HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC. 130 Campus Drive, Edison NJ 08818 (732) 225 1900, (800) 255 0343, fax (732) 417 0482 1220 Nicholson Rd., Newmarket, Ontario, Canada L3Y 7V1, (800) 399 6858 The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington Oxford, OX44 9EJ England 01865-361122; fax 01865-361133 ISBN 1-55650-852-2 ©1999 Blair Howard Maps by Kim André & Lissa Dailey, © 1999 Hunter Publishing, Inc. Cartoons by Joe Kohl Cover photograph: Bahamas market scene, Leo de Wys Inc./de Wys/TPL/Harris All others courtesy of Bahamas Tourist Board For complete information about the hundreds of other travel guides offered by Hunter Publishing, visit our Web site at: www.hunterpublishing.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmit- ted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, in- cluding photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Brief extracts to be included in reviews or articles are permitted. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and hereby dis- claim, liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential problems caused by in- formation in this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause. 4 3 2 1 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the relevant copyright, designs and patents acts, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publisher. eBooks Corporation Contents Introduction 1 About the Bahamas 3 Geography 3 History 9 Getting There 12 Before You Go 16 The People 17 Eating & Drinking 18 Accommodations 20 Out Islands 21 Package Deals 21 Restaurant & Hotel Prices 22 Practical Concerns 23 Climate 23 Electricity 23 Medical 23 Dress 24 Currency 24 Banking 24 Time 25 Casinos 25 Shopping Hours 25 Taxis & Tours 25 Rental Cars 26 Buses 27 Bicycles & Mopeds 27 Ferries 27 Mail Boats 28 Photography 28 How to Use This Book 30 Tourist Information 30 The Land of Adventure 33 Bird Watching 33 Boating & Sailing 34 Golf 34 Hiking & Bicycling 35 Honeymooning 36 Horseback Riding 37 Parasailing 37 Jet-Skiing 38 Shelling 38 Contents iv n Contents Sport Fishing 38 Marine National Parks 45 Sea Kayaking 46 Sightseeing 46 Snorkeling & Diving 46 Sun Seeking 51 Tennis 51 Water Skiing 51 Windsurfing 52 Nightlife 52 Shopping 52 Holidays 52 Nassau & New Providence Island 55 History 55 Getting There 57 Getting Around 60 Taxis 61 Horse & Carriage 61 Car Rental 61 Tours 61 Shopping 63 The Best Spots 63 Sightseeing 64 The Atlantis Resort & Casino 64 Crystal Cay Marine Park 65 Cable Beach 66 Ardastra Gardens 66 The Cloisters 67 Bay Street 67 The Straw Market 67 The Water Tower 68 The Queen’s Staircase 69 Pompey Museum 69 Historical Society Museum 69 Junkanoo Expo Museum 69 Changing of the Guard Ceremony 70 The Retreat 70 Guided Walking Tours 70 The Botanical Gardens 71 Fort Fincastle 71 Fort Montague 71 Fort Charlotte 71 Hartley’s Undersea Walk 72 Soft Adventures 72 Pedal & Paddle Ecoventure 72 Golf 73 Gambling 74 Contents n v Adventures on the Water 75 Sport Fishing 75 Fishing Charters 75 Diving & Snorkeling 76 Best Dive Sites - North Side 77 Best Dive Sites - South & West 79 Shipwrecks 80 Dive Operators 83 Where to Stay & Eat 85 Grand Bahama 93 History 94 Getting There 95 Getting Around 96 Shopping 99 Sightseeing 100 Garden of the Groves 101 Hydroflora Gardens 101 Lucayan National Park 101 Rand Memorial Nature Center 103 Seaworld Explorer 104 The Dolphin Experience 105 Guided Tours & Sightseeing 106 Soft Adventures 110 Golf 110 Gambling 112 Adventures on the Water 113 Sport Fishing 113 Snorkeling & Diving 114 Where to Stay & Eat 120 The Abacos 127 History 129 Getting There 130 Getting Around 134 Marsh Harbour 135 Man-O-War Cay 137 Elbow Cay & Hope Town 138 Green Turtle Cay & New Plymouth 138 Treasure Cay 140 Great Guana Cay 141 Walker’s Cay 142 Guided Tours & Sightseeing 142 Adventures on Water 145 Sport Fishing 145 Diving & Snorkeling 149 Where to Stay & Eat 159 Contents vi n Contents Andros 171 Geography & Wildlife 171 History 172 Getting There 174 Getting Around 176 Adventures on Water 178 Sport Fishing 178 Diving 179 Where to Stay & Eat 183 Bimini 187 History 187 Getting There 188 Adventures on Water 190 Fishing 190 Diving 192 Where to Stay & Eat 195 Eleuthera 199 History 199 Getting There 199 Getting Around 204 Adventures on Water 207 Fishing 207 Diving 207 Where to Stay & Eat 212 The Exumas 217 History 217 Getting There 219 Getting