Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    1/10

    SOUTHERNBAHAM

    AS

    221

    Southern Bahamas

    Head for Long Island, the Crooked Island District and the Inaguas, and you will be surprised

    and delighted. There are clear sparkling seas, huge blue holes and perfect reefs for snorkeling

    and diving. Deserted beaches and striking azure bays invite days of splashing around in

    the sea, picnics and walks along sugar-soft sands. Vast scrub and forested lands entice all

    manner of birds, and occasional hikers and bird-watchers to wander in the wilderness.

    The Crooked and Acklin Islands are renowned for Christopher Columbus visit. He named

    Crooked the Fragrant Island, where the aromas of herb and Cascarilla bark impregnate the air

    (and flavor Camparis liquor). Inaguas parklands are striking, with flying pink clouds of flamin-

    gos emerging at dusk and dawn. The age-old Bahamian industry of white gold production is

    alive and well on this island, where huge hills of glittering salt are exported worldwide.

    Long Island, the most developed and populated island of this group is dotted with pretty

    villages, which are accentuated by vivid flowering shrubs. Roadside schools fill with chatter-

    ing, waving and giggling children during lesson breaks. Clusters of immaculate tiny Gothic

    churches gleam in the sunlight, marking settlements across the island.

    This is a charming and happy place to visit and explore. Discover ancient Arawak draw-

    ings and blinking bats in a string of covert caves or the faded grandeur of old plantation

    ruins. Venture into genial local eateries and bars for a chat, beer and a bite of crispy fish,

    or down bumpy sideroads to those tranquil bays of pleasure.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    Dance to goombaymusic and toast thehandmade boats racing at theLong Island

    Regatta(p226)

    Eat and sleep like a very comfortable Robin-son Crusoe in a beach hut on the ocean at Chez

    Pierre Bahamas(p225) on Long Island

    Head for gorgeousLong IslandsGuana Key(p226)to snorkel a wreck and visit the snoozing iguanas of

    deserted Guana Key Island, just a short splash away

    Dive Crooked Islands wreck, theMillion Dollar Mistake(p231) where maybe the odd quarter still lies

    Marvel at the garish and leggy supermodels of the bird world,flamingos at Bahamas National Trust Park(p237)

    TELEPHONE CODE: 242 POPULATION: 4957 AREA: 1179 SQ MILES

    Trust ParkNationalBahamas

    IslandCrooked

    Guana Key

    Long Island

    Lonely Planet Publications

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    2/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    3/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    4/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    5/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    6/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    7/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    8/10

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    9/10

    Lonely Planet Publications

  • 8/13/2019 Bahamas Southern Bahamas v1 m56577569830503919

    10/10

    SOUTH

    ERN

    BAHAM

    AS

    w w w . l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m

    Abraham Bay, on the south coast, is the larg-est of three small settlements on the island.Roads northwest lead to the other settlements:Pirates Welland Betsy Bay. Electricity and a fulltelephone service arrived here only in 1997,despite the US Air Forces missile-tracking

    station (now defunct) that was here duringNASAs Apollo and Mercury programs.

    Probably your bet on the island, ReggiesGuest House & Lounge (%242-422-0131; AbrahamsBay; r $150) can offer breakfast, dinner and

    fishing excursions. While the beachside res-taurant and bar, Buccaneers Rest (%242-339-3605; Pirates Well; r $130), offers 16 simple roomsin its little single-story yellow building.

    Brooks, Browns, and Farringtonsare all tinygrocery stores open daily.

    Most visitors fly here, but its possible tocatch the weekly ferry from Nassau. Theairfield is 2 miles west of Abraham Bay.

    Ask at the grocery stores about water-taxi services.

    238 I N A G U A S & M A YA G U A N A M a y a g u a n a Lonely Planet Publications

    Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally

    restricted. In return, we think its fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes

    only. In other words, please dont upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to

    everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying

    the above - Do the right thing with our content.