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What To Do In
The Bahamas
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Fourth Largest of the
7000 Bahamas Islands
90
Miles Long and 20 Miles Wide
Population approximately
50,000
60 Miles off the Coast of Palm
Beach
The Bahamas offers everything you're looking for in an
island vacation: beautiful white-sand
beaches, warm weather,
golf, tax-free shopping, historical sights and casino
gaming. You may
bring back $400 (per person)
worth of duty free goods.
 The crystal clear waters surrounding the Bahamas are warm
and shallow,
making them an ideal location for snorkeling
and diving. The majority of
the cruise line's shore
excursion offerings concentrate on combining water
sports
with time at the beach. You can also enjoy the Bahamas
colonial past
from a horse- drawn buggy, a bicycle or on
foot, as the flat terrain makes for
easy going. Or some
hotels like the Atlantis Resort and Casino welcome
cruise
guest by selling day passes to allow use of the their beach
and pool
facilities.
Some cruise lines will ensure that you have an entire day
with your toes in
the sand by taking you to their private
island. This way you can feel free to
spend a day in town
shopping at the Straw Marketing and sightseeing in one of
the other ports of
call and still get the most out of your
short vacation.
Grand Bahama Island
offers a myriad of activities and adventures for vacationers
of all ages. You may book any activity through the
activities desk at your hotel, and the activities
representative will answer all questions and provide full
information on activities. Here is a sample of the
activities available.
Cruise
Line Private islands are popular stop for cruisers. These
private islands have been impeccably groomed and provide you
with everything you need for your idea of the perfect day at
the beach. You'll find beach chairs, umbrellas and hammocks,
bars, restrooms and showers, volleyball nets, water sports
equipment, sho ps
and a dining area where the ship's crew prepares a huge
barbeque. Most cruise lines provide kid's activities, and
some islands even have massage therapy tents for adult
Bahamian Hospitality
One cannot visit Grand Bahama without appreciating the friendly residents of the
island. They welcome
visitors with
warm smiles, often sharing their history,
their home and their hearts. Grand Bahamians are devoted to tradition and
religion. You will enjoy the island's junkanoo bands, our famous Mama Flo's
Wednesday night fish fry, and many local establishments welcome visitors. One
thing is for sure when you vacation on Grand Bahama, you will want to leave the
traffic, the chores and the stress behind and join in the relaxed and gracious
lifestyle prevalent there.
It's a world where stress, deadlines and daily
frustrations simply do not exist.
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Whether
it's Water sports, Golf, Museums or Shopping, the Best is in The
Islands of The Bahamas. With over 7 00 islands, cays,
reefs and beaches plus hundreds of activities on land and sea to
choose from, visitors to
the Islands of The Bahamas will find there's not enough time in
a day to do everything that the islands have to offer. Vacationers
looking for an active holiday will find a myriad of choices for sports
- from sailing,
windsurfing, fishing and scuba diving to golf, biking and hiking on land.
Those
in search of edification will not be disappointed as The Islands Of The
Bahamas is rich in history and culture on display in museums, in
communities and in live performances.
Shop 'til you drop!
And, of
course,
the inimitable shoppers will find themselves in a shopping paradise, with
duty-free opportunities and local crafts at reasonable prices.
On our island shopping is considered a world- class sport.
It's shopping in paradise.
Some of the
best buys include deals on watches and jewelry; perfume at greatly
discounted prices; crystal and china; leather goods;
cameras from around the world and pai ntings.
The famous Straw Market (there's usually one on each island) has
stacks of local handmade produce at tempting prices.
Here you have a choice of the International Bazaar and Port Lucaya Marketplace.
Both feature indoor and outdoor dining, pubs, shops and
brand names from around the world.
International Bazaar
Visitors to the International Bazaar stroll through colorful archways along
cobble-stone paths that lead to shops representing countries from around the
world. There is also the world famous straw market with local arts, crafts and
souvenirs.
Merchandise and cuisine from 25 countries and five continents.
Emeralds, watches, perfumes, crystal and linens.
Port Lucaya Marketplace
One look at Port Lucaya Marketplace and its picturesque waterfront location will
introduce you to the way to have a shopping spree and still relax. The center of
this marketplace overlooks the marina and Count Basie Square featuring live entertainment.
Restaurants, clubs & shops.
Perfume Factory
Other shopping attractions on island
include The Perfume Factory, a replica of an 18th century Bahamian Mansion
that provides a fascinating tour showing you how perfume is made. You can
even mix and name your own brand.
Splish, Splash
A haven fo r watersports enthusiasts, The Islands of
The Bahamas have some of the best diving
and snorkeling in the Caribbean
with barrier reefs, fringing reefs, platform reefs
and atolls. The island of Andros has the third-largest barrier reef in the world (after Australia's
Great Barrier Reef), and a wide variety of underwater sealife for divers to
view.
