Welcome Center to the Food Pavilion. Visitors wanting to cure their 'sea legs' can take some delightful walks along marked trails with descriptive signs pointing out the local trees, plants and birds.
