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6 of our best attractions
New Providence’s lineup of premier activities
The Bahamas may have a reputation as a collection of sleepy, laid-back islands, but in New Providence, nothing could be further from the truth.
You’ll find plenty of opportunities to enjoy our sun, sea and sand, but there is also a trove of special activities just waiting to be discovered.
In the following pages Welcome Bahamas introduces you to six of the most exciting attractions to enjoy while you are on holiday in Nassau, Cable Beach and Paradise Island.
Ardastra Gardens
Book now at tel 323-5806, www.ardastra.com
Take a walk on the wild side, literally, at Nassau’s Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Center–The Bahamas’ first zoo.
Located a mile west of downtown Nassau on Chippingham Rd, across from Arawak Cay on West Bay St, this 51⁄2-acre tropical retreat was first opened in 1937 as a botanical garden by Jamaican horticulturalist Hedley Edwards. The name Ardastra comes from the Jamaican Defence Force motto Ardua astrum, meaning “striving for the stars.”
In the 1950s, during a time when flamingos were hunted to near extinction in The Bahamas, the government brought flamingos to the gardens in an attempt to breed them in captivity. Although the breeding programme was unsuccessful at first (it is now and you can see baby flamingos in the flock) the birds became a star attraction after Edwards trained them to march to the commands of a “drill sergeant.” After more than 50 years, the tradition of the “world-famous marching flamingos” continues three times a day at 10:30am, 2:10pm and 4:10pm.
In 1982, a prominent Bahamian businessman, the late Norman Solomon, purchased the gardens and transformed them into a zoo.
Today, Ardastra draws thousands of visitors every year who enjoy some 200 birds, mammals and reptiles from around the world, including some from as far away as Africa and Australia, says Phillippa Whymns, Ardastra’s public relations and education manager.
Ardastra’s latest new arrivals are four coatis named Koda, Fristy, Naiz and Taia. Coatis are members of the raccoon family and are native to South and Central America and southwestern North America.
Whymns says Ardastra “has something for everyone” including a petting zoo where children can get up close to pygmy goats, rabbits, budgies and chickens.
“It’s a big hit with the kids,” she says.
Visitors can also feed the colourful and friendly lory parrots in their spacious enclosure three times daily at 11am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm.
Ardastra is open daily from 9am-5pm, last admittance is 4:15pm. It is closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Chubasco Charters
To book a charter, call 324-3474, www.chubascocharters.com
The Bahamas boasts some of the best fishing in the world, so why not get out on the water and try to hook your own catch of the day?
Nassau’s Chubasco Charters, the largest sportfishing company in The Bahamas, offers experienced and not-so-experienced anglers an opportunity to land a large fish during full- and half-day excursions, which include deep-water fishing a quarter mile off Nassau Harbour and shallow reef fishing southeast of Nassau and Paradise Island.
Chubasco’s excursions take place on board one of four sportfishing yachts ranging from a 28-ft Bertram Express to a 48-ft Hatteras, helmed by Captain Mike Russell and his crew. All boats come fully equipped with fishing tackle as well as snorkelling gear for a great day of deep-sea fishing, reef fishing, snorkelling, island picknicking or a combination of all four.
Fishing in 1,000 ft of water usually begins only 15 minutes after leaving the dock, and within four miles, guests are fishing in more than 6,000 ft of water in a body of water known as the Tongue of the Ocean. Although the types of fish available depend on the time of year, it is not uncommon to see sailfish, yellowfin and blackfin tuna, mahimahi (dolphin) and wahoo, which are prevalent around Nassau during April, May, June and July. Highly prized blue marlin and white marlin also frequent the area.
Shallow reefs, notably east and south of Nassau and Paradise Island, teem with tasty fish and are not only popular for fishing but snorkelling as well. Yellowtail snappers, mackerel and barracuda are popular catches.
You can also fish for shark, but only on full-day charter bookings.
Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas
Book now at tel 362-4171, www.stuartcove.com
For an opportunity to explore what lies beneath The Bahamas’ world-renowned crystal-clear waters, be sure to book a thrilling excursion with Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas–the country’s largest and best-known dive company.
Since 1978, Stuart Cove’s has been guiding guests beneath the waves for undersea adventures that are second to none. Whether you’re an expert or a newcomer, Stuart Cove’s has a wide range of activities suitable for everyone, even non-swimmers.