DOLPHIN EXPERIENCE
– take a 20-minute ride down a quiet waterway and observe Atlantic
bottlenose dolphins up close. There is an interesting talk given by the
animal care staff. Sit on the dock, put your feet in the water, and let the
dolphins touch you, or wade into the water. Make sure that you take
pictures! Call UNEXSO at 800-922-3483 for advance reservations.
Grand Bahama, headquarters of
UNEXSO - the
best-known Bahamian diving school, also has a number of sites where
divers
can search for hidden treasures and explore underwater caves.
Also popular
are dives around the various shipwrecks of the islands.
These include
shipwrecks as the USS Adirondack the 125-year-old American warship lying off
the
Man-O-War Cay: a
train freighter intentionally sunk off Freeport/Lucaya;
and the Ms. Cumberbach off Cape Santa Maria.
UNDERWATER EXPLORERS
SOCIETY:
Dive packages for all experience levels, including wreck and night dives.
Other water sports available are
parasailing, windsurfing, sailing, water-skiing, angling and game fishing, with several
operators arranging outings for visitors.
Equestrians can find horse
stables in Freeport and in Nassau, and joggers can take flight
just about anywhere from the sandy beach to the tree-lined,
traffic-free esplanade in Nassau and Paradise
Island.
A Hole in One and Other Landlubber Pastimes
Landlubbers who'd rather keep both feet on the
ground but are still
 the active type will have plenty
to keep them busy. Most of the golf courses are in and around the cities of Nassau and Freeport/Lucaya.
Some are Robert Trent Jones and Dick Wilson designs and range from
beginner courses to professional ones. The Islands of
The Bahamas also plays host to a number of tournaments including the annual
Pro-Am and an Open on the Bahamian Independence Day.
Six
PGA rated golf courses
NATURE
CENTER –
The Bahamas National Trust Rand Nature Center preserves and protects more
than 400 varieties of subtropical trees, flowers, and foliage indigenous to
the Bahamas. Thousand of native and migratory birds also find sanctuary
here, including the Bahamian Woodstar, a hummingbird no bigger than a fling
insect yet brilliantly hued in reddish violet. The park also has a thirty
foot waterfall that flows into a lagoon; magnificent pink flamingoes may be
viewed along the shores of the lagoon.
Flora and
Fauna Fanatics
The
 Islands
are rich with tropical plant and animal life, and national parks and nature
reserves offer wonderful opportunities to view the flora and
fauna in unspoiled settings.
Plant lovers will especially enjoy the
Rand Memorial Nature Centre in Freeport, the Ardastra Gardens and Zoo and the
Botanical Gardens in Nassau as well as the Garden of the Groves in Lucaya.
12
acres of tropical gardens with 5000 varieties of trees, shrubs, and flowers.
National parks include the Exuma Cays Land and Sea
Park with such rarities as the rock iguana and the hutia; Inagua National
Park with one of the biggest flamingo reserves in the western hemisphere;
Conception Island Park, an important breeding ground for birds; Lucayan
National
Park, home of one of the oldest underwater cave systems; and the
palm garden Retreat on New Providence.
The reservations
include Peterson Cay Park; Pelican Cays
Land and Sea Park, and Black Sound Cay
National Reserve.
Bathing
Beauties'
Needl ess to say, The Bahamas is a great place just to lie on the beach and
soak up the sun. Some of the most popular beaches can be found on Long
Island, San Salvador, The Abacos, Harbour Island and the northern Exuma
cays. But just about anywhere one turns, they'll find an alluring stretch of
soft white sand.
Best
Bets:
Museums for the Minds
Culture vultures can find
model ships of the late
Albert Lowe as well as paintings of Alton Lowe, nautical craft, and
artifacts from Loyalist settlers at the Albert Lowe Museum at Plymouth or
Green Turtle Cay, Abaco.
The cinemas in the Bahamas show primarily
American-made films and are located on the larger islands. Videos are
readily available at all the hotels and are the more common source for
watching movies.
NATIONAL PARK/BEN’S
CAVERNS
– families can enjoy an eco-tourism experience at the 40 acre Lucayan
National Park. Nature trails take visitors through forests, ma ngrove swamps,
sheltered pools (containing rare marine species), and what is believed to be
the longest surveyed cave system in the world. Nearby is Burial Mound Cave,
where remains of early native Lucayan Indians were found.
Vast network of caves and Caverns. The Grand Bahama Museum has displays on the history
of Grand Bahama Island with
reconstructed caves, a marine exhibit and
artifacts from the Lucayan Indian culture and era of piracy. In addition,
small galleries and museums are scattered throughout the islands. In the
heart
of Nassau, the Pompey Museum houses a prominent collection by
internationally recognized Bahamian artist Amos Ferguson who paints in the
Native style.
Art & Architecture for the
Inquisitive :
The tumultuous historical past of The Islands of
The Bahamas contributes to a wide and varied collection of
 architecture.
