Bahamas

A spectacular draw for all green-fingered types, Garden of the Groves is rated as one of the finest botanical gardens in the Caribbean with more than 10,000 species of flowers, shrubs, trees and exotic native birds. It’s also popular with couples who flock to the old-fashioned chapel in the grounds, which is perfect for tropical weddings amid the winding paths, duck ponds and cascading waterfalls.

Phone:

+1 242 373 5668

Opening hours:

9am-4pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun

Address:

Midshipman Road & Magellan Drive, Freeport, Grand Bahama Island

This pretty 120ft red-and-white candy striped lighthouse is Hope Town’s most famous attraction and probably the most photographed lighthouse in the Bahamas. It was built in 1864 to end the local salvage and wrecking trade said to have claimed 500 Spanish galleons. It is still working today and is one of only two lighthouses in the Bahamas operated manually. It is open to visitors who can climb the 100 stairs to the top for the beautiful views.

Phone:

N/a

Opening hours:

24hrs

Address:

Hope Town, Elbow Cay, The Abacos

This is an exhilarating one-day adventure by high-speed powerboat from Nassau down to the Exuma Cays. Hold on tight and enjoy the ride as the massive engines roar into life. The first stop is Allans Cay, where you can see dragon lizards up to 4ft long. Then it’s on to a private island to snorkel pristine reefs, feed stringrays or sharks and enjoy a nature walk before tucking into a barbecue lunch. The trip costs US$190 for adults and US$120 children (2-12 years old).

Phone:

+1 242 363 1466

Opening hours:

Leave at 9am, return 5.30pm-6pm daily, weather permitting

Address:

East Bay Street, Nassau

This interactive museum is dedicated to skullduggery on the high seas when, for 30 years from 1690, notorious ruffians such as Blackbeard ruled the waves and plundered the galleons that sailed these parts. The museum gives an interesting insight into the so-called Golden Age of Piracy and contains a mock-up of the notorious pirate ship Revenge. There is also a Pirates Pub and gift shop. Oh-arr me hearties!

Phone:

+1 242 356 3759

Opening hours:

9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-12pm Sun

Address:

King & George Street, Nassau

This 40-acre national park boasts the world’s largest underwater cave system along with upland forests, rare flowers, mangrove creeks and a magnificent beach. In short, it’s an environmentalist’s dream, and it gives visitors the chance to get to grips with all six of the islands’ eco-systems. They can follow nature trails through tropical vegetation and dense mangroves or take a four-wheel drive safari over some of the rougher terrain.

Phone:

+1 242 393 1317

Opening hours:

N/a

Address:

25 miles east of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island

In 1648 British puritan settlers who fled persecution in England and Bermuda landed on this island and became known as the Eleutheran Adventurers. Today visitors can make their way through the scrub to Preacher’s Cave where they are said to have practised their religion. Further south is Glass Window Bridge, which offers spectacular views of the deep-blue Atlantic on one side and the turquoise Caribbean Sea on the other.

Phone:

N/a

Opening hours:

N/a

Address:

North Eleuthera

This 176sq mile park, which is only accessible by boat, was created in 1958 and was the first of its kind in the world. It is famous for its pristine beauty, outstanding anchorages and breath-taking marine surroundings and is also the first marine fishery reserve in the Caribbean. Take one of the many boating or kayaking trips to discover the brilliant coral reefs, exotic fish and the rare Bahamian iguana.

Phone:

+1 242 393 1317

Opening hours:

N/a

Address:

The Exumas

This is the place to meet Flipper and friends. Visitors can opt for a close encounter, where they stand in the water or swim with the dolphins to touch, kiss, dance and feed them. One of the highlights is the ‘awesome’ foot push, where a dolphin pushes you along through the water. For anyone not wanting to get wet, the activities can be observed from the dock areas.

Phone:

+1 242 363 1003

Opening hours:

Boats leave daily from Nassau at 8am, 10am, 1pm and 3pm and return from the Island approximately three hours later.

Address:

Blue Lagoon Island, near Nassau

This bustling area boasts more than 80 shops, a straw market and live entertainment. Grand Bahama Island is known for its live music, be it goombay, jazz or disco, and Count Basie Square in Port Lucaya Marketplace is the spot to dance the night away to the sounds of one of the local bands. That’s not all – there are also theme nights, Junkanoo parades, fire dancing and limbo dancing to spice things up.

Phone:

+1 242 373 8446

Opening hours:

Nightly

Address:

Port Lucaya, Freeport, Grand Bahama Island

This lively joint says it is the only ‘truly Bahamain restaurant’ and prides itself on offering traditional Bahamian fare such as cracked conch. From Thursday to Sunday evenings this is accompanied by Herbie and Da Crew playing authentic Bahamian and calypso music. Friday nights are livened up with the café’s own Junkanoo parade of colourful costumes, cow bells, whistles, horns and goat skin drums.

Phone:

+1 242 327 3373

Opening hours:

Daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Address:

Nassau Beach Hotel, Cable Beach, Nassau