Bahamas resorts are the playground for sunbathers, golfers, scuba divers, sailors, sport fishermen and nature lovers, not to mention their world-class casinos, shops and historic sites. With more than seven hundred beautiful islands and more than two thousand limestone and coral outcroppings, the Bahamas is unique in the Caribbean due to its prosperity and wealth, its political stability, and its proximity to the US.
The Bahamas was the first Caribbean island discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. In the 16th and 17th centuries it was a haunt of pirates, including Blackbeard Teach and the notorious pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Only thirty islands are populated, with the island of New Providence containing 60% of the population and the capital, Nassau, with its Victorian buildings and forts. Nassau is the jumping-off point for full-service crewed cruises, day and sunset cruises, sailboats, powerboats and jet skis. The all-inclusive Bahamas professionally guided charter boat fishing is some of the best in the Caribbean. In the evening it is traditional to sit in a Nassau bar and watch the spectacular Bahamian sunset; then fix on a gourmet dinner. During the day, you can shop at the straw market on Nassau’s Bay Street, or you can take a horse-drawn tour of the city. The city has retained much of its colonial architecture, and in front of the pastel-colored buildings in Parliament Square, the statue of Queen Victoria looks out over Nassau. Fort Fincastle features the Water Tower, the highest point on the island. Climb the 66 steps of the Queen’s Staircase (one for each year of Queen Victoria’s reign). Nassau’s Junakanoo Festival is a New Year’s celebration of gaily costumed parades dancing to the sound of whistles, cowbells and goatskin drums. In addition to Nassau, Freeport on Grand Bahama Island is also famous for its nightlife and glitz. The lively casinos of the Bahamas dazzle with music, color and the thrill of chance, offering blackjack, craps, slots, baccarat and sports betting.
The Bahamian water has the clearest visibility in the world (over 200 feet), making it a great adventure to dive and snorkel, and have a barefoot picnic on the all-inclusive remote Bahamas beaches. Andros Island, the largest island in the Bahamas, sits on the edge of the unfathomable depths called the “Tongue of the Ocean.” The Andros Barrier Reef offers an impressive underwater adventure. Andros also has rare orchids in its tropical forests and hunters also find ducks, partridges and pigeons there. The island of Eleuthera is famous for its magnificent white sand beaches and private coves for swimming in the dark blue-green waters. You can swim in Paradise Lagoon through shimmering, cascading waters, watch schools of exotic, multi-colored fish, and then plunge into a free-form pool. You can splash under a symphony of forty waterfalls or float down a lazy river in a rubber tube. Or walk through a 100-foot-long see-through underwater tunnel to get an up-close look at rays, sharks and barracuda, and make eye contact with hundreds of species of tropical fish.
