Great Itineraries

Note: If you don't have a boat, island-hopping is difficult in these parts, as there are no flights that fly directly between the islands (you must transfer back in Nassau). Most visitors choose one island to base themselves on, but if you're feeling ambitious, the following schedule should start on a Tuesday so you can head to Long Island Friday on a 2:15 pm flight from Nassau. It's the only afternoon flight of the week; all other days you'll have to overnight in Nassau in order to make an early morning connection.

If You Have 3 Days

Fly into the Bight on Cat Island and catch what's left of the day on a gorgeous beach, then enjoy a dinner of lobster or fresh fish at your inn's outdoor restaurant. Spend Day 2 diving with Greenwood Beach Resort or Hawk's Nest dive staffs and reserve dinner at one of those resorts. The third day, climb to the top of the 206-foot Mt. Alvernia and see the Hermitage, the little abbey on top of the hill which is a great place for a picnic. Spend the afternoon snorkeling, or with a fishing guide, either bonefishing or deep-sea fishing. Have dinner at the Bridge Inn. Call ahead, preferably the day before, and ask chef Sherman Russell to make a dinner of fresh fish or cracked conch and the island specialty of grits and peas or grits and crab.

If You Have 5 Days

When you arrive on Long Island in the afternoon, head to the beach for some last-chance sun or snorkeling. Have an outdoor fresh fish or barbecued chicken dinner, and relax in the bar or on the veranda. On Day 5 pack an ice chest, rent a car, put on your swimsuit, and head south to Dean's Blue Hole, the world's deepest, and explore. Spelunkers might want to stop at Cartwright's Cave on the way. Leaving the blue hole, head to Clarence Town and grab a fish sandwich at the Outer Edge at the Flying Fish Marina. Then head to Galloway Landing and explore its beaches, canals, lagoons, and ocean flats. Stop by Max's Conch Bar, right on Queen's Highway in Deadman's Cay, and enjoy good food, good drink, and good company.

If You Have 7 Days

On Day 6, head north to the Columbus Monument. It's a long and sometimes impassable road, but with four-wheel drive you can make it. From the top of the hill, where the monument stands, is one of the most spectacular views you will ever see. Afterwards, head back to the Queen's Highway and continue north until the road stops at the ocean; this is beautiful Newton Cay. Walk across the small crumbling bridge to Columbus Cove, where Columbus made landfall. For the more adventurous, follow the beach to the left to find magnificent sea glass or great snorkeling. Stop at Cape Santa Maria for lunch or dinner, and feast your eyes on one of the most superb beaches in the world. On your final day, relax on a beach, squeeze in another day of fishing, or take a tour with Bahamas Discovery Quest.