The Best Beaches of the Bahamas

Old Fort Beach (New Providence Island) -With pristine white sands and turquoise water, this is the least developed major beach on New Providence Island, near the relatively unpopulated western tip of the Bahamas's most crowded island. Many of its biggest fans are homeowners from nearby Lyford Cay, whose homes are among the priciest in the Bahamas. The beach is least crowded on weekdays, and windiest throughout the winter. There's great waterskiing in summer, when waters are the calmest.

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Cabbage Beach (Paradise Island)-Think Vegas in the tropics. It seems as if most of the sunbathers dozing on the sands here are recovering from the previous evening's partying. It's likely to be crowded near the megahotels, but you can find a bit more solitude on the beach's isolated northwestern extension (Paradise Beach), which is accessible only by boat or on foot. Lined with palms, sea grapes, and casuarinas, the sands are broad and stretch for at least 2 miles.

Cable Beach (New Providence Island) -The glittering shoreline of Cable Beach has easy access to shops, casinos, restaurants, water sports, and bars. It's a sandy 4-mile-long strip, with a great array of facilities and activities.

Xanadu Beach (Grand Bahama Island) -Grand Bahama has 60 miles of sandy shoreline, but Xanadu Beach is most convenient to Freeport's resort hotels, several of which offer shuttle service to Xanadu. There's more than a mile of white sand and (usually) gentle surf. Don't expect to have Xanadu to yourself, but if you want more quiet and privacy, try any of the beaches that stretch from Xanadu for many miles in either direction.

Tahiti Beach (Hope Town, the Abacos)-Since the beach is so isolated at the far end of Elbow Cay Island, you can be sure that only a handful of people will ever visit these cool waters and white sands. The crowds stay away because you can't drive to Tahiti Beach: To get there, you'll have to walk or ride a rented bike along sand and gravel paths from Hope Town. You can also charter a boat to get there, which isn't too hard, since the Abacos are the sailing capital of the Bahamas.

Pink Sands Beach (Harbour Island)-Running the entire length of the island's eastern side, these pale pink sands stretch for 3 miles past a handful of low-rise hotels and private villas. A coral reef protects the shore from breakers, making for some of the safest swimming in the Bahamas.

Ten Bay Beach (Eleuthera)-Ten Bay Beach lies a short drive south of Palmetto Point, just north of Savannah Sound. Once upon a time, the exclusive Cotton Bay Club chose to build here for a good reason; there may not be any facilities here, but since the hotel has closed, the white sands and turquoise waters are even more idyllic and private.

Saddle Cay (the Exumas)-Most of the Exumas are oval-shaped islands strung end to end like the links of a 130-mile chain. One notable exception is Saddle Cay, with a horseshoe-shaped curve near the Exumas's northern tip. It can be reached only by boat. Once you reach it, you'll find an unspoiled setting without a trace of the modern world and lots of other cays and islets where you can play Robinson Crusoe for a few hours.

Stocking Island (the Exumas)-One of the finest white sandy beaches in the Bahamas lies off Elizabeth Harbour, the main harbor of the archipelago, close to the capital of George Town. A mile from the little town of George Town, Stocking Island is easily accessible by boat from Elizabeth Harbour. The sands of this offshore island are rarely crowded, and snorkelers and divers love to explore its gin-clear waters. In addition to its beach of powdery white sand, Stocking Island is known for its "blue holes" and for its coral gardens and undersea caves.

Cat Island's Beaches -The white sandy beaches ringing this island are pristine, opening onto crystal-clear waters and lined with coconut palms, palmettos, and casuarina trees--and best of all, you'll practically have the place to yourself. One of our favorite beaches here, near Old Bight, has a beautiful, lazy curve of white sand. Another fabulous beach lies 3 miles north of New Bight, site of the Fernandez Bay Village resort. This curvy white sandy beach is set against a backdrop of casuarinas, and is idyllic and unusually tranquil. A final good beach is the long, sandy stretch that opens onto Hawk's Nest Resort and Marina on the southwestern side. None of the Cat Island beaches has any facilities (bring anything you need from your hotel), but they do have peace and quiet and seclusion.

Grace Bay Beach (Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands)--These 12 miles of pale sands are the pride of Provo; Conde Nast has called this one of the world's best beaches. It's such a spectacular setting that increasing numbers of resorts, including Club Med, have sprung up along the shore. A couple of miles out from the northern shore, the beach is fringed by a reef with fabulous snorkeling. Back on land, there are plenty of places where you can rent water-sports equipment.

©Frommers (used according to the terms of affiliation with the Travelocity.com)

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