Many tourists visiting The Bahamas get all the activity they crave flipping over to re-apply sunblock, shopping the length and breadth of Bay St, or pulling the handle on a slot machine. But if it's true action, adventure and exploration you seek to make your vacation in paradise complete, Nassau's got something for every thrill seeker.
Ever since the television show Flipper hit the screen back in the early 1960's, humans have developed a fascination with dolphins. Few ever have an opportunity to satisfy their curiosity about these water-bound mammals, except, of course, those who participate in the up-close-and-personal Dolphin Encounter.
Shake fins and rub noses
Located on nearby Blue Lagoon Island, Dolphin Encounters is home to 16 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shake fins and rub noses with the mammals.
You can participate in one of two programmes - the Swim with Dolphins, or the Close Encounter.
The 30-minute Swim with Dolphins programme is limited to 10 people at a time, guaranteeing lots of one-on-one interaction with the animals. After you arrive at Blue Lagoon Island, just a 20-minute catamaran ride from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, you'll go through an informative educational lecture and orientation, and then it's right into the water to play with one or more of the specially trained bottlenose dolphins.
Imagine petting, feeding, hugging and kissing a dolphin. Or better yet, imagine dancing with one, instructing one to jump up out of the water and high over your head, or even being pushed by a dolphin across the water.
Toby, a teenager visiting from Toronto, Canada, said his swim with the dolphins was by far the highlight of his vacation.
"It's amazing how friendly they are. They look at you and it's as if they always have a smile on their face so you just want to reach out and get to know more about them. This was so great. Nothing else I've ever done can compare," he said.
If the Swim with Dolphins programme sounds a bit too intense, sign up for the Close Encounter. In this programme, you'll kneel on a shallow underwater platform, and the dolphins swim right up to you for a stroke or a bite to eat.
Because numbers are limited to guarantee one-on-one interaction, Dolphin Encounters strongly recommends you call ahead to secure a space.
Vacuum cleaner feeding
Dolphins aren't the only sea creatures you can get to know on your Bahamas vacation. Blue Lagoon Island is also the site of Stingray City, an interactive three-acre marine park located in the shallow waters off the west end of the island. In this tropical oasis you have the opportunity to swim with, touch, feed and photograph Southern Atlantic Stingrays (Dasyatis americana) in their natural habitat.
Feeding one of these graceful creatures is a unique experience. Hold a fish or squid between your index and middle finger, place your hand, palm down on the sandy bottom and the stingray, whose eyes are actually located on top of its head, will sense the food, glide gracefully over your hand and suck it up into its mouth. It feels like a light vacuum cleaner sucking up the fish.
Blue Lagoon Island is also a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy Nassau. This private island is packed with amenities, including gift shops, a restaurant, freshwater showers and live entertainment. Grab one of the many hammocks scattered throughout the island to just relax under a coconut tree, snorkel through the protected lagoon, take a historic nature walk, or ride a kayak, paddleboat, OBI board or aqua bike. Blue Lagoon also has volleyball courts, basketball, table tennis and sandy white beaches for walks to work off your vacation dining.
Simply magnificent
Island World Adventures offers one of the most memorable excursions out of Nassau and Paradise Island - a full day (9am to 5pm) of sun, sea and sand on Saddleback Cay, a private island in the Exuma chain, about 40 miles south-east of New Providence.
"Simply magnificent," say Javier Avila and his son Juan, recent visitors from Pachuca, Mexico. The two were particularly impressed by the "very fast ride" from the Ferry Terminal on Paradise Island.
Once clear of the harbour, the captain throttles up to cruising speed for a trip across the shallow Great Bahama Bank. If you want water, juice or an ice-cold beer on the trip, by the way, just ask. And keep your camera handy; dolphins are frequently spotted in these shallow waters. About an hour later, your boat banks past a picture book beach, one of seven on Saddleback Cay, and glides gently to the dock.
Hostess Mary McEwen will have breakfast waiting: fruit, pastries and beverages and the bar is open from the moment guests arrive. Later, there's a scrumptious lunch of Bahamian fare, enjoyed alfresco on multi-level dining decks.
Perhaps you'll simply want to relax on the beach and swim in the crystal clear waters. If not, there's lots to do. Island World Adventures offers a snorkelling trip to a nearby reef, a nature and history walk, a visit to a stunning sandbar, and opportunities to feed topical fish, including sleek needle-nosed houndfish and a couple of handsome lemon sharks. On the trip back, guests stop to observe and feed grapes to dozens of prehistoric looking iguanas on Leaf Cay.
