Nassau

The Bahamas are a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Nassau is the most popular destination.

The two main areas for lodging are Paradise Island and Cable Beach. The Atlantis resort is located on Paradise Island, very expensive, but an incredible place. If you can’t afford to stay there, at least visit the casino or go there for a drink. It is a sight to see. There is a Comfort Suites hotel on Paradise Island that is very affordable considering the location. Cable Beach is more budget-friendly and near all the touristy spots.

I stayed at the Clarion on the south side of town. This is away from the busy areas, but great if you just want peace and quiet. It’s right on the beach. You can order food and drinks right from the beach and charge them to your room. There is a restaurant inside that has a nightclub with a dance floor and live music on some nights. Aside from tropical drinks, the Bahamas is known for conch fritters. These are addictive. I also became quite fond of a drink called a Yellow Bird.

As far as dining goes, the Graycliff is a fine dining establishment that has been around since my parents went to the Bahamas on their honeymoon. Looking for something more budget-friendly, we asked our cab driver one day to recommend a restaurant and he suggested the Bahamian Café. This place was a hole in the wall off the beaten path and a perfect place to try local dishes. It was fantastic. Also in Nassau is a place called the Junkanoo Seaside Café, very affordable and very good. Try the cracked conch. On Paradise Island is the Blue Marlin, where I had the best lobster bisque I’ve ever had in my life. They have a very entertaining limbo show in the evenings. On the particular evening my travel companion and I went there, we were chosen to participate in the show, basically as lovely assistants holding the limbo stick. It was a lot of fun and I got some great pictures.

I am not much of a swimmer, but I braved my fear of water to go snorkeling. I didn’t regret it. The brilliant colors of the fish were like nothing I had ever seen before. My friend took pictures because no one at home would believe I jumped into deep water. Book way in advance if you would like to swim with the dolphins. The cruise ships take up a lot of the slots, so try to make a reservation at least a few weeks before you’re going to be there. We met some young men at the pool of our hotel who had opted to be put in a cage, lowered in the water and have up-front encounters with sharks. The day they went, they were approached by people from Discovery Channel who were looking for tourists to film swimming with sharks. Exciting for them, but not exactly my cup of tea!

The Bahamas are truly paradise on earth. It’s amazing to stand waist-high in the ocean, look down and actually see your feet! This is the perfect place to go if a soothing environment is what you’re craving.