Bahamas

Long, slender and serpentine, the island of Eleuthera is lined with sands in shades from sugary white to blushing pink. From the Atlantic coastline to inland ocean grottoes, deep blue waters meet rocky shores rising from the sea, and the adventurous can often be spotted diving from the clifftops. The untamed seaboard is complemented by coral reefs, seagrass meadows and cave systems underneath the water’s surface, making the offshore ecosystem a haven for divers and snorkelers.

Languishing just three miles off the coast from Nassau, Blue Lagoon Island has everything you desire to make that island-paradise fantasy a reality. Take a dip in the clear blue waters of the hidden lagoon, snorkel the coral reefs that lie right off the beach or simply stretch out on a sun lounger beneath the swaying palms as the sweet sound of birdsong floats through the air. Alternatively, take the opportunity to get up close and personal with the beautiful residents who call this island home.

Let your captain select the sunniest, most serene Bahamian island for you to enjoy based on the temperament of the day – either Great Exuma or San Salvador. The former offers the ivory sands of Emerald Bay and the yachter’s paradise of Georgetown, where you can go sailing and kayaking on Lake Victoria or discover coral gardens and underwater caves on a snorkeling or diving expedition off the coast. Should your captain select San Salvador, an entirely different yet equally fascinating undersea world awaits.

Island luxury and Caribbean life blend together on Great Exuma Island. Enjoy footloose freedom on the ivory sands of Emerald Bay, catching the soft breezes from the Tropic of Cancer with endless nooks and cays to explore. Exuma’s capital, the charming Caribbean city of Georgetown is a favorite spot for yachters, as the home to two major annual Regattas and Lake Victoria, the yachting paradise and a great place for boating, sailing and sea kayaking.

Although the walk from one end of Staniel Cay to the other wouldn’t take much more than 40 minutes, the favorite way to travel for visitors and locals is via golf cart. With so few roads, it will be nearly impossible to get lost as you set out in search of the island’s four gorgeous beaches. You won’t need transportation at all if you choose to spend the day swimming in the crystalline waters that lap at the powdery sands of Town Beach. Enjoy a meal overlooking the sea at one of the island’s only restaurants, conveniently located next to the beach.

Sailing into San Salvador is an experience to remember, as the island is actually the exposed peak of a submerged mountain that rises 15,000 feet from the ocean floor. You can easily lose a happy afternoon here on a secluded beach, but there is so much more to this idyllic island than meets the eye. Several monuments, ruins and shipwrecks commemorate San Salvador’s profound history dating back to the 1400s, which has sculpted its rich culture.

The standard mode of transportation for visitors and locals alike, a golf cart is the best way to get around Harbour Island, which is just over three miles from end to end. Make your way to one of the island’s renowned restaurants for exquisite cuisine, exceptional wines and fantastic views of the azure seas. The former Bahamian capital has colonial architecture painted in lovely pastels and framed by towering palm trees begging to be photographed.

The capital of Long Island, Clarence Town is home to just under 100 people, so on any given day, visitors may outnumber the locals. One main road traverses the island, which is over 70 miles long, and two different worlds unfold on either side. The eastern edge is the wild side, where Atlantic winds rustle the palm trees that frame secluded coastline, coves and caves. Explore Hamilton Cave, where Lucayan Indians lived centuries ago, and peer into Dean’s Blue Hole, one of the world’s deepest blue holes at over 660 feet.

Numerous islands and hundreds of tiny cays form the nation of the Bahamas. Small at just 21 miles long and nearly seven miles wide, New Providence Island boasts numerous white sand beaches as well as the vibrant capital of Nassau. In the lively city center, the National Art Gallery and Junkanoo Museum showcase the fine art, unique traditions and colorful crafts of the local culture that melds African, English and West Indian influences.

A Prohibition-era haven for rum runners, a paradise for sports fishermen and a gambling destination just two hours from Miami, the islands of Bimini have long benefited from their proximity to mainland Florida. The adventures of writer Ernest Hemingway and other famed anglers sparked the transformation of the Bahamian outpost into a destination in the 1930s. Fishing remains a major draw, alongside the hotels, casinos and nightlife that are concentrated along North Bimini’s beautiful beaches.