"This trip was definitely the highlight of our visit to The Bahamas," said Canadian visitors Alexis and Olivier Hill from Ottawa.
Underwater sightseeing
You'll probably never move fast enough to touch them with your bare hands, but you are sure to see hundreds of Bahamian fish when you go on one of the snorkelling trips offered by the Flying Cloud.
If you want to get away, but don't have a full day to spend, the Flying Cloud offers half-day swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing excursions to Rose Island, with sandy white beaches and a coast lined with fabulous coral reefs, perfect for underwater sightseeing.
Captain Craig and his crew specialize in making you feel at home on-board the 57-ft catamaran.
There's something magical about cruising through the turquoise waters at high speed, soaking up the sunshine and listening to the waves splash along the side.
Once you reach your destination, you're provided with snorkelling equipment, and lessons if needed, and are led through some of the most magnificent underwater sites you can experience without diving gear.
On Sundays, join the crew for a full day of snorkelling, sunbathing, eating and drinking on Rose Island. The barbecued ribs and chicken, peas 'n rice and fresh fruit as well as their famous rum punch will hit the spot after snorkelling.
Tiny dinosaurs
Nassau may be the capital of The Bahamas, but there's much more to see and do in this archipelago of 700 islands and cays.
Always looking for new and exciting ways to show off the splendour of the Exuma Cays, Powerboat Adventures offers an exhilarating adventure, which finds you racing Miami Vice-style across the crystal-clear ocean to private islands in the Exuma chain.
First stop is Allan's Cay, home to Bahamian iguanas. These harmless reptiles, resembling tiny dinosaurs, come racing out of the low-lying scrub in hopes of picking up their favourite treat - a handful of grapes.
Afterwards, it's just a quick hop over to Ship Channel Cay, a private island where you'll spend the day. The level of adventure is entirely up to you on this excursion. Feed sharks and stingrays, natural to the habitat, lie on the beach and do absolutely nothing, "drift" snorkel in a bay with a strong current that pushes you from one end to the other, or join one of the friendly island hosts on a nature hike. The tour is filled with real Bahamian history as well as special insights into island lore.
All this activity creates a serious appetite, so the crew provides a delectable lunch of fresh catch of the day, grilled steak and freshly made salads and sides. The complimentary bar stays open all day, too.
Luxury tents
If reality television shows such as Survivor have you seeking some real island adventure, sign up for Powerboat Adventures' overnight Marine Reserve Tent Safari. At the end of your day of fun, you'll stand on the beach and wave goodbye as everyone else takes the 55-minute trip back to Nassau. You, on the other hand, will stay to enjoy an amazing sunset, dinner, and an evening under the stars while you relax by a campfire before retiring to your tent.
But don't think you're really going to be roughing it. These tents, raised on wooden platforms with decks overlooking the ocean, are air-conditioned, have hardwood floors, king-sized beds and a bathroom and shower en suite.
The following morning, you're free to get up early to experience a beautiful Bahamas sunrise, or sleep in until breakfast. You'll spend another exciting day on your deserted private island before returning to Nassau.
Space on both excursions is limited and subject to weather conditions, so book early.
Catamaran trips
For a combination of exhilarating catamaran sailing and snorkelling over pristine Bahamian reefs, call Seahorse Sailing Adventures.
Half-day trips depart from the Marina at Atlantis at 9am and 1pm. Your ticket includes a fast trip aboard a state-of-the-art sailing catamaran, snorkelling equipment and instruction if you need it, plus a complimentary drink on the way back.
The catamaran takes you to a thriving reef just off Rose Island. You'll be amazed by the colourful corals and fish. This is some of the best snorkelling in the area so get yourself a disposable waterproof camera to record the adventure.
Seahorse catamarans are also available for romantic sunset cruises and private charters, but they are very popular so call ahead.
If you prefer a motor to a sail, try Sea Island Adventures' Fiesta II for a scenic cruise to a private beach on Rose Island. The powered catamaran leaves Nassau Yacht Haven at 10am every day except Monday.
Once on Rose Island, you can swim, play beach games, explore or just kick back and relax on a beautiful beach.
Snorkelling equipment, paddle boats and kayaks are yours to enjoy at no cost. And when you've built up an appetite, enjoy a tropical barbecue lunch buffet with salads and white wine or fruit punch.
There's a cash bar on the boat and another one on the island, along with a gift and souvenir shop.
