Grand Bahama

Introducing Grand Bahama

In the Bahamas family of islands, Grand Bahama is the scrappy middle kid – usually overlooked, occasionally knocked down and ultimately misunderstood. The one-two punch for this 85-mile-long isle came in 2004 and 2005 when hurricanes ripped across its low-lying shores, ravaging hotels, restaurants and businesses. While the island was shaking off its daze, its once shy siblings, the Out Islands, charged ahead, establishing distinct personalities and snapping up glossy headlines and ever-so-fickle celebs.

But who needs glitz and glamour when you’ve got fish-filled reefs, tree-lined nature walks, kayak-friendly creeks and dolphins ready for kisses? Grand Bahama is slowly realizing its nature-minded strengths and is poised to strut its stuff as the best Bahamian bet for outdoor adventure and ecotravel. It just needs to spread the word – and quick – before the megaresorts swoop in, gobble up the goodies and ruin it all. Which is a distinct possibility now that Ginn sur Mer, a massive hotel-condo-marina complex, is rumbling toward completion on the western shore.

For now, take the nature tour, kayak under the mangroves, ride a horse along the sand – prices are right and the best views still open to the public. At times the island can be frustrating – unexplained closings, indifferent customer service – but if you take time to see what’s under the surface, you’ll probably like what you find. Best of all, it’s only 95 miles from Ft Lauderdale.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009