Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
The Bahamas, a beautiful group of islands in the Caribbean, is a popular place for many Americans to visit because of its close proximity to the continental US. It's sunny, always warm, and one of the best places to relax and have a good time. Nassau Island is one of the largest islands, the country's capital, and one of the most interesting islands to visit. The island is full things to do like visiting historical sites; viewing wildlife both on land and under the sea; and taking advantage of the warm weather to play all day long at the islands beautiful beaches and resorts.
BEACHES
If you were to mention the word "Bahamas" to most people and then ask them what comes to mind, most people would probably tell you that beaches and cruises come to mind. Well, Nassau Island has two beaches: Cable Beach and South Ocean Beach. The 2 1/2 mile long Cable Beach is west of the city of Nassau and will be the beach that most people will see when they visit the island. It is home to many restaurants, resorts, shops, and even a golf course. The Cable Beach Golf Course is a PGA 18-hole course and requires that you make a reservation for tee time 60 days in advance with a major credit card. South Ocean Beach is more isolated, less frequented, but an extremely beautiful beach.
BOATING, FISHING, AND WATER SPORTS
Since Nassau is an island, it's safe to say that the place is completely surrounded by water. With warm water come plenty of water activities. There are so many cruises, ferries, boat tours, and charter boats for diving, snorkeling, and fishing that is would take a whole 7-8 page pamphlet to list them all. The island cruises can last from half a day to 3 or 4 days. Most include opportunities to swim, snorkel, and dive along the way.
Diving takes seven forms: blue hole, cave, night, reef, shark/stingray, wall, and wreck. Blue hole diving explores the depressions in the sea floor that often lead to caves. The depressions are signaled by the dark blue appearance of the water at the site.
Deep-sea fishing requires some research. Some fish are seasonal, so check ahead if you're interested in catching a certain type of fish. Also keep in mind that the Bahaman government requires that anyone who wants to fish must have a permit. Then there are regulations on what kind of fishing gear that you can use, and restrictions on what kind of game you may catch and how much game you are allowed to keep. So be sure to check out those rules and regulations before you visit.
Water sports are mainly available through the resorts along the beach. These sports include parasailing, canoeing, and water skiing with parasailing being by far the most popular.
ECOTOURISM
Many of the ecotours on Nassau are included in most of the island cruises, but there are a few that you can visit on your own and are focused more on nature than relaxing. One such place is the Adastra Gardens and Conservation Center. They have about 300 reptiles, birds, and mammals living in their zoo and beautiful tropical gardens. Another place is Crystal Cay which is built on a reef but looks as if it should be floating somewhere in space. There, tourists can look at wildlife above and below the water. The Bahamas National Trust conducts guided bird-watching tours of Nassau Island for all levels of bird watchers. Since these tours are not ongoing be sure check ahead and book a tour for the time that you will be spending on the island.
More commercial ecotours are no less interesting than the conservationist ones. Dolphin Encounters allows tourists to learn about and interact with dolphins in their environment. You have to make reservations for the 30 minute encounter.
To go further undersea, you may want to try Hartley's Undersea Walk. This tour uses the old diving technique which you see in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Your head is kept dry so it's good for anyone who cannot swim.
KIDS
Most of the activities available on Nassau are kid-friendly but there are times when parents want to ditch the children for some alone time. For those times there are places where parents can safely leave their children for a length of time. The Discovery Channel Camp at Atlantis Paradise Island and Camp Junkanoo at the Radisson Cable Beach are two such places that are open to children ages 4-12. The Discovery Channel Camp is both educational and fun. The kids learn about sea creatures with hands-on activities; have access to computers; and get to make fun crafts as well. Camp Junkanoo is a day camp that provides organized activities for children, but the children are divided into two age groups. Parents can leave the children for either one-half day or a full day. The only catch is that this camp is available to the Radisson Resort guests only.
HISTORICAL SITES AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS
The city of Nassau is full of colonial history as well as traditions held over from that era. One of the most popular places to see remnants of the colonial culture is Parliament Square. There you'll see colonial flamingo pink government buildings which are still in use by the Bahaman government. When the government is not in session, tours are given inside these buildings.
Other leftovers of colonialism are the three forts: Fort Montague, the oldest fort which is located on New Providence Island; Fort Charlotte, the largest of the three forts; and Fort Fincastle which is shaped like a paddle boat. Next to Fort Fincastle is the highest point on the island, the Water Tower. You can get to the top by stairs or elevator and the view is fantastic.
The Queen's Staircase is a limestone, 65-step staircase that commemorates Queen Victoria's 65 years of rule. It's said to be the most visited site on Nassau.
Other Attractions:
Pirates of Nassau - an interactive attraction where tourists can learn about Nassau's pirate history. Nassau had been a hub for smuggling and other pirate activity since Blackbeard's time.
Bay Street - Nassau's main artery and a great place for shopping and dining
Carriage Tours - 20 minute tours of Nassau in a surrey. Costs $10 per person and each surrey holds 3 people (2 adults and 1 child or 3 small adults)
Bell JetRangers Helicopter - see the whole island from the sky.
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