Big helping of holiday fun
WTDFJul09_Feature_HolidayFun
Big helping of holiday fun
Parks, tours, dives, shopping…
There’s a lot more to a vacation in The Bahamas than sun, sea and sand, although Grand Bahama island offers these essential three in generous portions.
The beaches defy description, always looking as though they’ve never been walked on before. There are miles of them on the south side of the island, from West End to McLean’s Town, all easily accessible. (Find these towns easily on Bahamas Trailblazer Maps, available free at locations throughout Freeport and Lucaya.)
As for the sea, you can travel the world over, but you’ll not find clearer or more colourful waters than those around Grand Bahama. Nor will you find healthier corals or more abundant marine life.
One good way to enjoy all this abundance is with Reef Tours—the oldest excursion company in the northern Bahamas and a one-stop-shop for almost every water-based activity you can think of.
If you’re a snorkeller, for example, Reef Tours will take you on one of their 11⁄2-hour tours (they leave several times throughout the day—check out the Activities list on pg 39) from the company’s private docks bayside at Port Lucaya Marketplace.
But that’s just the beginning. This tour operator offers excursions to nearby coral reefs on a glass-bottom boat; charters for deep-sea and drift fishing; and relaxed sailing tours, including a romantic evening sail. You can even rent a boat from Reef Tours and explore Grand Bahama’s beauty spots on your own.
Many options
If you’ve just arrived for a one- or two-week holiday, you’ll doubtless have a wonderful time. But there’s no way you’ll be able to see and do everything there is to see and do in one vacation.
Scuba diving, snorkelling, sunbathing, golf, tennis, kayaking, boat excursions, nature tours, horseback riding on a beach and even an afternoon or evening of inexpensive bowling on first-class lanes—if you’re bored on Grand Bahama … well, you’re just not trying.
If bowling is your passion, by the way, check out the world-class lanes at Water World Bowling & Recreation Center on East Sunrise Highway.
Contact Trikk Pony Adventures for a horseback ride in the water along a beautiful beach—no experience necessary.
Visit Paradise Cove Beach Resort where you can paddle a glass-bottom kayak or snorkel over nearby Deadman’s Reef.
Sand Dollar Catamaran Cruises will take you on a three-hour sailing excursion to lovely Treasure Reef where you can snorkel, sunbathe, swim and relax in the shade.
National Parks
Ecotourism is a major draw in The Bahamas today, with thousands of visitors travelling to see the country’s stunning national parks. Grand Bahama is home to three very different parks.
At only 1.5 acres, Peterson Cay (pronounced “key”) is the smallest preserve in the system, and one of the most heavily used. It’s a popular day-trip destination for Bahamians and visitors alike, with a lovely beach and fascinating snorkelling over pristine corals.
Grand Bahamas Nature Tours has been taking groups to Peterson Cay on combined kayaking and snorkelling expeditions for more than 12 years. After a one-mile paddle, kayakers circumnavigate the island before stopping to snorkel with the assistance of expert local guides.
Nature Tours also has kayaking and guided jeep tours of Lucayan National Park and the tranquil Garden of the Groves in Freeport.
The Rand Nature Centre in Freeport is a 100-acre sanctuary named for a renowned philanthropist, the late James H Rand. It’s a splendid way to spend an afternoon along the charming nature trail that winds through the park. Operated by the Bahamas National Trust, this is a premier spot for birdwatching with scores of species on display.
Lucayan National Park, which can be accessed from the Grand Bahama Highway, is a 40-acre wonderland of wetlands, caves and underwater caverns formed during the last ice age. At six miles and counting, one of these is thought to be the longest underwater cave system in the world.
There are miles of raised boardwalks through the park, offering insights into Grand Bahama’s wetlands—important nurseries for the island’s marine life, and protected nesting and roosting sites for birds.
Scary dives
If you’re a dedicated snorkeller or diver, you’re in the portals of paradise.
Diving on sharks or watching them being hand fed are two options for the stout of heart (it’s really quite safe, say dive masters at UNEXSO).
Another is swimming in the open sea with a pod of free-ranging dolphins. This is a very special excursion offered by UNEXSO because Grand Bahama is one of the few places on Earth where you can swim with these intelligent mammals in their own environment.
For serious divers, there are wrecks and reefs to explore and, for the especially brave, a night dive when many fish not seen during the day emerge from their hiding places to swim through the beams from your underwater lamp.
Shopping adventures
Shopping can be an adventure in Grand Bahama, too, and many visitors travel here expressly for that purpose. Savvy shoppers can save up to 30 per cent and more for some items and there are no state or local taxes here. The price on the sticker is the price you pay.
Whether you visit the smart shops downtown, in Our Lucaya, the Port Lucaya Marketplace or in the International Bazaar, you’ll find everything from authentic Bahamian straw work and inexpensive souvenirs to top-of-the-line luxury items.
The world’s most prestigious designer names can be found here, including jewellery by David Yurman, Carlo Milano and Chopard; perfumes by MDCI; crystal by Lalique; and fashions by Versace—to name only a few of dozens.
Grand Bahama is also the perfect place to buy a keepsake watch. There are timepieces from the most respected names in the business—Rolex, Tag Heuer, Cartier, Corum, Chopard, Carlo Milano, Omega and Breitling, to name only a few. There’s much more, of course, from art and collectables to leather goods and linens.
Catching some rays on a peerless beach, visiting a national park, diving or snorkelling in warm, crystal-clear waters or picking up a duty-free bargain in a smart shop—these are only a few of the choices available to vacationers in Grand Bahama.
Enjoy!
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