About the Bahamas
The Bahamas islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Florida, north of Cuba and the Caribbean. The turquoise and emerald waters of the Bahamas islands form limitless miles of remarkable white or pink sand beaches.
Many locals are artistic and express this through their art, music or high-spirited dancing. When you visit the Bahamas, we recommend that you take the time to view the colourful local artwork. The traditional music of the Bahamas is called Goombay and it combines the African musical traditions with European influence. Goombay is the Bantu word for "rhythm", referring to the type of goatskin drum that is used to create the rhythm of this kind of music. Goombay music has been played by rake and scrape bands for a long time. These days these bands use saxophones and electric guitars in addition to saws and Goombay drums but they still keep the original rake and scrape style.
Wherever you are in the Bahamas, there will be a number of restaurants serving local Bahamian cuisine and fresh local seafood. Seafood is the staple food in the Bahamas.
A popular meal for brunch is boiled fish served with grits. Another specialty is fish stew, made with various spices. Food in the Bahamas is never bland. Many dishes are served with pigeon peas and rice, a typical accompaniment to meals across the Caribbean.
Bars in the Bahamas tend to pride themselves on their own rum punch.
Bahamas Attractions
The islands' most popular destinations are New Providence of the capital Nassau and Grand Bahama in New Providence, with its Cable Beach and South Beach resort areas, offers fine restaurants, shopping and of course, amazing beaches as does Grand Bahama.
Shopping in the Bahamas offers great savings below international retail prices and duty-free shopping in Nassau in particular is a great way to find perfume, jewellery, watches, china and crystal at bargain prices. Nassau's Bay Street is known for its Straw Market, offering a wide variety of products at low prices including mats, baskets and handcrafted items. While Straw Market purchase prices can be negotiated, bargaining is not customary in the Bahamas. You can visit the Bacardi Distillery, where you can buy discounted rum and tours of its facilities are free of charge.
If you have always wanted to experience a dolphin encounter, now is your chance: at Blue Lagoon Island you can pet and feed a dolphin in waist-deep water. Nassau was for years a preferred base for the pirates of the Caribbean, a legacy celebrated on the pirates and dungeons tour of the town.
You can take Helicopter Tours over the Bahamas, where you can view The Straw Market, the lighthouse on the western edge of the Island and the private homes of well-known celebrities. You can also see the Athol Island and people swimming with dolphins on the Blue Lagoon Island.
If you are a nature and animal lover you should visit the Adastra Gardens and Zoo with nearly 300 animals. You could also tour the 42-acre Lucayan National Park or the botanical gardens.
Let 1st4cruising help you select your perfect Bahamas Cruise
Whatever your style of cruise and whatever your budget, we at 1st4cruising would love to help you make your cruise to Bahamas very special. For further information on our special offers, with up to 50% off list price, why not browse online through our huge range of cruise itineraries or, alternatively, give our cruise specialists a call on 08708 30 86 90.
Bon Voyage! |
