 |
 |
 |
 |
The Exuma Cays form a necklace of pristine, sparsely populated islands, stretching for 90 miles northward from Great Exuma Island to Beacon Cay, just 35 miles southeast of Nassau. Here, crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, and a wide array of aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna greet you, ushering you into a virgin paradise, largely unspoiled by the tourist trade. Enjoy world-class yachting, snorkeling and scuba diving or claim one of the many uninhabited islands as your own for a day and simply relax on the beach, absorbing the sand, sun and balmy weather. Embark upon an island safari, and swim with tame nurse sharks, watch wild pigs surround your boat, and listen to the calls of native birds from overhead. Whatever your pleasure, if you seek a voyage that will take you beyond the ordinary resort communities and premeditated luxuries, a trip into a still remote island wonderland, where nothing comes between you and pervasive natural beauty-a getaway that truly allows you to get away-then the Exuma Cays await you. Located at the southern end of the Pipe Creek archipelago, not far from Great Exuma, Staniel Cay serves as a perfect base camp from which to launch your excursion. Though home to only 80 full-time residents and traversed by a single paved road, the island boasts an airstrip, a post office, a red roofed church, and two hotels. You can stock up on supplies at any of three grocery stores in the village, or souvenirs at the local straw market. The colorful Staniel Cay Yacht Club offers American and Bahamian cuisine, boat rentals, snorkeling and scuba gear, and, most importantly, beautiful sunsets. If you come in summer, catch the annual bonefishing festival on August 5, Bahamian Independence day. Nearby, take a dip and discover Thunderball Grotto, a stunning marine cave, where two 007 films, Thunderball and Never Say Never Again, and Ron Howard's Splash were shot. Don your snorkeling or scuba gear and observe the dazzling refractions of the light filtering in through cracks in the central cavern, while a multitude of brightly colored tropical fish dart about your feet. Venturing further north, find the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. More than 20 miles of petite cays and an inexhaustible undersea landscape-replete with limestone and coral reefs, blue holes, drop offs, and marine caves-make up this "Garden of Eden", as it is often called. Recognizing its superlative splendor, the Bahamian Government set aside the 176 square mile tract as a national park in 1958; all fishing and disturbance of wildlife and reefs have been prohibited since 1985, and today the park is home to many species which have all but disappeared from the rest of the Bahamas. Hike the trails of Hawksbill Cay or Warderick Wells, and you may glimpse the endangered Bahamian Iguana. Dive beneath the clear blue waters, and you are sure to meet with as rich an array of tropical marine life as anywhere in the world. Just southeast of the park, Sampson Cay provides the only other marina in the central Exumas, apart from Staniel Cay. Protected on all sides by land, the island serves as a natural "hurricane hole" and offers one of the safest anchorages in the Bahamas. Though quite remote, it hosts a grocery store, a commissary, a restaurant and a dive center. Numerous other cays arise from the crystalline waters. Some belong to celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Nicholas Cage. Many are entirely uninhabited, even unnamed, and provide a day's paradisiacal anchorage for the roving yachter. Investigate this uncharted territory on your own terms and discover a unique piece of pristine island splendor. Whether your passion is for sailing, fishing, snorkeling, or simply the beauty of nature, the Exuma Cays accommodate your every desire. As you explore this remote island dreamscape, you free your mind and body from the commotion of the modern world and harmonize with an unaltered tropical wilderness, teaming with exotic and enchanting life. Take a plunge into a sea of dazzling natural wonder in the Exuma Cays. |
            |
      |
| Copyright © all rights reserved, Financial Firebird | Privacy Policy | |