Around 221 Adventures on Water 225 Fishing 225 Diving & Snorkeling 227 Where to Stay & Eat 229 Other Islands 233 The Acklins & Crooked Island 233 History 235 Getting There 236 Sightseeing 236 Bird Rock Lighthouse 236 Crooked Island Caves 237 French Wells 237 Marine Farm 237 Dining 237 Where to Stay 238 The Berry Islands 238 Getting There 240 Contents n vii Adventures on Water 241 Boat Rentals 241 Diving & Snorkeling 241 Dining 241 Where to Stay 242 Cat Island 242 Getting There 243 Sightseeing 245 The Hermitage 245 The Deveaux Plantation 246 Adventures on Water 256 Boat Rentals 256 Diving & Snorkeling 256 Best Snorkeling Sites 247 Dining 248 Where to Stay 249 The Inaguas 251 Getting There 251 Sightseeing 252 Inagua National Park 252 Morton Bahamas Salt Company 253 Matthew Town Lighthouse 254 Adventures on Water 254 Diving & Snorkeling 254 Dining 255 Where to Stay 255 Long Island 256 History 257 Getting There 258 Sightseeing 260 The Adderley Plantation 260 Columbus Point 260 Conception Island 261 Deadman’s Cay 261 The Churches 261 Adventures on Water 262 Diving & Snorkeling 262 Best Dive Sites 262 Best Snorkeling Sites 265 Dive Shop 265 Sport Fishing 266 Boat Rentals 267 Dining 267 Where to Stay 268 San Salvador 269 Getting There 271 Sightseeing 272 Contents viii n Contents Getting Around 273 Cockburn Town 273 Sandy Point 274 Graham’s Harbour 276 North Victoria Hill 276 The Columbus Monuments 276 Dixon Hill Lighthouse 277 Adventures on Foot 278 Walking & Hiking 278 Adventures on Water 278 Diving & Snorkeling 278 Best Dive Sites 279 Best Snorkeling Sites 280 Dive Operators 281 Dining 281 Where to Stay 282 Rum Cay 285 At a Glance 287 Airlines Serving the Islands 287 Airline Telephone Numbers 290 Mail Boat Schedules 291 Fishing Guides 295 Dive Operators 296 Accommodations 298 Maps The Islands of the Bahamas 4 New Providence 54 Nassau 62 Grand Bahama 92 The Abacos 128 Andros 173 North & South Bimini 186 Eleuthera 198 Great & Litle Exuma 216 Acklins - Crooked Island 234 Berry Islands 239 Cat Island 244 Great Inagua 252 Long Island 258 San Salvador 269 Introduction he Bahamas, some 700 islands and 2,000 islets, lie scattered like Ta broken string of pearls across the northern Caribbean and offer literally thousands of opportunities for adventure. In fact, they have provided a dozen or more generations of seafarers and travelers with more adventure than many of them might ever have imagined – or wanted. From the earliest times, Spanish explorers headed west from Cadiz in search of riches and excitement. They found both – often to their det- riment. The Spanish were followed by the Portuguese, then by the English, the French, the Dutch and then by anyone else who could find a craft seaworthy enough to endure the hazardous crossing. In later years, the explorers were followed by adventurers of a differ- ent sort. Pirates, corsairs, brigands, ne’r-do-wells and privateers – all drawn by the promise of easy pickings and quick riches – flocked to the Bahamas in the thousands. Men such as the notorious Edward Teach (Blackbeard), “Calico” Jack Rakham, Henry Morgan, Major Bonnet, and nefarious women buccaneers such as Anne Bonney (Cal- ico Jack’s mistress), and Mary Reed scoured the emerald seas in search of vulnerable merchant ships carrying gold, silver and jewels. Only slightly better were the so-called privateers, Francis Drake and John Hawkins come to mind, who pillaged and plundered in the name of whatever sovereign happened to be on the throne at the time. Inhabited by Lucayan Indians, the islands were at first a haven for the tiny wooden ships, often at sea for several months, that headed westward to the New World. The Indians soon became the subject of mass exploitation and the few that didn’t die of diseases brought from Europe were enslaved by the new order of planters and adventurers. Today, the Lucayan Indians, the pirates and privateers are long gone. Today’s adventurer, while still very much an explorer, is an outdoor enthusiast, a skin diver, an angler, a sailor, a hiker, a bird watcher, a gambler or even a shopper. All are looking for something different and all manage to find it one way or another in the Bahamas. Today’s adventurer – more than 3.5 million of them come to the is- lands each year – arrives on the islands, sometimes by small boat, but more often by cruise ship or jet. Some stay for only an hour or two. Introduction