The Best BeachesOld
Fort Beach (New Providence Island)--With pristine white
sands and turquoise water, this is the least developed major
beach on New Providence Island, near the relatively unpopulated
western tip of The Bahamas's most crowded island. Many of its
biggest fans are homeowners from nearby Lyford Cay, whose homes
are among the priciest in The Bahamas. The beach is least
crowded on weekdays, and windiest throughout the winter. There's
great waterskiing in summer, when waters are the calmest.
Cable Beach (New Providence
Island)--The glittering shoreline of Cable Beach has easy access
to shops, casinos, restaurants, water sports, and bars. It's a
sandy 4-mile-long strip, with a great array of facilities and
activities.
Cabbage Beach (Paradise
Island)--Think Vegas in the tropics. It seems as if most of the
sunbathers dozing on the sands here are recovering from the
previous evening's partying. It's likely to be crowded near the
megahotels, but you can find a bit more solitude on the beach's
isolated northwestern extension (Paradise Beach), which is
accessible only by boat or on foot. Lined with palms, sea
grapes, and casuarinas, the sands are broad and stretch for at
least 2 miles.
Xanadu Beach (Grand Bahama
Island)--Grand Bahama has 60 miles of sandy shoreline, but
Xanadu Beach is most convenient to Freeport's resort hotels,
several of which offer shuttle service to Xanadu. There's more
than a mile of white sand and (usually) gentle surf. Don't
expect to have Xanadu to yourself, but if you want more quiet
and privacy, try any of the beaches that stretch from Xanadu for
many miles in either direction.
Tahiti Beach (Hope Town, the
Abacos)--Since the beach is so isolated at the far end of Elbow
Cay Island, you can be sure that only a handful of people will
ever visit these cool waters and white sands. The crowds stay
away because you can't drive to Tahiti Beach: To get there,
you'll have to walk or ride a rented bike along sand and gravel
paths from Hope Town. You can also charter a boat to get there,
which isn't too hard, since the Abacos are the sailing capital
of The Bahamas.
Pink Sands Beach (Harbour
Island)--Running the entire length of the island's eastern side,
these pale pink sands stretch for 3 miles past a handful of
low-rise hotels and private villas. A coral reef protects the
shore from breakers, making for some of the safest swimming in
The Bahamas.
Ten Bay Beach (Eleuthera)--Ten
Bay Beach lies a short drive south of Palmetto Point, just north
of Savannah Sound. Once upon a time, the exclusive Cotton Bay
Club chose to build here for a good reason; there may not be any
facilities here, but since the hotel has closed, the white sands
and turquoise waters are even more idyllic and private.
Saddle Cay (the Exumas)--Most of
the Exumas are oval-shaped islands strung end to end like the
links of a 130-mile chain. One notable exception is Saddle Cay,
with a horseshoe-shaped curve near the Exumas's northern tip. It
can be reached only by boat. Once you reach it, you'll find an
unspoiled setting without a trace of the modern world and lots
of other cays and islets where you can play Robinson Crusoe for
a few hours.
Stocking Island (the Exumas)--One
of the finest white sandy beaches in The Bahamas lies off
Elizabeth Harbour, the main harbor of the archipelago, close to
the capital of George Town. A mile from the little town of
George Town, Stocking Island is easily accessible by boat from
Elizabeth Harbour. The sands of this offshore island are rarely
crowded, and snorkelers and divers love to explore its gin-clear
waters. In addition to its beach of powdery white sand, Stocking
Island is known for its "blue holes" and for its coral gardens
and undersea caves.
Cat Island's Beaches--The white
sandy beaches ringing this island are pristine, opening onto
crystal-clear waters and lined with coconut palms, palmettos,
and casuarina trees--and best of all, you'll practically have
the place to yourself. One of our favorite beaches here, near
Old Bight, has a beautiful, lazy curve of white sand. Another
fabulous beach lies 3 miles north of New Bight, site of the
Fernandez Bay Village resort. This curvy white sandy beach is
set against a backdrop of casuarinas, and is idyllic and
unusually tranquil. A final good beach is the long, sandy
stretch that opens onto Hawk's Nest Resort and Marina on the
southwestern side. None of the Cat Island beaches has any
facilities (bring anything you need from your hotel), but they
do have peace and quiet and seclusion.
Grace Bay Beach (Providenciales,
Turks and Caicos Islands)--These 12 miles of pale sands are the
pride of Provo; Conde Nast has called this one of the world's
best beaches. It's such a spectacular setting that increasing
numbers of resorts, including Club Med, have sprung up along the
shore. A couple of miles out from the northern shore, the beach
is fringed by a reef with fabulous snorkeling. Back on land,
there are plenty of places where you can rent water-sports
equipment.
The Best Dive Sites
New Providence Island--Many ships
have sunk near Nassau in the past 300 years, and all the dive
outfitters here know the most scenic wreck sites. Other
attractions are underwater gardens of elk-horn coral and dozens
of reefs brimming with underwater life. The most spectacular
dive site is the Shark Wall, 10 miles off the southwest
coast of New Providence; it's blessed with incredible, colorful
sea life and the healthiest coral offshore. You'll even get to
swim with sharks (not as bait, of course).
Grand Bahama Island--The island
is ringed with reefs, and dive sites are plentiful, including
the Wall, the Caves (site of a long-ago disaster known as Theo's
Wreck), and Treasure Reef. Other popular dive sites include Spit
City (yes, that's right), Ben Blue Hole, and the Rose Garden (no
one knows how this one got its name). What makes Grand Bahama
Island a cut above the others is the presence of a world-class
dive operator, UNEXSO (the Underwater Explorer's Society;
tel. 888/365-3483 or 242/373-1250).
