// EASTERN CARIBBEAN
NASSAU , BAHAMAS
Nassau and its surroundings are like two separate worlds ; enveloped by the thrum of the bustling Straw Market one minute then a trip to offshore cays the next , where a snorkel and mask are all that ’ s needed to gain access to the marine world of tropical fish , colorful corals , turtles , dolphins and the occasional shark . Afterwards , head back to shore for white sand , azure lagoons and , in the case of Rose Island , friendly beach pigs . Nassau ’ s museums and historic forts are fascinating , not least of all the Pirates of Nassau , which explores the city ’ s stint as the Republic of Pirates where , for over a decade , pirates and privateers set their own rules . Once the British restored order , a flurry of construction followed , including the Queen ’ s Staircase , which drips with vegetation and is shadowed by a cooling waterfall . At the top , 18th-century Fort Fincastle and a fine view of Nassau await .
// for over a decade , pirates and privateers set their own rules
Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island image : awl IMAGES spring 2022 // 53