For example, Sub Bahamas enables people with no diving or snorkelling experience a chance to explore amazing reefs and schools of colourful fish without getting their hair wet in their own miniature submarine.
Divers will want to take full advantage of their scuba skills on one or more of Stuart Cove’s dozens of dives, including visits to ghostly shipwrecks, sheer-drop walls and Hollywood movie sites. Films featuring Stuart Cove’s expertise include the recent James Bond film Casino Royale and the not-so-recent Bond flick For Your Eyes Only as well as several other features including Into the Blue, Splash, Cocoon, Open Water and After the Sunset. Divers can also visit the famous Elkhorn Gardens, where the film 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea was shot.
While divers, snorkellers and mini submariners will get a thrill of a lifetime during their underwater adventure, Stuart Cove’s offers an adrenaline-inducing experience not for the faint-hearted.
The shark dive offers divers a chance to get up close to Caribbean reef sharks as they are fed by Stuart Cove’s trained shark feeders. Guests kneel on the sandy bottom as the sharks silently glide by.
A visit to The Bahamas is not complete without seeing its magical underwater world. Contact the tour desk at your hotel or call Stuart Cove’s to organize your marine adventure.
Flying Cloud
Book now at tel 394-5067, www.flyingcloud.info
If setting sail with the warm Bahamian breeze in your hair to an island with a beautiful beach sounds appealing, then a trip with Flying Cloud is a definite must-do.
Based on Paradise Island, this company offers 31⁄2-hour sailing excursions on a commodious 57 ft catamaran. Flying Cloud departs twice daily from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal at 9:30am and 2pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and at 2pm on Monday, weather permitting.
On the half-day trip, Captain Craig and his friendly crew take guests on a relaxing sail to nearby Rose Island. There you can enjoy snorkelling over a colourful shallow reef or simply bask in the sunshine on the island’s spectacular white-sand beach. Never snorkelled before? “No worries,” as they say in The Bahamas. Lessons and gear are provided as part of the trip.
Another popular sail offered by Flying Cloud is the five-hour Sunday cruise, which departs for Rose Island at 10am. Once there, guests have plenty of time for snorkelling, beach volleyball and sunbathing. Included is a delicious complimentary barbecue lunch complete with fresh fruit and unlimited rum punch.
For those celebrating a special occasion or couples who want to enjoy a romantic sunset cruise, Flying Cloud also offers a 21⁄2-hour evening cruise on picturesque Nassau Harbour, departing at 6pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Guests can enjoy free hot and cold hors d’oeuvres while watching the sunset. A cash bar is also available.
Private dinner cruises are available through charter booking only and feature a scrumptious three-course meal and a complimentary glass of wine.
Flying Cloud excursions are popular, so reservations are recommended, says operations manager Michelle Major.
“We offer a truly unforgettable experience,” she says, noting that the Flying Cloud can accommodate up to 50 people comfortably.
Book your trip today, either through your hotel tour desk or by contacting Flying Cloud directly. Round-trip transportation to and from hotels is included in the price.
Atlantis: The Dig and Aquaventure
Book now at tel 363-3000, www.atlantis.com
No one really knows for sure what became of the legendary lost city of Atlantis, or even if it existed at all. While some theorize it was sunk by an earthquake or a massive tidal wave, some suggest it rests on the ocean floor near The Bahamas. In fact, in the 1920s, American psychic Edgar Cayce predicted that the lost city would rise from its watery grave near Bimini in 1968. Although Atlantis didn’t surface, visitors have remarked on several unusual objects, including the renowned “Bimini Road”–a rock formation resembling a road that lies about six fathoms below the ocean off the coast of north Bimini.
Whatever the truth of the matter, visitors to the Atlantis mega resort can catch a glimpse of what Atlantean culture may have looked like 11,000 years ago.
Visitors to The Dig wind their way through a labyrinth of underground halls and rooms displaying a variety of fantastical Atlantean “artefacts, ruins and treasures”–as well as a vast aquarium of marine life including lobsters, groupers, moray eels, lionfish, clown fish, jellyfish, sharks and rays and a majestic manta ray. With about 50,000 sea creatures representing 200 different marine species, it is one of the largest man-made marine habitats in the world.
Follow The Dig’s cavernous maze outdoors to Aquaventure–a 141-acre waterpark featuring thrilling waterslides, giant swimming pools, a man-made lagoon and a spectacular sugar-white beach.
