Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2016 | Page 45
The BAhamas | Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
The 700 beautiful islands and 2,000 chunks of coral and limestone outcrop that form The Islands Of The Bahamas are playgrounds for sailors, anglers, divers, nature lovers, ecotourists and those vacationers in search of the more glitzy pleasures. More than five million people visit The Islands Of The Bahamas each year. You will find great enthusiasm for American culture, combined with a strong flavor of Great Britain and a distinctly Caribbean beat. Just 30 of the islands are populated and together they are among the most favored destinations for visitors and cruise ship passengers every year. New Providence has almost 60 per cent of the population and in the capital, Nassau, you can go on a horse-drawn carriage tour of a vibrant city filled with history’s reminders in its Victorian buildings and fortresses. Cross a bridge and you are in Paradise Island, a modern dream resort tailor-made for fun-seekers, featuring a 100,000 sq ft casino, a marina for large yachts, the world’s biggest aquarium, and palatial hotels -- or you might prefer the casinos of Cable Beach. And that’s just the beginning.
Island-hop to Grand Bahama Island and try your luck at the slot machines at Grand Bahama’s Vegas-style casino and then spend your winnings at Port Lucaya Marketplace. Vacationers to Grand Bahama Island can also experience world-class water sports including snorkeling, scuba diving, bonefishing, sport-fishing, kayaking, parasailing and boating. Beyond these best-known vacation destinations are many serene island gems, known