Wednesday, July 27, 2011

BAHAMAS

ACKLINS ISLAND
Hotels
Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn – 011-242-344-3210; greyspointbonefishinn.com; venerable lodge for anglers.

Services
Fidel Johnson – angling guide; book through Miltos Chatzipoulios at 954-369-6538.



ABACOS
Dives
Abacos Reefs – allegedly world’s 3rd coral reef; best snorkeling close to shore.



ACKLINS ISLAND
Hotels
Grey’s Point Bonefish Inn – 011-242-344-3210; greyspointbonefishinn.com; venerable lodge for anglers.

Services
Fidel Johnson – angling guide; book through Miltos Chatzipoulios at 954-369-6538.



ANDROS
Dives
Tongue of Ocean – between Andros & New Providence Islands; deep oceanic trench; U-shaped, relatively flat-bottomed trench approximately 20 miles wide by 150 miles long, with depth varying gradually from 3.6-6.6K'; only exposure to open ocean is at northern end; surrounded by numerous islands, reefs, and shoals.

Hotels
Kamalame Cay – on private island off Andros; 011-242-368-6281 or 800-790 7971; kamalame.com; designed in Indonesian style; on 95 acres; 8 octagonal ocean front villas and 4 more rooms near dock; spa.
Small Hope Bay Lodge – Fresh Creek; 242-368-2014 or 800-223-6961; smallhope.com; Andros’ premier diving and fishing resort, with beach right at doorstep; name comes from pirate Henry Morgan’s prediction (so far, accurate), who claimed there was “small hope” of anyone finding treasure he’d buried there; intimate cottage colony where tall coconut palms line lovely beach and laid-back atmosphere prevails; this place is all-inclusive, so rate includes all accommodations, meals, drinks, taxes, service charges, airport transfers, and even kayaks, windsurfers, and other boats, as well as bicycles and scuba lessons; large cabins, cooled by ceiling fans, are made of coral rock and Andros pine, and decorated with Androsia batik fabrics; for groups of 3 or more, limited number family cottages, featuring 2 separate bedrooms connected by bathroom; spacious living and dining room; food is wholesome, plentiful, and good; chef will cook your catch for you or make you picnic lunch; bar is old boat, Panacea, and drinks are offered on rambling patio built out over sea.
Tiamo – South Andros Island; 011-242-357-2489 or 800-504-1794; tiamoresorts.com; eco-resort that does not use any power except solar and no air-conditioning; nonetheless, beautiful and exciting.



BIMINI ISLANDS(North & South)
North Bimini
Dives
SS Sapona – shallow enough to snorkel.
Strip – compact, isolated reef, teeming with life; octopus and spotted moray eels.
Hotels
Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina – 699 Kings Highway (Alice Town); 011-242-347-3391 or 800-867-4764; biggameclubbimini.com/the-resort.htm.

South Bimini
Services
Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center – Bimini Sands Resort & Marina; 011-242-347-3500, 954-615-1011 (U.S. local), or 800-737-1007 (U.S. toll-free); biminisands.com or nealwatson.com; for dolphin and shark diving.
Sights & Sites
Bimini Biological faField Station – Shark Lab; 011-242-347-4538; www6.miami.edu/sharklab/; arrange tour.



CAT ISLAND
Hotels
Hawk’s Nest Resort & Marina – Devil’s Point; 242-342-7050 or 800-688-4752; hawks-nest.com.

Restaurants
Da Smoke Pot – Arthur’s Town; 011-242-354-2077; for sweet & sour conch, ribs, and live music.

Services
Stuart’s Cove Dive Bahamas – Devil’s Point (at Hawk’s Nest Resort & Marina); 954-524-5755 (US only) or 800-879-9832 (US & Canada only); stuartcove.com/DiveBahamasMgmt.aspx?id=2&pageId=281; arranges trips April-May to see Oceanic Whitetip sharks.



ELEUTHERA
Restaurants
Angela’s Starfish Restaurant – Dunmore (Dunmore Town, at Nesbit); 011-242-333-2253; not elegant; great beach food.
Avery’s Restaurant & Grill – Colebrook Street (Dunmore Town); 011-242-333-3126; breakfast.
Daddy Joe’s – Queens Highway North (1 mile south of Glass Window Bridge); 011-242-335-5688; facebook.com/pages/DADDY-JOES-ELEUTHERA/77853052176; best food.
Ma Ruby’s – Tingum Village (Dunmore Town); 011-242-333-2161; excellent cheeseburgers.
Mate & Jenny’s – South Palmetto Point; 011-242-332-1504; the-bahamas-restaurants.com/matejen; conch pizza.

