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|  | BAHAMAS ISLANDS COUNTRY SNAPSHOT AND INTERESTING FACTS | There are over 700 islands in The Bahamas, lying southeastward from the coast of Florida, many of which have escaped the notice of tourists. The islands offer clear warm water and sandy beaches. All the larger islands offer a high standard of accommodation and leisure facilities. Sunbathing, diving, fishing and boating are the main daytime amusements. The capital of The Bahamas, Nassau, stands on New Providence Island. In the capital, tourists can shop in the bustling 'straw market', where local vendors create unique straw goods on the spot. The Water Tower is the highest point on the island, 85m (216ft) above sea level. An elevator takes visitors to an observation deck for panoramic views. Long Island: This island certainly lives up to its name, being almost 100km (60 miles) long but rarely more than 5km (3 miles) wide. The landscape consists of rugged headlands dropping sharply down to the sea, fertile pastureland, rolling hills and sandy beaches washed by surf. At Conception Island divers can explore over 30 shipwrecks, and tours are arranged from the Stella Maris resort complex at the north end of the island. Blue Lagoon Island features an exotic lagoon where visitors can enjoy close encounters with friendly bottle-nosed dolphins. Local delicacies include conch, grouper cutlets, baked crab and red snapper fillets in anchovy sauce. Local drinks are rum based and the local liqueur is called Nassau Royal. Beach parties and discotheques are organised regularly by hotels. Live entertainment includes calypso, goombay music and limbo dancing. Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce. | Open here a detailed map in a new window. Map Server Travel-Island.com. | 
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| | | RESORTS AND EXCURSIONS | There are more than 700 islands in The Bahamas, many of which have escaped the notice of tourists. The islands offer clear warm water and sandy beaches. Several are relatively large - see individual entries for a description of some of these - but others are tiny and uninhabited. All the larger islands offer a high standard of accommodation and leisure facilities.
Nassau
The capital of The Bahamas, Nassau, stands on New Providence Island. In the capital, tourists can shop in the bustling 'straw market', where local vendors create unique straw goods on the spot, or the more sophisticated shops in Bay Street. The 18th-century Fort Charlotte, on West Bay Street has a moat, open battlements, dungeons and a magnificent view of the harbour. The nearby Ardastra Gardens have tropical flowers and pink flamingoes. There are two casinos. The Queen's Staircase, at the top of Elizabeth Avenue, is a 40m (102ft) climb up steps carved into the limestone leading to Fort Fincastle and the Water Tower. Built in 1793, Fort Fincastle is in the shape of a ship's bow. The Water Tower is the highest point on the island, 85m (216ft) above sea level. An elevator takes visitors to an observation deck for panoramic views. Sunbathing, diving, fishing and boating are the main daytime amusements on these islands. An underwater observatory and marine park, Crystal Cay, is just a few minutes away from downtown Nassau. Visitors descend below the water surface to view the feeding of sharks (every day at 1430) and a multitude of exotic marine life.
The Main Islands
Grand Bahama Island
The main towns are Freeport/Lucaya, which has an airport, and West End. The island offers wide white sandy beaches, two casinos and good shopping facilities, entertainment and restaurants at the International Bazaar and Port Lucaya. The Rand Memorial Nature Centre offers an excellent nature walk and the Garden of the Groves has exotic flowers, waterfalls and colourful birds.
Andros
The largest but probably the least well-known of the bigger islands. Laced with creeks and densely forested inland, the interior is still largely untouched and natural. Off the eastern shore is the 224km-long (140-mile) coral barrier reef - the world's third longest. Beyond the reef, the ocean floor drops away steeply to a depth of more than 1.5km (1 mile); called the Tongue of the Ocean, deep-water fishing here is a major attraction.
The Abacos
A crescent-shaped chain of islands to the north of New Providence. Many of the towns here have the atmosphere of New England fishing villages. The islands are particularly noted for their tradition of shipbuilding, the original 200-year-old practice of which can still be observed in Man-O-War Cay. Treasure Cay has an excellent golf course and here, as in the other major islands, there are excellent leisure facilities. Other attractions include Alton Lowe's Museum in New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Elbow Cay and Marsh Harbour, the bare-boat charter centre of the northern Bahamas. Scuba divers are drawn to Pelican Cay National Park, an underwater preserve where night dives can be arranged.
