3rd Edition Blair Howard HUNTERPUBLISHING,INC. 130CampusDrive,EdisonNJ08818 732-225-1900,800-255-0343,fax732-417-0482 [email protected] 4176Saint-Denis,Montréal,Québec CanadaH2W2M5 514-843-9447;fax515-843-9448;[email protected] TheBoundary,WheatleyRoad,Garsington Oxford,OX449EJEngland 01865-361122;fax01865-361133 [email protected] ISBN1-58843318-8 ©2003BlairHoward MapsbyKimAndré&LissaDailey,©2003HunterPublishing, Inc. CartoonsbyJoeKohl Coverphotograph: Bahamasmarketscene,eStockPhoto/TPL/Harris AllothersbyBlairHowardorcourtesyofBahamasTouristBoard Forcompleteinformationaboutthehundredsofothertravelguides offeredbyHunterPublishing,visitourWebsiteat: www.hunterpublishing.com Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproduced,transmit- tedorutilizedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical, includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageand retrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher. Briefextractstobeincludedinreviewsorarticlesarepermitted. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and herebydisclaim,liabilitytoanypartyforanylossordamagecaused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential problems causedbyinformationinthisguide,evenifsucherrorsoromissions arearesultofnegligence,accidentoranyothercause. 4 3 2 1 C Contents o n t e n AbouttheBahamas 3 t Geography 3 s Nassau 5 ParadiseIsland 5 Freeport 6 GrandBahama 6 TheOutIslands 6 History 9 EarlySettlement 9 Pirates&Privateers 9 The19thCentury 11 TheModernEra 12 GettingThere 12 ByAir 12 ByCruiseShip 12 ByMailBoat 13 ByPrivateBoat 14 PackageVacations 14 BeforeYouGo 16 TravelDocuments 16 Customs 16 DepartureTaxes 16 DisabledTravelers 17 ThePeople 17 Language 18 Eating&Drinking 18 FeastfromtheSea 19 TraditionalFoods 19 Drinks 20 Tipping 20 Accommodations 20 OutIslands 21 PackageDeals 22 Restaurant&HotelPrices 22 PracticalInformation 23 Banking 23 Bicycles&Mopeds 23 Buses 23 Casinos 24 Climate 24 Currency 24 Dress 25 Electricity 25 iv (cid:1) Contents Ferries 25 C o MailBoats 25 n Photography 26 t Medical 28 e n RentalCars 28 t ShoppingHours 29 s Taxis&Tours 29 Telephones 30 Time 30 HowtoUseThisBook 30 TouristInformation 31 ALandofAdventure 33 BirdWatching 33 Guides&Self-GuidedTours 33 Boating 34 Rentals 34 SeaKayaking&SailingintheExumas 34 PowerboatAdventures 34 Golf 35 TheBestCourses 35 Hiking&Bicycling 36 Honeymooning 37 HorsebackRiding 38 Parasailing 38 Jet-Skiing 39 Shelling 39 SportFishing 39 Blue-WaterFishing 40 Bonefishing 42 Tournaments 44 MarineNationalParks 46 SeaKayaking 46 Sightseeing 47 Snorkeling&Diving 47 ScubaDiving 47 DiveSites 47 Snorkeling 48 Dangers 49 WreckDiving 51 SunSeeking 51 Tennis 52 WaterSkiing 52 Windsurfing 52 Nightlife 52 Shopping 52 Holidays 53 Contents (cid:1) v C o Nassau&NewProvidenceIsland 55 n History 55 t GettingThere 57 e n ByAir 58 t ByCruiseShip 58 s PackageVacations 58 VacationPlanningOnline 60 GettingAround 62 Taxis 62 Horse&Carriage 63 CarRental 63 Tours 63 Shopping 63 TheBestSpots 64 TheStrawMarket 65 Sightseeing 67 TheAtlantisResort&Casino 67 Beaches 68 CableBeach 68 WesternEsplanade(JunkanooBeach) 68 SaundersBeach 69 TheBeachatAtlantis 69 ArdastraGardens 69 PiratesofNassau 70 TheCloisters 71 TheWaterTower 71 TheQueen’sStaircase 72 PompeyMuseum 72 HistoricalSocietyMuseum 72 JunkanooExpoMuseum 73 ChangingoftheGuardCeremony 73 TheRetreat 73 GuidedWalkingTours 74 TheBotanicalGardens 74 FortFincastle 74 FortMontague 74 FortCharlotte 75 AdventuresonLand 75 Pedal&PaddleEcoventure 75 BirdingTours 76 Golf 77 Gambling 78 AdventuresonWater 79 DolphinEncounters-BlueLagoonIsland,Nassau 79 Hartley’sUnderseaWalk 80 SeaworldExplorerSemi-submarine 81 vi (cid:1) Contents SportFishing 82 FishingCharters 82 PowerboatAdventures 83 Diving&Snorkeling 83 BestDiveSites-NorthSide 84 BestDiveSites-South&West 85 Shipwrecks 86 DiveOperators 90 WheretoStay&Eat 92 Dining 92 Accommodations 94 