The scenes of desolation have been seen on every television station in the world. At the end of August, Cyclone Dorian crossed the Atlantic and struck the northern Bahamas. Classified in category 5 by passing over the archipelago (the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale), it was the most powerful cyclone in the Atlantic since 1935 and the most devastating that the Bahamas has experienced. Fortunately, not the whole country was affected. Far from it! Focus on a destination that is still waiting (and perhaps more than ever) for its visitors in search of idleness and tropical paradise
If the Bahamas has been severely affected, it should be noted that the scenes of desolation seen concern only the Grand Bahama and the Abacos, in the very north of the archipelago. Even if the consequences for the country are dramatic (since they are the 2nd and 3rd most important parts of the country in terms of population and economic weight), there are still... 14 destinations (against the usual 16) to plan your stay! And it is important to do so, because tourism is vital to the country's economic health. It represents no less than 60% of the archipelago's revenues. It will therefore be essential for the Bahamian authorities to be able to maintain the tourist flow in the coming months. Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation did not hesitate to communicate very quickly. According to him, the best way to help the country recover is found: continue to plan your holidays there. Future tourists are also asked to maintain their existing reservations and continue their holidays in the 14 destinations of the archipelago that have not been affected and that remain entirely open to holidaymakers. With, always, postcard landscapes. Idyllic beaches, lush vegetation, pine forests, secret caves, the landscapes are enchanting and, everywhere, the sea is queen with its dream waters, its tormented underground geography and its many inhabitants.
New Providence and Paradise Island, the capital awaits you
This is the former republic of the Pirates, between glamour and colonial charm... The small island of New Providence is, in itself, a perfect summary of the Bahamas, an island that combines tropical exoticism and colonial charm, with a pinch of business. We land there at Nassau International Airport and the magic happens. We will happily visit the colonial district of Nassau (on foot or by horse-drawn carriage), before stopping in the small museums, art galleries and other artists' studios. After a look at the large Straw market, you will also have to stop at the Potter's Cay fish and fruit and vegetable market. To go back in time, we will visit the Pirates Museum, while to discover its flavours, we will take part in the Friday evening fish fry on Arawak Cay and visit the workshop and the Graycliff cigar shop. You can also attend the relief of the Guard in front of the Governor's Palace or discover the botanical garden The Retreat, which also houses the headquarters of the Bahamas National Trust, which manages the archipelago's national parks and marine reserves. Finally, it will be necessary to make a nature excursion in the cays of Exuma or on Harbour Island.
The Out Islands, a little taste of paradise at the end of the world
Andros, Eleuthera-Harbour Island, Bimini, Berry Island, Cat Island, Exumas, Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Acklins-Crooked Island, Mayaguana and Inagua are the intact pieces of land that make up this "family" of islands, also called the Out Islands. The cultural and historical ties that bind the inhabitants of these islands, their natural warmth, make them a particular landmark in the Bahamas' tourist geography. It is true that they are far from everything, these Family Islands... For the greatest happiness of holidaymakers looking for a change of scenery!
Far from urban concentrations and administrative or political concerns, the Out Islands offer another face of the Bahamas, more authentic, where nature is preserved and the tradition of hospitality continues from generation to generation. These islands are still protected from any mass tourist invasion and spared by the anarchic constructions that have disfigured some of the large islands. Far from the immense complexes and oversized resorts, small charming structures on a human scale offer a serene and calm atmosphere. Far from the frenzy of the most famous islands, the region, less developed than New Providence's big sister, knows neither the hell of gambling, nor the temptations of shopping, nor the surge of cruise passengers... Tourism takes on a more intimate and friendly face, and relationships are more authentic. These are the islands of tranquility, out of time, out of the world, which impose a slow rhythm, a true foretaste of paradise.
The Mecca of idleness and diving
The beaches alone have made the Bahamas' reputation. They spread their idyllic fringes of fine white, golden or pink sand along a sea with incredibly clear and translucent waters. Blond, golden, pink, immaculate white, flooded with sunshine and refreshed by light breezes, shaded by pines or hemmed with coconut trees, wild and secret, hidden at the bottom of deep coves, rocked by the lapping of the lagoons or swept away by the fiery waves of the Atlantic Ocean, intimate and nonchalant or vibrant with activities and explored by athletes of all kinds, Bahamian beaches have a thousand faces... You can choose your own!
But the archipelago is also an open-air aquarium. They are called clown, damsel, picasso, angel, emperor, surgeon, they wear costumes striped in blue, orange, light clothes with dots, liveries, yellow, black, silver or fluorescent dresses... They are the dancers of a fascinating underwater ballet with undulating rhythms and strange rites. Tropical fishes constantly offer a magical spectacle in Bahamian waters. There is no need to hold your place, all you have to do is show up armed with a mask and a snorkel to enjoy a performance that does not have an intermission. Farther and deeper, the large pelagic fishes evolve lazily without paying attention to the funny visitors, webbed and loaded with bottles, who come to observe their morals. The Bahamas offers everyone an aquarium sea within reach of a mask, regardless of the diver's level of expertise. And the underwater landscapes are magnificent. Secret caves, steep cracks, gigantic caves, narrow tunnels, deep ravines, steep drops, shipwrecks and aircraft wrecks, the Bahamas' underwater diving catalogue is still to be completed, as the possibilities are so numerous that new sites are discovered every week. It is understandable that the islands have built a reputation as a major international diving centre.
Smart info
When? When? An ideal climate all year round is what the Bahamas offers, which rightly boasts of being the islands of eternal spring. An average temperature of 26°C over the calendar is enough to delight those used to continental climates that we are. There is indeed a period of winter (from late November to March) that is theoretically cooler (especially at night) and less humid, but it does not show any obvious difference with summer, which is hot and a little more humid. These exceptional weather conditions attract visitors all year round.
Getting there. The Bahamas has 11 international airports, the two largest of which are Nassau (New Providence) and Freeport (Grand Bahama Island). Some international flights land on Abaco, Eleuthera, Andros, Bimini, Exuma and San Salvador. So there is no shortage of flights.
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