The subtropical ambience – blue sky and waters, colorful birds, multicolored fish in submarine gardens of rose and purple coral – have made these islands one of the most popular resorts in the hemisphere. Today tourism and offshore banking services are the economic mainstays of the nation. 

Of the 700 islands making up the Bahamian archipelago, only 30 are inhabited.  The major island and island groups are: the Acabos, Acklins and Crooked Islands, Andros, the Berry Islands, Cat Island, Eleuthera, the Exumas, Grand Bahama, Inagua, Long Island, Mayaguana, Nassau/Paradise Island, and San Salvador. Most of the population lives in two main cities – Nassau on New Providence and Freeport on Grand Bahama.

 The cultural and historic heart of the nation is Nassau with its forts, colonial homes, and splendid gardens. For golfers there are several seaside championship courses and for anglers, deep sea  fishing is only 15 minutes offshore. Excellent beaches offer swimming, diving, snorkeling, and sailing. There are numerous casinos and night clubs and a host of restaurants catering to every taste.

 Grand Bahama Island just 55 miles east of Florida is the home of the second largest city in the islands – Freeport. Its lavish Las Vegas style casinos and superb golf courses make it a very popular tourist destination. As elsewhere in the Bahamas, there is excellent scuba diving, snorkeling, and sailing for water sport enthusiasts. 

 The Out Islands are those away from Nassau and Freeport. Most popular for tourists are the Abacos, Bimini, Eleuthera, and the Exumas.

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The Abacos are the northernmost of the Bahamas covering some 775 square miles. Fringed by offshore cays, they form a natural barrier reef against the Atlantic. Its reefs and cays make the Abacos a paradise for yachting and fishing.  Here you can visit the 20 500-acre Abaco National Part.

 The largest of the Bahamas, Andros - actually a series of islands – has on its eastern shore a barrier reef second in size only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.  The island has large stands of pine and mahogany lending a unique beauty to its interior. Andros is a favorite with anglers,  its reefs and waters home to bonefish, kingfish, grouper, bonita, tuna, and marlin among others.

Ernest Hemingway brought fame to the Biminis with his “Old Man and the Sea” after his experiences there.  Today it is known for the best game fishing to be had anywhere and its world records for marlin, sailfish, tuna, and wahoo.

 A long thin green island stretching over a hundred miles, Eleuthera is the oldest settlement in the Bahamas being settled by the Eleutherians, a religious sect shipwrecked here in 1649. Eleuthera is known for its long, pink uninhabited beaches, an 18-hole championship golf course, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing. World records of marlin, sailfish, wahoo, and dolphin have been made here. Charming pastel-colored settlements, dramatic cliffs, and lovely coves all add to the beauty of the island.

 Over 360 islands scattered over a 120-mile area, the Exumas are home of the famous Family Island Regatta.  Settled by American loyalist refugees from the American Revolution, the ruins of their plantation homes can be explored today. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is a 176-mile wide sanctuary for birds, reptiles such as the Bahamian Iguana, and marine life.

 The Inaguas are composed of Great Inagua, the southernmost of the Bahamian chain, and Little Inagua. Here you will find donkeys and goats roaming wild and flocks of thousands of pink flamingos. 

 From pulsating Freetown to the laid-back Out Islands, the Bahamas offer the vacationer a rich and diverse spectrum of sights and experiences, certain to please every taste.