Sights & Sites
Queen’s Baths – just south of Glass Window (look for sawed-off pine tree stump row on Atlantic side); eleuthera.com/queens.html; natural stone pools.



EXUMA
Hotels
Musha Cay – 877-889-1100; 5 beachfront villas on 700 acres, 40 private beaches, and 11 islands; owned by David Copperfield.

Restaurants
KB’s Chat ’N’ Chill – Stocking Island; 011-242-336-2700; chatnchill.com; make sure to go on Sunday afternoon for pig roast.
Poor Man Kitchen – Fish Fry (Great Exuma, north of Georgetown); 011-242-336-3469; ww.facebook.com/pages/Poor-Man-Kitchen/273339044718; draws locals.



GRAND BAHAMA
Dives
Picasso’s Gallery – dolphin dives.
Sea Star – wreck cruised by Caribbean reef sharks and loggerhead turtle.
Tiger Beach – about 20 miles off West End; formerly known as “Dry Bar”; bountiful shark-diving spot (Caribbean reef, lemon, and tiger sharks).

Freeport.
Restaurants
Da Bus Stop – Smiths Point; 011-242-373-4787; for local favorites, such as barbecued chicken and whole snapper with escovitch (hot vinegar sauce).
Services
Stuart Cove’s Tiger Beach Safaris – Old Bahama Bay (West End Settlement); 011-242-350-6500 or 954-462-3400 (Florida Booking Number); stuartcovestigerbeach.com.
UNEXSO Dolphin Diving – UNEXSO Building (Port Lucaya Marina); 011-242-373-1244 or 800-992-3483; unexso.com; special trips to see Caribbean reef sharks.
Shopping
Port Lucaya Marketplace – Sea Horse Road (on Bell Channel Bay); 011-242-373-8446 or 011-242-373-9090; portlucayamarketplace.com; colorful jumble restaurants and shops.



HARBOUR ISLAND
Bars & Nightclubs
Blu Bungalow – King & Murray Streets (opposite hardware store); 011-242-436-8527; facebook.com/pages/Blu-Bungalow-Harbour-Island/114187372001506; bespoke cocktails and excellent nibbles.
Blue Bar – Chapel Street (Dunmore Town, at Pink Sands); 011-242-333-2030; islandoutpost.com; sit beneath umbrellas.

Hotels
Dunmore Beach Club – Colebrook Lane; 011-242-333-2200; dunmore.com; classic Old Bahamian-style hotel evokes 1940s private club in tropics; colorfully painted bar, white Chippendale-chaired dining room, and faded paperbacks in library; guest-to-staff ratio of almost 1-to-1 services 8 private cottages scattered throughout grounds, done in traditional floral chintz and wicker, with spacious marble bathrooms that have separate sink-vanity areas and stand-alone showers; on beach, ocean-side bar service, spacious bathrooms, private terraces and lawn chairs for every cottage; slightly stuffy atmosphere.
Landing – Bay Street; 011-242-333-2707 or 011-242-333-2740; harbourislandlanding.com.
Rock House – at Bay and Hill Streets; 011-242-333-2053; rockhousebahamas.com; debuted in 1940s but recently renovated; 10 rooms.
Pink Sands – Chapel Street (Dunmore Town); 011-242-333-2030; islandoutpost.com; 20-acre Harbour Island property; perched over pink sand beach; cottages on beach; waterfront food.

Restaurants
Arthur’s Bakery – Crown & Dunmore Streets (Dunmore Town); 011-242-333-2285; bread and pastries baked every morning by White Shadow screenwriter Robert Arthur and his Trinidadian wife Anna; quiet garden nook where take morning brew with apple turnover, banana pancakes, or any of daily breakfast offerings; computers with Internet access are also available for fee.
Blue Bar – Chapel Street (Dunmore Town, at Pink Sands); 011-242-333-2030; islandoutpost.com; Cobb salad, conch fritters, etc.
Landing – Bay Street; 011-242-333-2707; harbourislandlanding.com; book veranda table for Sunday brunch.
Rock House – at Bay and Hill Streets; 011-242-333-2053; rockhousebahamas.com; debuted in 1940s but recently renovated; small menu with exquisite food; ask if any Red Velvet cake.
Sip Sip – Court Street; 011-242-333-3316; only open for lunch but excellent; on ridge overlooking beach.

Shopping
Blue Rooster – Dunmore Street; 011-242-333-2240; sexy dresses and swimwear.
Miss Mae’s – Dunmore Street; 011-242-333-2002; handmade, linen women’s clothing.
Princess Street Gallery – Princess Street; 011-242-333-2788; harbourislandgallery.com.



LONG ISLAND
Dives
Dean’s Blue Hole – west off Clarence Town; Bahamas’ deepest “blue-hole,” at 600'; world’s deepest underwater “sinkhole.”