Andros--Marine life abounds in
the barrier reef off the coast of Andros, which is one of the
largest in the world and a famous destination for divers. The
reef plunges 6,000 feet to a narrow drop-off known as the Tongue
of the Ocean. You can also explore mysterious blue holes, formed
when subterranean caves fill with seawater, causing their
ceilings to collapse and exposing clear, deep pools.
Bimini--Although Bimini is most
famous for its game fishing, it boasts excellent diving too.
Three miles of offshore reefs attract millions of colorful fish.
Even snorkelers can see black coral gardens, blue holes, and an
odd configuration on the sea floor that is reportedly part of
the lost continent of Atlantis (a fun legend, at any rate).
Divers can check out the wreck of a motorized yacht, the
Sapona (owned by Henry Ford), which sank in shallow waters
off the coast in 1929.
Eleuthera--In addition to lovely
coral and an array of colorful fish, divers can enjoy some
unique experiences here, such as the "Current Cut," an exciting
underwater gully that carries you on a swiftly flowing
underwater current for 10 minutes. Four wrecked ships also lie
nearby, at depths of less than 40 feet, including a barge that
was transporting the engine of a steam locomotive in 1865,
reportedly after the American Confederacy sold it to raise cash
for its war effort.
Long Island (the Southern
Bahamas)--Snorkeling is spectacular on virtually all sides of
the island. But experienced divers venturing into deeper waters
offshore can visit underwater cages to feed swarms of mako,
bull, and reef sharks. Dive sites abound, including the Arawak
"green hole," a blue hole of incomprehensible depth.
Turks and Caicos Islands--These
islands offer a rich assortment of relatively unexplored
underwater sites, including sea lanes where boaters and divers
often spot whales in April. A collection of unusual underwater
wrecks includes the HMS Endymion, which sank during a
storm in 1790. Miles of reefs house myriad kinds of colorful
marine life. Right off Grand Turk, experienced divers love the
many miles of "drop-off" diving, where the sea walls suddenly
drop into the uncharted depths of blue holes more than 7,000
feet below sea level. Along the descent, you'll see colonies of
black coral, rare forms of anemone, purple sponges, stunning
gorgonia, endless forms of coral, and thousands of fish (with
different species at different depths).
The Best Golf Courses
South Ocean Golf Course (New
Providence Island; tel. 242/362-4391)--This course,
designed by Joe Lee with four challenging water holes, is so
isolated from the congestion of Nassau that you can imagine
yourself on a remote island. The rolling terrain is hilly and
dotted with palm trees; from this relatively high elevation,
you'll enjoy views over the "Tongue of the Ocean." We think this
course is better and more demanding than the other major choice
on New Providence Island at Cable Beach.
Cable Beach Golf Course (New
Providence Island; tel. 242/327-6000)--The oldest golf
course in The Bahamas, this par-72 green was the private retreat
of British expatriates in the 1930s. Today, it's managed by a
corporate namesake of Arnold Palmer and owned by Cable Beach
casino marketers. Small ponds and water traps heighten the
challenge, amid more than 7,000 yards of well-maintained greens
and fairways. Despite these assets, however, we still prefer the
competition: the Paradise Island Golf Club and the South Ocean
Golf Course.
Paradise Island Golf Club
(Paradise Island; tel. 242/363-3925)--Dick Wilson
designed this 18-hole, par-72 course, which has completed a
renovation to upgrade its clubhouse and facilities. It's not as
challenging as the South Ocean Golf Course, but it has its own
pitfalls, including the world's largest sand trap and water
hazards (the Atlantic Ocean) on three sides. Jack Nicklaus and
Gary Player have endorsed this course. For the best panoramic
ocean view (good enough to take your mind off your game), play
the par-3 14th hole, which has been dubbed "the cocoa plum."
The Resorts at Bahamia (Grand
Bahama Island; tel. 242/350-7000)--This megaresort offers
two golf courses, Bahama's Ruby and Bahama's Emerald, both of
which are par 72, with rolling, sandy terrain. Both of these
courses were designed by Dick Wilson, but they're not as
challenging as the South Ocean Golf course.
Provo Golf Club (Turks and Caicos
Islands; tel. 649/946-5991)--Designing a course on the
arid surface of Provo was a major feat of landscape
architecture. The design features a desert-inspired mixture of
limestone and sand interspersed with greenery and relatively
narrow fairways. The course is categorized as a challenging par
72.
The Best Sailing
The Abacos--Known among yachties
for their many anchorages, sheltered coves, and plentiful marine
facilities, the Abacos are considered one of the most perfect
sailing areas in the world. You can charter boats of all shapes
and sizes for a week or longer, with or without a crew. Major
charter centers are in Marsh Harbour and Hope Town. Arrange for
rentals with The Moorings (tel. 800/535-7289 or
242/367-4000), in Marsh Harbour.
The Exumas--Every April, the
Exumas host the famed Family Island Regatta, the most popular
sailing event in The Bahamas. Elizabeth Harbour is a mecca for
yachties, who explore nearby deserted islands and cays, secluded
bays, safe anchorage harbors, and secret coves. Even in winter,
unless the weather turns unexpectedly bad (and foul weather is
usually short-lived), the seas are balmy and the temperatures
ideal. Yacht magazines praise the Exumas for having the finest
cruising areas in The Bahamas
