WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JAN 2006 EDITION
There’s a lot to see in this little country. At 5,400 sq mi, The Bahamas is about the same size as the state of Connecticut, but it’s spread out over 100,000 sq mi of crystal clear ocean.
All this water is a highway to one or another of the 700 larger islands that make up the archipelago – some hundreds of miles away, others within a few minutes from Nassau and Paradise Island by boat.
Thanks to Nassau’s experienced tour operators, you can spend anywhere from an hour to a day on these lovely isles, and you’ll be delighted if you do. New Providence has much to offer, but there is something special about a deserted talc beach – especially if somebody is providing a tasty meal and a drink while you’re there.
So you don’t have to change hotels to see something of the “other” Bahamas. Take a day trip on a fast powerboat or a leisurely sail on a catamaran and return to your hotel by lunch or supper time.
Trips for everyone
Picking the right trip is easy, as long as you know what you want, say Kayla Thompson and Dorothy Wallace, sales agents for Majestic Tours. They like to talk to the visitor and “find out what they like, and want to see or do” before making a recommendation. After that, they suggest a trip that matches up with the person’s interests and budget.
Guests appreciate the effort. “I have people coming up to me all the time and saying, ‘Wow, that was lots of fun.’” says Thompson. The only complaint she hears is: “I wish I’d taken my camera.”
High on the list of favourites is a fast boat trip to a cay in the Exuma chain offered by Island World Adventures. On this trip you can be as active or as lazy as you like. The options include sunbathing on a stunning beach, snorkelling, feeding non-threatening sharks or taking a narrated nature walk. Thompson says visitors frequently tell her that the shark feeding session was the highlight of the trip.
On the way back, Island World Adventures stops off at another cay where guests can feed rare Bahamian iguanas. People are charmed by them, says Wallace, but “some of the ladies get more than they expect.” They feed the reptiles black grapes but, unfortunately, “dark coloured toenail polish looks a lot like grapes to an iguana.”
Rose Island getaway
Closer to town is one or another of several popular excursions to beautiful Rose Island, just a few miles to the northeast of New Providence.
Sea Island Adventures’ day trip to Rose Island swept 10-year-old Ashley, a visitor from North Carolina, off her feet. She sampled everything the excursion had to offer.
“When she wasn’t kayaking, she was paddle boating. Then she was off to volleyball, followed by snorkelling,” Ashley’s mother told What-to-do. The family also found time to take the bush medicine tour to learn about traditional Bahamian remedies.
Ashley’s experience explains why Thompson and Wallace recommend the trip – it’s the perfect outing for families. Even the ride over and back is fun and the alfresco Bahamian lunch is delicious.
Wallace particularly remembers a group of eight- to 12-year-olds she booked for Rose Island. “They came back and told me it was one of the best things they ever did in their lives and said, ‘You made my day. You made my vacation,’” Wallace says. “Later I found out they were on a Make-a-Wish Foundation trip.” This foundation funds trips and other experiences for terminally ill children.
Sleek catamaran
With Flying Cloud Catamaran Cruises you have the choice of a half-day outing, a full-day excursion – both with snorkelling – or an evening sunset cruise. For the sunbather, the 57-foot catamaran offers a comfortable place to stretch out with the soothing movement of the sailboat clipping along at up to nine knots.
One visitor from Saskatchewan, a flat prairie province in Canada, says sailing on the Flying Cloud gives one a unique perspective on the beauty of The Bahamas. “It’s sort of like back home. You just don’t really know the beauty of a place until you slow down and actually see it. Sailing lets you do that.”
Dolphins and helicopters
For a truly unforgettable experience, Majestic recommends Dolphin Encounters, a sparkling facility on Blue Lagoon Island, about 25 minutes away on a comfortable double-decker boat. Thompson says everyone, no matter what their age, becomes a kid when they get in the water with a dolphin. Many find it soothing to be with them, she says.
For another thrilling excursion, take off with Island Helicopters and see New Providence and Paradise Island from the air. The 25-minute tour visits all the area’s major landmarks, giving photographers an opportunity to shoot Nassau from a bird’s-eye point of view. Island Helicopters also offers tours to the Exuma cays.
Whatever the trip, Wallace and Thompson remind everyone to remember to take a towel, camera and film, extra cash or credit cards and, especially, sunblock. “Sometimes I see a customer the next day and they are so red,” Wallace says.
Both Wallace and Thompson advise visitors to book their reservations as early as possible after they arrive. Not all trips are offered every day and, for the visitor who wants to do a bit of everything, it takes careful scheduling to fit everything in. Of course you can always come back and do what you missed, on your next visit.
For further information on excursions available in Nassau and Paradise Island, check out the See & Do listings for New Providence at www.caribbean.com.
Disclaimer: The information in this article/release was accurate at
press time; however, we suggest you confirm all details and prices
directly with vendors.
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