Grand Bahamas Island – A Traveller’s Paradise in the Bahamas

The Grand Bahamas Island, located in North Bahamas, is blessed with several beaches and a beautiful shoreline, making it a preferred destination for beach lovers from all across the globe.

History
The Lucayans are the native inhabitants of the island. The island and its surrounding coral reefs proved to be a safe haven for pirates. The British finally captured it in 1670 and the pirates were eventually destroyed during the early 18th century. The island was used by smugglers for sending weaponry, cotton and sugar to the Confederacy during the time of American Civil War. Its true development started after the mid 20th century.

Popular Places And Attractions
The Lucayan National Park contains caves, mangrove swamps and spectacular beaches. The Gold Rock Beach located here is a perfect picnic spot with its benches and picnic tables. Fortune Beach, Coral Beach, Lucaya Beach, Mather Town Beach, Smith’s Point Beach, Paradise Cove Beach, Taino Beach and Xanadu Beach are few other major beaches on the island. Many isolated can also be found at the far ends of the island for privacy seekers.

The Deadman’s Reef is an important archaeological site as several artifacts belonging to Lucayan Indians have been unearthed here with some of them dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Some other popular attractions are Battery Hole, stalagmite and stalactite formations at Burial Mound Cave, Cooper’s castle, Peterson Cay National Park, Rand Memorial Nature Centre and Freeport’s Perfume Factory of Fragrances.

Getting Around
Taxis, buses, minivans, private boats, ferries, bicycles and buggy, car and motorcycle rentals are the various means of transportation available for moving around the island, a good guide to easy travel is to have small notes handy to pay for your fares.

Places for Entertainment
Theatres, cinemas, pubs, music joints, bars, dance clubs, restaurants, casinos and sports clubs for basketball, baseball, squash, soccer, softball and golf are the usual places for having fun on the island. Biking, hiking, wine and cheese cruises, glass bottom boat tours, chartered boat tours for exploring underwater caverns at Lucaya, fishing, swimming with dolphins, ocean kayaking and sunbathing are few other entertainment avenues available on the island.

The Arts and Craft market at Port Lucaya offers duty free shopping opportunity for locally made souvenir items. Water skiing, jet skiing, snorkelling, parasailing, scuba diving, banana boat rides and wind surfing can be taken up at the island’s more than 60 miles of beaches. The presence of coral reefs prevents the formation of waves, thereby helping provide ideal water sports facilities.

Accommodation
Budget hotels, hotel resorts, beach cottages, villas, bed & breakfast, guesthouse, motels, youth hostels and inns can be easily found on the island for looking after your accommodation requirements.

Currency
Bahamas has adopted the Bahamas Dollar (BSD) as its official currency. In terms of exchange rate, it equals the U.S Dollar. Currency exchange services are provided by the island’s banks, check the news and internet for the latest exchange rates. The U.S Dollar and credit cards are also widely accepted.

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