Sights & Sites
Adderley’s Plantation Ruins – off Cape Santa Maria, towards Gray’s (island’s north end, just north of Stella Maris Resort).



NEW PROVIDENCE (includes Nassau & Paradise Island(
Bars
Tropical Daiquiris – West Bay Road (few miles west of Cable Beach); sequined masks and costumes from Bahamas’ favorite annual festival, Junkanoo, decorate outdoor, small, wooden bar under “Tropical Daiquiris” sign; proprietor Andy Jones plays Bahamian music through speakers and powers blenders with generator tucked into nearby cave; churns out delicious and potent daiquiris; fresh fruit (melon, papaya, strawberries) meet Bahamian Fire in de Hole rum for sherbet-orange color concoction as sun sinks into ocean across street.

Beaches
Cabbage Beach – Paradise Island (North side); near Atlantis Hotel but more beautiful.

Dives
James Bond Wreck – relive Sean Connery’s adventures as 007 during movies Thunderball and Never Say Never Again.
MV Comerbach – upright wreck.
Ray of Hope – wreck with lots of sharks.
Runway – as many as 50 Caribbean reef sharks can show up for feeds here; also, curious and diver-friendly grouper.
Split Coral Head Reef.
Willaurie – sunken mailboat.

Hotels
Junkanoo Beach Resort – West Bay & Nassau Street (Nassau); 011-242-322-1515; nassaujunkanooresort.com; across street from gorgeous beach; affordable and has wi-fi.
Coral Harbour Beach Villas – Coral Harbour Road (Nassau); 011-242-362-2210; on beach about 10 minutes from airport; affordable.
One&Only Ocean Club – Paradise Island; 011-242-363-2501; oneandonlyresorts.com; gardens modeled on Versailles; beautiful with excellent food.
Orange Hill Beach Inn – West Bay Street (Nassau); 011-242-327-7157; orangehill.com; popular with anglers; on island’s north side; affordable.

Restaurants
Andros Fish Fry – West Bay Street (Arawak Cay, Chippingham); 011-242-302-2000; nassauparadiseisland.com/what-to-do/unique-tours-activities/arawak-cay-the-fish-fry/; amid gathering of small stands & shacks where cooks prepare authentic homemade Bahamian cuisine.
Cafe Matisse – Bank Lane; 011-242-356-7012; cafe-matisse.com; excellent Italian restaurant with mysteriously French name; in pale ochre century-old house cleverly hidden in plain sight, on street behind Parliament building just 2 blocks from cruise port; try to sit in shade on lovely dining patio under flowering plants & palms.
Charlie’s Place – Fowler Street (Nassau, at Nassau Stadium, off East Bay Street); 011-242-394-0300; caribya.com/nassau/charlies.place/; old professional boxing ring turned cafe, where finest eggs and johnnycakes found; also, try “cracked chicken.”
D Waters Cafe, Restaurant & Lounge – ; 1242-356-0038; facebook.com/pages/D-Waters-Cafe/228396617315654; authentic Bahamian food (maybe best on island) in sit-down restaurant.
Drifters Restaurant – Arawak Cay (Nassau); 011-242-328-7044; for fresh conch salad.
Graycliff Hotel Restaurant – 8-12 West Hill Street (Nassau); 011-242-302-9150; graycliff.com; they will make cigars for you after dinner.
Oh Andros – off West Bay Street (Arawak Cay, Chippingham); 011-242-326-7115; facebook.com/pages/Oh-Andros/227148803978538; part of Fish Fry (food shack & restaurant collection on Arawak Cay); wood-paneled dining room filled with wooden booths & tables topped with colorful placemats in fish shapes; few brightly painted picnic tables out front; locals’ favorite features grouper, lobster & other seafood, as well as fried rice, burgers & steaks; conch in several preparations, including fritters, chowder & salad; wash it all down with Switcha, Bahamian limeade brand.
Poop Deck – East Bay Street; 011-242-393-8175; thepoopdeck.com; casual seafood on deck overlooking yachts in harbor.

Services
Carib Dancer – 209 Hudson Trace (Augusta, Georgia); 706-993-2531 or 800-348-2628; aggressor.com/bahamas.php; live-aboard dive accommodations that are luxurious and perfect for dive vacations.
Safari Seaplanes – Nassau; 011-242-393-2522; safariseaplanes.com; charter plane for easy island hopping; worth rates.
Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas – 3700 Hacienda Boulevard, Suite G; 011-954-524-5755 or 800-879-9832; stuartcove.com.



SAN SALVADOR ISLAND
Hotels
Guanahani – Sunrise Road (Snow Bay); guanahanibeachclub.com/san-salvador-bahamas-travel.html.

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