The company also offers a Historical Bahamas Cruise. This is a fascinating and carefully researched account of Bahamian history, narrated on a boat ride through Nassau Harbour.
Blue holes, caves, wrecks
Every year, thousands come to The Bahamas to dive in pristine clear waters. The Bahamas offers a wide variety of diving experiences unlike any other place in the world. Not only does it boast the second-longest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere, but the abundance of blue holes, walls, caves and shipwrecks makes it a haven for beginners and experienced divers alike.
Take the plunge into this mystical underwater world with the experienced crews at Nassau Scuba Centre, Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas, Bahama Divers and Divers Haven. All four companies offer dives suitable for novice or experienced divers - from wall dives that drop off from 35 ft to nearly 11?2 miles, to wreck dives on the southwest side of Nassau, including a small plane, patrol boats and two new freighters. The dive companies also offer scheduled trips to a great selection of shallow reefs teeming with life - coral, sea fans and schools of fish.
Nassau Scuba Centre is a PADI five-star instructor development centre with experienced instructors on staff. The centre offers complete training from scuba diver through instructor and offers more than 20 speciality courses.
Even if you're only visiting the Bahamas for a week, you can get your PADI Scuba Diver or PADI Open Water Diver certification through the home study programme.
Nassau Scuba Centre will send you an information package with video tape before your vacation begins. Study at home, and then schedule up to three days at the centre to complete your certification course.
Bahama Divers is the only dive centre to take you to the famous Lost Blue Hole, a 200-ft wide natural opening in the ocean floor, starting at 30 ft and descending to 200 ft. You'll encounter schools of large ocean fish while diving to a depth of 80 ft in this natural hole in the ocean floor.
Dives for every level
Underwater adventurers can dive on the wall along the Tongue of the Ocean, for an experience unlike any other. It's like swimming off a cliff.
Although these dives are offered to experienced divers only, Bahama Divers does offer a learn-to-dive course that will have you underwater in a day. The course includes a 90-minute pool lesson, rental of all the equipment you'll need and an escorted shallow afternoon reef dive.
Divers Haven, in the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, offers trips to all the best diving and snorkelling spots, suitable for all levels of experience. The company also offers full certification courses and introductory courses for those who aren't sure whether they want to do the full course, or don't have time for the training.
Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas has earned a worldwide reputation as one of the best diving operations anywhere. Opened in 1978, the centre now has a fleet of dive boats and offers dives at sites suitable for all levels, from beginner all the way up to expert, including four new shipwrecks the company helped place.
In addition to wall dives, and dives on some of the most amazing Bahamian coral reefs, Stuart Cove's boasts two unique and exciting adventure dives: shark feeding and wall flying.
Swarming sharks
The Shark Adventure programme is a two-tank trip taking divers on an exhilarating underwater encounter with Caribbean reef sharks. On the first dive participants enjoy a free swim with the sharks along a beautiful wall. On the second, the group kneels on the bottom in a semi-circle and divers watch while a professional shark feeder enters the water with a box of bait. The feeder pulls the bait fish out of the box, a little at a time, and the sharks circle in, taking turns at the bait in a quick but surprisingly organized fashion. While the feeding takes place, the circling sharks seem to swarm the divers, who kneel motionless in silent amazement.
Nassau Scuba Centre also offers the spectacular shark feeding dive, as well as a Shark Suit Adventure in which the diver dons a chain mail suit and does the actual feeding.
Stuart Cove's Wall Flying adventure is another exciting opportunity for experienced divers looking for something out of the ordinary. In this programme divers explore the wall at a speed of about 21?2 knots, using underwater scooters. During a typical Wall Fly, divers travel up to two miles underwater, while the dive boat follows the bubbles to be there when the adventure-seekers surface.
Options for non-divers
If you're not a certified diver, Stuart Cove's offers other ways to explore the magic of the depths. Snorkellers can explore reefs, shipwrecks and watch shark feeding from above, all on the same trip.
The newest underwater activity at Stuart Cove's ensures that visitors who cannot dive, or even swim, can still enjoy the spectacular underwater world. A SUB (scenic underwater bubble) looks something like a motorbike with a bubble on top. You sit on the bike and fresh air is supplied by an onboard scuba tank. You can pilot your personal propulsion unit around a magnificent coral reef just 20 feet under the surface.
New Providence and Paradise Island offer so many experiences, excursions and adventures that you simply cannot do nothing... unless, of course, that's exactly what you want to do.
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