Highlights include the adrenaline-pumping Leap of Faith, a near vertical, 60-ft drop into a clear tunnel through a shark-filled lagoon. The Drop, The Falls, The Surge and The Abyss, as the names suggest, are also rides guaranteed to get your heart racing.
Not as intense, but equally as much fun, is the mile-long Lazy River Ride, where you can navigate your inflatable craft over rolling rapids and through water surges.
For more of a land-based activity, try your rock climbing skills at Climber’s Rush, which features 12 different climbing surfaces. Lessons are available.
Dolphin Cay at Atlantis
Book now at tel 363-3000, www.atlantis.com
For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, be sure to include Atlantis’s Dolphin Cay in your itinerary.
With 14 acres and 6.6 million gallons of seawater on site, this attraction is one of the largest man-made marine habitats and dolphin rescue/ rehabilitation centres in the world. In fact, Dolphin Cay’s first residents were 16 bottlenose dolphins rescued in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Since then, Dolphin Cay has evolved and now includes a variety of fun and educational programmes for visitors.
Always popular are the dolphin interactions, which include a shallow-water experience where you can touch, hug and kiss a dolphin in waist-deep water. More intense is the deep-water swim, where you can snorkel or use a water scooter to interact with the intelligent mammals.
For a close encounter of another kind, take part in the sea lion encounter, which puts you face to face with sleek California sea lions. Or enjoy a hands-on encounter with hundreds of stingrays in the Stingray Experience.
You can even spend a day as a marine animal trainer in the new ‘Ultimate Trainer for a Day’ programme. Participants find out first-hand what it’s like to care for Atlantis’s more than 50,000 sea animals. Guests experience customized dolphin and sea lion training sessions, feed nurse sharks and cownose stingrays and enjoy a snorkel with hundreds of tropical fish in the Seagrapes Lagoon. A behind-the-scenes tour of Atlantis’s animal hospital, as well as a private lunch with the marine specialists, is also included.
If you don’t have time for an entire day to swim with the fishes, try a programme called Snorkel the Ruins of Atlantis. In this one, you enjoy a
30-minute snorkel in the Ruins Lagoon, which is home to sharks, rays, tropical fish, sunken ruins and artefacts from the “lost city of Atlantis.”
Although Dolphin Cay’s activities are mainly water-based, guests who prefer to stay dry can do so with a beach pass, which includes unlimited access to Dolphin Cay’s private beach, complimentary non-alcoholic drinks, beach towels and use of private restrooms and showers.
Nassau on your own
There are many reasons to get out of your hotel for a day and see the sights around Nassau–and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
For example, you could start with an inexpensive horse-drawn surrey ride around the historic downtown area. Your guide will take you past the pink Parliament buildings on Parliament Square and point out the eight-sided public library on Shirley St (it was once Nassau’s jail), among other points of interest.
Or you could use the Bahamas Trailblazer Maps (they’re available free all around town) and see the sights on your own.
These include Government House with its imposing statue of Christopher Columbus overlooking downtown Nassau. Magnificent Christ Church Cathedral on George St is certainly worth seeing, too, as is The Central Bank of The Bahamas (with a gallery of Bahamian art), Balcony House (purportedly the oldest wooden structure in Nassau) and–in front of the British Colonial Hilton–the statue of Woodes Rogers. He’s the Royal Governor who kicked out the pirates who had gathered in Nassau at the turn of the 18th century.
This hotel was built on the site where a military fort stood in the 1700s. Nearby–on Charlotte St, just off Bay St–is a building that used to be the old fort’s bomb-proof gunpowder magazine. You can’t miss it, because this historic landmark is now home to Coin of the Realm, one of Nassau’s favourite jewellery stores.
Among Coin of the Realm’s treasures are historic coins from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank after wrecking on the Florida Keys, as well as Greek and Roman coins dating back to the 4th century BC, along with a treasure chest of modern jewellery.
Nearby are The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral, the oldest Roman Catholic Church–located across from each other on West Hill St. Farther afield are Fort Charlotte, crowning a hill overlooking West Bay St and Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Center just around the corner on Chippingham Rd.
There are two other forts worth seeing–Fort Fincastle on Bennett’s Hill near the Water Tower and tiny Fort Montagu, whose cannon overlook the eastern approaches to Nassau Harbour.
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6 of our best attractions
Things to do on holiday
New Providence’s lineup of premier activities
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