The highlights of our trip included: Abandoning our car (and rush hour traffic) for a week and taking a boat to dinner; snorkling on the reef at Fowl Cay Reserve - our sighting of a Spotted Eagle Ray here was a special treat; buying fresh baked bread at Vernon's Grocery Store in Hopetown; going to the Wild Boar Roast at Nipper's on Great Guana Cay on Sunday, eating conch fritters and drinking cold beer; listening to the morning cruiser's radio show on the VHF radio every day; SCUBA diving on the reef at Pelican Cay Reserve,touring the lighthouse in Hopetown on Elbow Cay; drinking rum drinks and watching a lightning show in the distance.
Quick Tips:
Almost everything is more expensive in the Bahamas - bring it with you! That includes sunscreen, film, small grocery items, etc.
Eating out is expensive, but the food is very good. Many people bring a cooler with frozen meat with them to cook in their rental houses.
Rum is less expensive in the Bahamas - save some room in your carry-on to bring back up to 2 liters per person.
The Abacos is not a resort destination. It is like going to a small remote town with the beauty of a resort. Bring your sense of adventure, patience, and a smile with you, and you will be fine!
Cash is the preferred method of payment in most establishments. However, most tour companies, some restaurants, and some grocery stores do accept MasterCard and Visa. There is one ATM available in Marsh Harbor.
We wore less than half the clothes we brought. We lived in bathing suits and T-shirts during the day. Shorts and nicer T-shirts or a very casual sundress are fine for dinner anywhere.
Best Way To Get Around:
The Abacos are a group of islands that make up one of the "Out Islands" of the Bahamas. There is a main island, called Great Abaco, where the major town of Marsh Harbour is located. (Marsh Harbour is the airport most tourists use.) To the east of Great Abaco are a number of smaller cays. Between the cays and Great Abaco is the Sea of Abaco, which is a relatively calm, shallow body of water, which makes this area perfect for exploring in a small motorboat.
A 17' Boston Whaler or similar boat is perfect for two people and can be rented for approximately /week from local boat rental companies. You can also rent by the day if you prefer.
If you are not comfortable renting your own boat, ferries operate on a regular schedule to many of the islands. Some of the SCUBA/snorkel companies include stops on the other islands with their trips, as well.
Car, golf cart, and bicycle rentals are available on most of the islands for exploring by land.