Adventure Guide to the Bahamas

393 Pages·2003·3.771 MB·English

by  Blair Howard

3rd Edition
Blair Howard
HUNTERPUBLISHING,INC.
130CampusDrive,EdisonNJ08818
732-225-1900,800-255-0343,fax[phone]
[email protected]
4176Saint-Denis,Montréal,Québec
CanadaH2W2M5
514-843-9447;fax[phone];[email protected]
TheBoundary,WheatleyRoad,Garsington
Oxford,OX449EJEngland
01865-361122;fax[phone]
[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