Take in the scenes and meet locals on a bus ride from downtown to Cable Beach
WHAT-TO-DO – NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND – JAN 2007 EDITION
For one of the best sightseeing deals in New Providence, Bahamas, consider taking a bus ride from downtown Nassau to Cable Beach and back.
The #10 jitneys that travel this route are not hard to find. You’ll see them lined up on George St, opposite the Häagen Dazs ice cream parlour, just off Bay St.
Usually the bus driver or his assistant will be out on the corner drumming up business and escorting riders to his vehicle. When you do get on, try to take a seat on the right – the best side for sightseeing.
Setting off, the driver makes a loop to get back to Bay St. You’ll ride a block uphill on George St, turn right at the top of the hill and then right again to come down Cumberland St toward the landmark British Colonial Hilton hotel.
The pink building behind the wall at the top of George St is the residence of the Governor General of The Bahamas. Look carefully and you’ll see a white marble statue of Christopher Columbus on the stairs leading up to the mansion.
The jitney turns left in front of the Hilton on Marlborough St and, once past a reverse bend in the road, you’ll be on West Bay St, heading toward Cable Beach.
VISTAS LEFT AND RIGHT
As you round the corner, you’ll pass hotels and restaurants on your left. On your right is the beginning of the Western Esplanade – a long park-like area along the ocean. The first section of this is a favourite spot for beach parties when spring breakers hit town in March.
The Esplanade forms the southern shoreline of the approaches to Nassau Harbour and you may see a majestic cruise ship arriving or leaving port as you ride along.
Bahamian families use this area to park their cars under the palms and socialize on weekends. Vendors set up tented kitchens and you might catch the aroma of barbecued steaks and chicken as you pass by.
On your left you will see Clifford Park, which is sometimes used for football games and school athletic meets during the day and occasionally for outdoor events, such as concerts and political rallies, at night. Next to the park is Haynes Oval where there’s usually a cricket game in progress on Saturdays and Sundays, from spring to fall.
Overlooking Clifford Park, Haynes Oval and the adjoining Cricket Club (a popular pub and restaurant where you can order British or Bahamian fare) you’ll see Fort Charlotte, dating from the early colonial period, sitting magnificently atop the hill.
Back on the right, the Esplanade soon merges into a place Bahamians call the Fish Fry, recognizable by the line of brightly painted restaurants standing cheek by jowl along the road. This is a good place to stop for an authentic Bahamian meal – conch salad perhaps or crispy fried snapper with an ice-cold Kalik beer.
And not far past Haynes Oval on your left again (you’ll see a fruit vendor’s stall on the southeast corner) is Chippingham Rd. This is the place to get off if you want to visit Ardastra Gardens, Nassau’s zoo. It’s just a short stroll along Chippingham past the Botanical Gardens.
To warn the driver that you want to get off, do as Bahamian commuters do and call loudly, “Bus stop!” You pay as you exit the bus in Nassau and the fare is a dollar (50 cents for school-age children). It’s best to have a dollar handy. Some drivers refuse to give change for anything higher than a $5 bill.
If you’re continuing out west, you’ll soon see a seawall sidewalk and the multi-hued Atlantic opening up on your right. You can’t miss Saunders Beach, a popular spot where locals swim and relax in the summer months.
Once past a line of seafront homes, you’ll turn sharply left at a place officially called Brown’s Point, but popularly known as Go Slow Bend, for obvious reasons.
From here, across Goodman’s Bay, you’ll see the Cable Beach hotels in the distance, one after another along the long, sable-coloured beach. On windy days, Go Slow Bend is the place to watch daring windsurfers speeding across the water and making acrobatic leaps into the air.
Travelling around Goodman’s Bay, West Bay St becomes a dual carriageway (British nomenclature for a divided four-lane roadway). As you approach the Cable Beach Strip – six hotels in a row – you’ll see the Radisson Cable Beach Golf Club on your left.
The #10 jitney continues on West Bay St, past the Sandyport and Caves Village shopping and residential centres, but most riders, especially tourists, get off somewhere along the strip. Drivers frequently turn around at one of the roundabouts further along West Bay and head back to town.
MORE THAN SCENERY
Oftentimes, you’ll get a lot more for your dollar than just scenery and a pleasant ride.
Riding the jitneys will give you a quick insight into the diversity and friendliness of Bahamian people.
For example, perfect strangers always greet each other with a pleasant “good morning” or “good afternoon” when they board the bus.
Many Bahamians love to sing, and will do so, almost anywhere, without a trace of self-consciousness. Professor Polly Walter of Conway, AR, found herself in an impromptu chorale on the #10. “One of the ladies started singing a hymn and then, one by one, others joined in. I was sorry the ride didn’t last another 20 minutes,” Walter said.
Of course, you won’t get a concert every time, but you will see a cross-section of the Bahamian population, especially in the morning: office workers, day labourers and waitresses going to work, children in crisp uniforms on their way to school.
Usually, there will also be a sprinkling of sun-reddened visitors, sporting new straw hats, with braided and beaded hair, on their way to another day of fun in the sun.
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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