GrandBahama 103 History 105 GettingThere 106 ByAir 106 ByCruiseShip 107 PackageVacations 107 GettingAround 108 ByCar 108 SuggestedTrips 108 Shopping 109 TheInternationalBazaar 111 ThePortLucayaMarketplace 111 Sightseeing 112 GardenoftheGroves 112 HydrofloraGardens 112 LucayanNationalPark 113 RandMemorialNatureCenter 115 SeaworldExplorer 116 TheDolphinExperience 116 GuidedTours 118 EastEndAdventures 118 ShorexInternational 120 BusTours 121 BoatTours 122 AdventuresonLand 122 Golf 122 Gambling 124 AdventuresonWater 125 SeaKayaking 125 SportFishing 127 Snorkeling&Diving 128 UNEXSO 128 XanaduUnderseaAdventures 128 BestDiveSites 129 Shipwrecks 129 Contents (cid:1) vii DiveOperators 130 WheretoStay&Eat 131 Dining 131 Accommodations 135 THEOUTISLANDS 139 TheAbacos 141 History 142 GettingThere 145 ByAir 145 ByMailBoat 147 ByPrivateBoat 147 PackageVacations 149 GettingAround 149 ByFerry 150 ByBicycle,MopedorCar 150 MarshHarbour 151 Walking 151 SouthfromTown 151 NorthfromTown 152 Driving 153 Man-O-WarCay 153 Exploring 153 ElbowCay&HopeTown 154 Exploring 154 GreenTurtleCay&NewPlymouth 155 Exploring 155 TreasureCay 156 GreatGuanaCay 157 Walker’sCay 158 GuidedTours&Sightseeing 158 SandDollarTours 158 BirdWatching&NatureTours 159 TheDifferentofAbaco 160 IbisTours 160 AdventuresonWater 161 SportFishing 161 BoatRentals 161 Fishing/AccommodationPackages 162 FishingGuides 165 Diving&Snorkeling 165 BestDiveSites 166 Shipwrecks 168 BestSnorkelingSites 170 DiveOperators 172 Dive/AccommodationPackages 173 viii (cid:1) Contents WheretoStay&Eat 175 Dining 175 ElbowCay 175 GreatGuanaCay 176 GreenTurtleCay 177 Man-O-WarCay 178 Accommodations 178 ElbowCay 178 GreatAbaco&MarshHarbour 180 GreatGuanaCay 182 GreenTurtleCay 182 Man-O-WarCay 183 MarshHarbour 183 SpanishCay 185 TreasureCay 185 Walker’sCay 186 WoodCay 186 Andros 187 Geography&Wildlife 189 History 190 GettingThere 191 ByAir 191 ByMailBoat 192 ByPrivateBoat 193 GettingAround 194 ByBicycle 194 ByCar 194 AdventuresonWater 196 SportFishing 196 BoatRentals 197 Diving 197 BestDiveSites 197 Shipwrecks 198 BestSnorkelingSites 199 DiveOperators 200 Dive/AccommodationPackages 200 WheretoStay&Eat 201 Dining 201 Accommodations 201 Bimini 205 History 206 GettingThere 206 ByAir 206 ByMailBoat 207 BySailboat 207 Contents (cid:1) ix AdventuresonWater 208 Fishing 208 Fishing/AccommodationPackages 209 Diving 211 BestDiveSites 211 DiveOperators 212 Dive/AccommodationPackages 212 BestSnorkelingSpots 213 WheretoStay&Eat 214 Dining 214 Accommodations 214 Eleuthera 217 History 217 GettingThere 218 ByAir 218 ByMailBoat 220 ByPrivatePlane 221 ByPrivateBoat 221 SpanishWells 221 HarbourIsland 221 PalmettoShores 221 Governor’sHarbour 222 RockSound 222 PackageVacations 222 AmericanFlyAAWayVacations 222 AppleVacations 222 ClubMed 223 GettingAround 223 IslandDrivingTour 224 AdventuresonWater 227 Fishing 227 BoatRentals 227 Diving 227 BestDiveSites 228 Shipwrecks 229 BestSnorkelingSites 229 DiveOperators 231 WheretoStay&Eat 232 Dining 232 Governor’sHarbour 232 GregoryTown 232 HatchetBay 232 PalmettoPoint 233 HarbourIsland 233 Accommodations 234 x (cid:1) Contents TheExumas 237 History 238 GettingThere 240 ByAir 240 ByMailBoat 241 ByPrivateBoat 241 GettingAround 242 ByTaxi 243 GeorgeTownOnFoot 243 TouringbyBus 243 TouringbyMotorScooter 244 TouringbyBike 244 TouringbyCar 244 Nightlife 246 Adventures 246 SeaKayaking&Sailing 246 Fishing 249 FishingPackages 250 BoatRentals 250 PowerboatAdventures 251 Diving&Snorkeling 251 BestDiveSites 252 DiveOperators 252 Dive/AccommodationPackages 253 WheretoStay&Eat 253 Dining 253 Accommodations 254 OTHERISLANDS 257 TheAcklins&CrookedIsland 258 History 258 ColumbusWasHere 258 GettingThere 260 ByAir 260 ByMailBoat 260 ByPrivateBoat 260 Sightseeing 261 BirdRockLighthouse 261 CrookedIslandCaves 261 FrenchWells 261 MarineFarm 261 Dining 262 Accommodations 262 TheBerryIslands 262 GettingThere 264 ByAir 264