Bahamas

Most people have heard of Nassau – the Bahamas’ exciting capital where old world charm meets 21st-century glamour. Situated on the main island of New Providence, which often takes its name from the city, Nassau is the centre of the action with lavish casinos, plush hotels and duty-free shopping by the bucket load. These sit alongside pretty pastel pink Georgian buildings, a reminder of the 300 years the islands spent under British rule. Most hotels are at Cable Beach or Paradise Island – home to the ground-breaking Atlantis resort, which not only lays claim to the world’s largest outdoor aquarium but also the largest casino in the Caribbean. The Bahamas’ second city, Freeport, is on Grand Bahama Island, which has more of an American flavour with extravagant resorts, stacks of duty-free shopping, golf courses and casinos.

Get out of the city and you’ll find a quiet side to the island with national parks, pine forests, prehistoric caverns and remote, pretty fishing villages. It’s a similar story on the Out Islands – the collection of smaller, quieter outposts where rustic simplicity and quiet escapism rule the day. In many ways, they represent the true spirit of the Bahamas – and they are easy to get to, by plane or fast ferry from Nassau. One of the most popular escapes is tiny Harbour Island, close to the island of Eleuthera. This idyllic retreat, with its pink sand beaches and pretty clapboard houses, is a magnet for the celebrity set. The Exuma Islands have been blessed with some of the bluest waters in the Bahamas, while the country’s largest island, Andros, is home to the world’s third-longest barrier reef. The Abaco Islands are another popular stop for visitors and are famous for the superb waters that have made them the sailing capital of the Bahamas.

Local history

The Bahamas has a rich history of purists, piracy and patriotism. The islands were discovered by Columbus in 1492, but it was another 150 or so years before the first settlers arrived from England. During the American War of Independence 8,000 loyalists fled to the Out Islands, taking their slaves to work the cotton plantations. The islands remained under British rule until gaining independence in 1973.

Local politics

As a member of the Commonwealth, the Bahamas recognises Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Since independence it has enjoyed a period of stable rule, underpinned by one of the strongest economies in the region, helped by its strong tourist industry. On the downside, its proximity to the US made it popular in the past with drug smugglers and illegal immigrants, though the authorities have clamped down on this.