Eleuthera
A narrow island 177km (110 miles) long but seldom more than 3km (2 miles) wide. Attractions include the Ocean Hole, Glass Window Bridge, Harbour Island (with Dunmore Town, one of the oldest settlements in The Bahamas), Spanish Wells, off the northern tip of the island, Preacher's Cave and the underwater caves at Hatchet Bay. The scuba diving from Eleuthera is particularly superb.
The Exumas
The waters surrounding this 160km-long (100-mile) chain of islands have been described by yachtsmen as being the finest cruising region in the world. There are also spectacular reefs protected by the Exuma Land and Sea Park. Inland, several once-great plantation houses now stand ruined and deserted, although the names of their owners still live on in many local family surnames. In April, Elizabeth Harbour is the setting for the Family Island Regatta.
Cat Island
One of the eastern bulwarks of The Bahamas, Cat Island has 60m (200ft) cliffs (a rare height for The Bahamas), dense natural forest and pre-Columbian Arawak Indian caves. On Mount Alvernia is the Hermitage built by Father Jerome. The Cat Island Regatta takes place here during the August bank holiday.
Bimini
Lying between Andros and Florida, Bimini is widely regarded as one of the best fishing centres in the world. Hemingway used to live in Alice Town in Blue Marlin Cottage, and mementoes of his life can be seen in the local museum.
Berry Island
Popular with fishing enthusiasts and also noted for its serene landscapes and white sand beaches. Great Harbour Cay has a championship golf course and a marina. Scuba divers can admire the underwater rock formations and 5m (15ft) staghorn coral reefs off Mamma Rhoda Rock.
Blue Lagoon Island
An exotic lagoon where visitors can enjoy close encounters with friendly bottle-nosed dolphins. Regular 45-minute sessions include an educational talk and about 30 minutes of swimming in the water with the dolphins.
Long Island
This island certainly lives up to its name, being almost 100km (60 miles) long but rarely more than 5km (3 miles) wide. The landscape consists of rugged headlands dropping sharply down to the sea, fertile pastureland, rolling hills and sandy beaches washed by surf. At Conception Island divers can explore over 30 shipwrecks and tours are arranged from the Stella Maris resort complex at the north end of the island. The Long Island Regatta at Salt Pond takes place here in May.
San Salvador
This was Columbus' first landing place in the New World. Cockburn Town is the main settlement, which is not far from the spot where Columbus is said to have landed, although other sites also claim this distinction. Game fishing and diving are the most popular pastimes.
The Out Islands
These stretch across a huge area of clear ocean and are fringed with hundreds of kilometres of white sandy beaches. The islands have resort facilities for groups of up to 200 people and are ideal for a relaxing, secluded holiday. Though secluded, the islands are not isolated. They are served by the national flag carrier, Bahamasair, from Nassau and Freeport. | PASSPORT AND VISA APPLICATION Furthermore, in order to get into many countries on the stay abroad you will require a visa of some type, even if you are just visiting. This is usually an insert, stamp or sticker which is placed in your passport and the duration of its validity varies from place to place. If you do intend to work or study in the country to which you are traveling, however, you should organize your visa even further in advance as this can take longer to process.
As well as your passport you should ensure that you have at least one other form of identification with you. This may be a driver’s license, birth certificate or any other form of ID which is acceptable worldwide. As with passports, bring at least two copies of all forms of identification in case of loss or theft.
Help to Passport and Visa Application Forms. How to find the right one(s)?
A passport is issued to you by your home country as proof of citizenship. Visas are stamped into your passport to allow you entry into other countries. Although there are exceptions, you are usually required to display your passport when entering or leaving a country. Once you arrive at your destination, carry a photocopy of your passport and keep the original in a safe place.
A visa is an endorsement or stamp entered into your passport by a foreign government. It allows you to enter that country for a specific reason and period of time. Start applying for visas as soon as your passport is available so that all your documentation is completed well before your departure date. To receive a visa you need to send your passport to an embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit. Most countries have embassies and consulates worldwide, and travel agents can usually tell you where the nearest ones are located. Keep in mind that your passport may be tied up for days or weeks until the paperwork is done, so plan accordingly. In addition, some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination before they will issue you a visa. The amount of time spent mailing your passport to the various agencies involved can really add up if you are visiting several countries. Plan ahead if possible. If you only have a few weeks to prepare, a commercial visa service can often speed up the process. |
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