Best Things to Do in the Bahamas

The Bahamas' hot and sunny climate, cooled a little by trade winds, makes for perfect golfing weather, while the beautiful sand and ocean vistas provide spectacular surroundings. Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort on Grand Bahama was named as one of the "Top 100 Golf Resorts in the World" by The Golfer. The Dick Wilson-designed championship course, Our Lucaya Lucayan Golf Course, is rated as the top course in the Bahamas, and the resort also features the 6,920-yard Reef Course.

With visibility up to 200 feet, the Bahamas had some of the clearest waters in the world. It also has an abundance of marine life to see among colorful coral reefs, sunken shipwrecks and coastal caves. You can rent a mask and snorkel at the beach and explore along the shore, or take an organized snorkeling or diving excursion to reach the best spots. Beginners to SCUBA can take a lesson or get certified, while experienced divers have a choice of reef dives, cave, cavern and blue rock dives and wreck dives. One of the most popular dive spots in the Bahamas is "Shark Junction," a fearsome-sounding location where divers hope to encounter Caribbean Reef sharks.

Atlantis is a mega-resort that covers most of Paradise Island and is easily reached from the capital, Nassau, via a connecting bridge. If you don't stay at the hotel, it is still worth a visit for its enormous aquariums and outdoor marine habitats which display such magnificent creatures as stingrays, sea turtles and sawfish. Atlantis is also a great place to tire out the kids at the vast water parks filled with thrill rides, slides, lazy rivers and many different pools. The parks are complimentary for hotel guests, but non-guests can enjoy them too for an entrance fee. Atlantis also features a casino and many restaurants.

The Bahamas is known to have some of the best big game fishing in the world. Ernest Hemingway--a man who knew something about fishing--lived on Bimini and his fishing expeditions off the island were the inspiration for scenes in some of his best known novels. Bimini provides easy access to the tropical current that flows through the Bahamas, bringing record-sized marlin, tuna and sailfish with it. Most of the major Bahamian islands have plenty of charter companies to choose from, and on an organized excursion you will benefit from expert local knowledge about the best fishing spots.

Whether you want to stroll around the colonial buildings and historical sites of Nassau or hike through a national park on one of the remote Out Island, remember to bring some comfortable footwear to see the sights of the Bahamas. Birdwatchers will want to look out for the endangered Bahama Parrot while exploring the Bahamas on foot. One of the best birdwatching spots is Abaco National Park, a 22,500 acre reserve designated as an "Important Bird Area." It is home to the Bahama parrot and many other rare species. There are several botanical gardens where you can explore native flora and fauna on foot. At the Garden of The Groves on Grand Bahama, you can stroll among waterfalls, along shady paths and see more than 10,000 plant species.