Walking tours afford fine views of British Colonial, Victorian, Spanish and
Spanish-American architecture. Buildings of note include the 19th-century
mansion East Hill,
the 1810 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, the Government
House; St. Francis Roman Catholic Church;
the mid- 19th- century Devonshire
House, Hillside Manor, Christ Church Cathedral, the Masonic Temple and Trinity Methodist Church, just to name a few.
Delectable
Dining
The Islands of the Bahamas offer a wide range of
international cuisines to fit every budget. Known for its local seafood
including conch and grouper, the local Bahamian restaurants offer spicy,
native food with a taste of the Caribbean. For those looking for other
cuisines - everything from Italian, French, English and Chinese are
available.
Nassau/Paradise Island, Harbour Island and Grand
Bahama have some five-star fine dining establishments in stunning settings
overlooking bays and the ocean. Whether you're looking for a lively place
for a large group or a quiet intimate dinner for two, casual dining is
always available on the 700-island archipelago.
Theater, C inema, and Other
Spectator Activities
:
The Islands of The Bahamas' rich melange of
international and regional cultures contribute to a thriving artistic
community. The Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts in Nassau offers a wide range of performances, and the Regency Theatre in Freeport showcases local
as well as international performances.
There are a number of community
theater groups, dance troupes and choral ensembles, including the Diocesan
Chorale, Lucayan Chorale, Chamber Singers and Nassau Operatic Society.
If visitors want to combine dinner and a show, the Palace Dinner Theater in
Carnival's Crystal Palace Resort and Casino has a Las Vegas-type revue. In
addition, the Atlantis SunSational Show and the Casinos Royale Show Room at
the Bahamas Princess Resort & Casino presents a twice- nightly French-style
spectacular with costumes, dancing and novelty acts.
By Night.
Calypso, Junkanoo, Goombay and
Jazz
After Sundown, It's Jazz, Disco, Calypso and More
in The Islands of The Bahamas.
If you're not too tired after a day's activity in The Islands of The
Bahamas, get ready because there's as much to do
at night as there is during
the daylight hours, and there's something for everyone -from a quiet,
romantic seaside dinner and jazz to dancing the night away at one of the islands' clubs.
Every
Saturday night enjoy limbo, fire dancers, parades, and fireworks.
The night air is filled with song in
The Islands of The Bahamas, with every kind of music including
disco, jazz, and the local music known as goombay.
Some of the popular all-night
discos for the young and energetic include Culture Club, The Zoo in
Nassau, Club Estee,
and The
Captain Kenny Pubs in Freeport. Port Lucaya Marketplace in Freeport provides
for live entertainment and
calypso and The Safari Lounge offers a lively
disco scene with calypso.
The Sir Winston
Churchill Pub features special theme nights, and the Yellow Bird Showroom
has one of Grand Bahama's best
shows with local performers, calypso, limbo and fire dancers.
For those looking for a quiet evening
out, The Veranda Bar of the Quality Atlantic Beach
The 20,000 square-foot Princess
Casino in Freeport
& Golf Resort has p iano music
nightly except Sunday. Apple Elliot and his ensemble plays some of the
liveliest jazz in the Caribbean during the evening at the Lucayan Golf and
Country Club.
The islands' four casinos offer endless hours of
entertainment and excitement. Complete with slot machines of every variety,
crap and blackjack tables, roulette and baccarat, The Islands
of The Bahamas
have everything a gambler could hope for.
The 30,000 square-foot casino in Sun
International's Atlantis, Paradise Island has every game imaginable including more than 800 slot machines,
while the 35,000 square-foot casino on Nassau is shared by the Radisson
Cable Beach Casino & Golf Resort and the Crystal Palace Resort & Casino.
It has some 450 slot
machines, 40 blackjack tables, eight dice table and
roulette wheels, two money wheels and numerous video games. The Lucayan Beach Casino (of equal size, and also
in Freeport) has 545 super slots, video blackjack, poker, similar tables as
its competitors and more.
Dress
at the casinos is casual except shoes must be worn and beach attire is not
acceptable. Gamblers must be 18 years of age to
play.
May I use a hair dryer
and other appliances?
Yes.
Electricity is the same cycle and voltage as in the U.S.. Check with your
cellular provider to make sure that your phone will work. Also, phone cards
are readily available.
Overall, even though the Bahamas is a foreign country, it is very enjoyable
and convenient for Americans; English is the official language,
currency is of equal value, and you can drink the water! Have a
wonderful trip!
For more information about The Islands Of The
Bahamas, contact The Bahamas Tourist Offices in
the US at: 150 East
52nd
St., 28th F1., New York, NY 10022, Tel: 212-758-2777 and at 19495 Biscayne
Blvd., Miami, FL 33180,
Tel: 305-932-0051, or use our Reader Service Card. |
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