outside Nassau, Nassau

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This place isn't recommended for cruise passengers just making a quick stop in Nassau, but for those who are staying for some time and/or happen to come to the area west of Cable Beach, The Caves are a small oddity worth seeing: they won't set you back more than five minutes... unless you stop to have a fruit smoothie at the stand just outside. :)

According to a plaque placed near the entrance, this could actually be a significant historic site. Indeed, it is said that The Caves were inhabited by the Arawak Indians, the original settlers of the Bahamas, and pirates would have hidden here later on. It is also said that fruit bats live in the caves, but neither we nor another couple of tourists who were there at the same time as us could see any.

There is a cool seashell chair outside The Caves that you can have fun taking your picture in. Across the street there is the relatively empty Caves Beach. Bus #10 makes a stop at The Caves.

Sandyport Beach is just off of the beaten path. You could almost say it is adjacent to the beaten path because it is just about the first beach you come to after passing the resorts and hotels (Sandals, etc.) heading West on Bay Street. If you get to Nassau (New Providence Island) by cruise ship, then you will have to take a bus (jitney) or taxi to get to this beach. The bus was very easy to find when I went to Nassau on a Carnival cruise. You just take the #10 bus out past Cable Beach and Sandyport Beach will be 7 miles down on the right side of the road. I just asked a local guy to point me in the direction of the #10 bus and he did. It only takes about 10-15 minutes by jitney to get there. It is very easy to spot, because there is a stone wall and archway which is the entrance to the beach. The name of the beach is over the archway. The very cool thing about this beach is that there is a small reef about 10-15 feet from the shore. The water over the reef is about 6-10 feet deep which is perfect for beginners or just someone that wants to be able to choose between swimming on a beach and snorkelling over a reef. The other very cool thing about this beach is that (at least when I went) there is practically no one there! The only people I saw there were a family way off down the beach, and they left after a while, leaving the beach empty except for my husband and me. There is even a small restaurant just west of the beach if you get hungry. The only thing that might hinder your usage of this beach is that I think that weddings are sometimes hosted there. (but hey have you ever seen the movie Wedding Crashers? LOL just kidding of course) ;)

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Dunmore Town lies on Harbour Island which is 2 miles off the mainland of Eleuthera and 60 miles east of Nassau. The town is named after Lord Dunmore who was Governor between 1786-1797 and is the only settlement on Harbour Island.

The town features beautiful quaint colonial cottages along the towns harbour called Bay St and the oldest church in the Bahamas dating from 1768. The pace of life is very laid back with cars being out numbered by electric golf carts which are available to hire. But the most famous thing about Harbour Island is it's 3 mile long pink sand beach which runs down the entire eastern side of the island. The pink sand really has to be seen to be believed.

Both Dunmore Town and Harbour Island are easy to get to from Nassau on the daily fast ferry service which makes them an ideal day trip. The ferry leaves Potter's Cay underneath the Paradise Island entrance brdige. See my Dunmore Town page below for my info.

This place is awesome, and not as touristy as Blue Lagoon Island. I had not seen pink sand until I saw the Beach here on the North end of the island. I have not stayed here, but took a catamaran for a day trip. I listed a link below for ferry info. This place is very laid back, no nightlife here, but, its a nice break from civilization.

Caroline Wardle runs birding, and biking tours out of Coral Harbour. She used to (and may still) also run kayaking trips. Some trips are:

BAHAMAS BIRDING OR NATURE TOURS
Half day on New Providence or Paradise Island, starting at your hotel at 7 am or later until around noon. Included are use of binoculars, spotting scope, field guides and refreshments for the morning. Experts and novices - all welcome

$59 per person, minimum 2, or $100 for one person, 6 persons maximum. Advance booking required for all tours.

FULL DAY until 4 pm, $99 per person minimum 2, or $150 for one person.

HALF-DAY OFF-ROAD BICYCLING TOURS are the same price as the birding tours. A guided tour of shady woodland trails, open forest, the seashore and mangrove creeks, visit the historic village of Adelaide. Choose a relaxed, easy ride or a longer route. Also offered are more challenging rides for the seasoned cyclist.

MULTI-DAY BIRDING TRIPS TO THE FAMILY ISLANDS From November to May, multi day birding trips to Andros, Eleuthera, Cat Island, San Salvador, Crooked and Acklins Islands and Great Inagua. These tours may be from one to six days in duration. Maximum number of people is six, no minimum.

For the multiday trips, she will pick up at the airport, and you can stay at her house when you arrive. When we were there, she was gone on a trip to Andros with one person.

We also hopped a bus out to some remote ends of the island. It was the best way to see areas that the cruise passengers weren't going, since we didn't have too much interest in shopping....