FUN IN THE SUN, The Bahamas Islands
WHILE MANY PEOPLE THINK OF THE BAHAMAS AS ONE ISLAND, the nation actually comprises a chain of some large, others tiny – sprinkled across a vast area of the perfectly blue-green western Atlantic Each group is as distinct as a thumbprint. Island-hopping from one to the next, visitors discover that even the most Lilliputian island is blessed with gargantuan charm.
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Nassau, the capital city with its plethora of hotels and restaurants, also follows a lifestyle wed to the sea providing a perfect combination of fine beaches and aquatic adventures that appeal to the young and young heart. Choose from aqua-biking to sunfish boat sailing at Cable Beach. Boats will whisk you to Blue Lagoon to swim with trained dolphins in a protected enclosed environment, and to Stingray City to snorkel with harmless rays. You can even take to the air for a bird’s-eye view of Nassau and neighboring Paradise Island. Atlantis, home to 50,000 live sea animals, is the largest marine habitat in the world, enthralling children and adults alike. Here, visitors can journey through ancient Atlantis and partake of a week’s-worth of water- slides and other educational and fun-filled activities. Nassau is also filled with quaint colonial buildings and plenty of things to do with the kids. Pirates of Nassau educates and entertains with an interactive museum where kids learn about the Golden Age of Piracy. And don’t miss Junkanoo Expo, a museum honouring the unique and contagious Bahamas’ heritage celebration.
Every island has pillow-soft beaches but few can rival Eleuthera’s Harbour Island, famous for its pink sands merging into the electric-blue water, often voted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. One of the Family Islands, ‘briland, as it is locally known, looks like it has fallen from its own picture-postcard with its clapboard cottages in a pastiche of Caribbean pastels graced by gingerbread trim. Visitors can peek into tiny churches, eat in traditional restaurants, and rent an electric golf cart to
explore further afield. Although, of all the activities available, little can surpass swimming in the turquoise waters and drying out under the Bahamian sun.
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| GETTING THERE
The Bahamas is a chain of 700 islands covering 259,000 sq km (100,000 sq miles) in the western Atlantic, southeast of Florida. Nassau has the main international airport. Ferries link Nassau with Eleuthera, and mailboats serve other islands. |
GETTING AROUND
There are many modes of transport around the islands, including car, boat and hired bicycles. Taxis are readily available. |
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| WEATHER
In November, the weather is sunny with cooling trade winds and temperatures of around 26°C.
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ACCOMMODATION
Dillet’s Guest House is a traditional house www.islandeaze.com Brightly coloured beach cabanas at Compass Point, New Providence; two-bedroomed hut Beside the famous beach of the same name, Pink Sands on Harbour Island |
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| EATING OUT
Seafood predominates, including swordfish, grouper, and conch, a clam-like staple usually grilled and served with a tomato sauce. Tropical fruits such as guava and papaya also feature. |
PRICE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR
£270-330 per day including accommodation, food and mailboat travel around the islands.
FURTHER INFORMATION |
| MARINE DIARY
Fringed by sand as soft as a pillow and waters of teal-blue perfection, the islands in the Bahamas are perfect in November for lazing by the sea. Exploring all the islands would require several weeks, but four or five days is sufficient to sample the best of Nassau and Paradise Island plus a trip to the Family Islands (the outer islands). |
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| Four Days of Sand and Sea
Explore downtown Nassau by horse-drawn carriage then visit the interactive museum, Pirates of Nassau. View the exhibits recalling the days of slavery at the Pompey Museum then wander around the nearby Straw Market to pick up some souvenirs. Spend a full day at Atlantis, on Paradise Island, renowned for its vast water-park with plexiglass walkways for eyeball-to-eyeball encounters with sharks. Experience the rush of the Leap of Faith water slide or savour a sedate Lazy River Ride. Children can enjoy the fully-equipped video game centres and teens can spend the evening at their own nightclub and lounge |
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| Take a boat trip to Blue Lagoon. Here, you can swim with dolphins and aquaplane across the lagoon. Younger children can wade into the waist-deep water while dolphins swim up to be petted.
Later, enjoy snorkelling and other water sports or laze in a hammock while the young ones dig in the sand. Travel to Harbour Island on the high-speed ferry and explore the quaint village, then scuba dive or laze the day away on the long stretch of rose-pink beach. Either spend the night in one of the exquisite hotels or return to Nassau on the afternoon ferry. |
Dos and Don’ts
On the rules for swimming with dolphins. They are wild creatures and their behavior is unpredictable. Don’t miss out on the fascinating and colourful underwater world , snorkelling is a great way to see marine-life up close. Go steady on the legendary Bahamian cocktails. There is a reason they have such names as Jack Hammer and Goombay Smash.
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