A Cat Island Bahamas Vacation

By Pete Marciulonis

The Hermitage is a bit of an historical oddity, fascinating and strange. The hike up to see this religious site will take visitors through small villages along beautiful trails, full of island flora and fauna. It is located at the top of Mt. Alvernia, which is 206 feet above the sea and the highest point in the Bahamas.

The Hermitage itself is made from the limestone of the cliffs, with each piece painstakingly extracted, shaped and set by hand by the Canadian mule-skinner turned Anglican turned Roman Catholic priest known as Father Jerome. The Father built the structure to scale, designed it to fit his rather diminutive form. Beloved by the island people, the priest passed away in 1956 after reaching the ripe age of 80.

Other historical sites include an Arawak cave, found at Columbus point, and plantation ruins, left over from the islands efforts at joining the worlds cotton growers. Deveaux mansion was once the residence of Andrew Deveaux of the US Navy, who participated in the 1873 battles to get Nassau back from Spain. Another well known ruins is the remains of the Ambrister plantation, near Port Howe.

For those interested in water sports, the Cat Island Dive Center is the place to contact. They operate out of the Greenwood Beach Resort and have a variety of diving and snorkeling packages available, and there are many fine areas to explore, offering a wealth of marine life and fascinating geological formations. They also have water sport equipment to rent.

Cat Island is the sixth largest island in the Bahamas, and boasts extraordinary beaches. There are literally miles and miles of virtually undisturbed beaches, where swimming and relaxing can be done in near complete privacy.

Fine meals can be had at several locations on Cat Island. Hawk's Nest Resort and Marina serves a variety of dishes, but among the best are the fresh, grilled fish and the roasted rack of lamb. Fernandez Bay Village is the place to go for creative and delicious native dishes, served either in the dining room or a patio table by the beach. Greenwood Beach Resort's Bahaman cuisine is complemented by their marvelous breads, which are baked every day.

Cat Island is an excellent choice for vacationers who are seeking a natural beach experience, and enjoy a peaceful and very laid-back atmosphere. The island can be explored at a leisurely pace, which is a much better way to enjoy the local flora and fauna, as well as to enjoy the local culture.
Because it is so much smaller in population than many of the other islands, it's easier to get a real feel for the people and their way of life. Cat Island is an interesting place that will make a lasting impression on its guests.


Pete Marciulonis

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Marciulonis

A Cheap Bahamas Vacation Can Be The Perfect Family Holiday

By Suzane Gray

In today’s world of deadlines and hectic schedules our lifestyle leaves us little time to relax. A vacation with our close ones can help us unwind and rejuvenate our stressed body and soul. A cheap Bahamas vacation could be just the solution for your knotted nerves and economic budget. A call to a reputed travel agent can give you the complete schedule of the places that you could include, budget for the entire trip and the list of fun activities that you could do on your vacation. The internet has made this task even easier. A click of your mouse could give you access to numerous websites that offer detailed schedule for a cheap Bahamas vacation and you get the luxury of planning your trip form the comfort of your home.

The Bahamas are known for the idyllic locations and scenic beauty besides having numerous opportunities for adventure lovers. The crystal clear water also has a soothing effect on stressed out nerves of travelers and holiday makers. A cheap Bahamas vacation could therefore be the ideal opportunity to bond with your loved ones whom you may have neglected in the daily humdrum of regular life. Since a vacation is a time when we generally lose our inhibitions and find ourselves amidst the surroundings it provides a great chance to reunite with people who were alienated due the hectic workload that kept us busy throughout our regular life. A vacation is also prescribed to burnt-out individuals by therapists who feel that a holiday could work wonders for our subdued personality. A cheap Bahamas vacation could therefore help us touch base with our soul.

A cheap Bahamas vacation would also provide us ample scope to bond with nature and discover our timeless connection with the elements. It might have been ages since you noticed the rustle of leaves as the wind passes through them or the ripple created on a water body when a stone is thrown into its centre. A cheap Bahamas vacation could help you rediscover these little joys that you had long forsaken with the passage of time. It is no wonder that people who have been n a vacation to these beautiful islands come back with memories that last them a lifetime.

Photographs clicked and movies created on handy cameras are lovingly cherished through the years and fondly displayed to friends and family each time you want to relive your vacation.

The perfect gift for your parents on their anniversary or as a reward to your daughter who has fared well in her examinations could be a cheap Bahamas vacation. The thoughtful gesture on your part of accessing the web and planning a trip to the Bahamas will always be treasured by the loved ones and make the trip even more memorable. So next time you feel all tied down and under stress all you need to do is enter the world of internet and surf a website that provides detailed instructions regarding various holiday packages. Selecting a cheap Bahamas vacation could be the key that could unlock your soul and rejuvenate your body and mind in a uniquely refreshing manner.

Suzane Gray has been offering Bahama travel and vacation packages advice for quite some time. To find Cheap Bahamas vacation packages, freeport bahamas, Cheap bahamas vacation, Bahamas travel package that best suits your needs, visit www.gobahama.com

Harbour Island Bahamas - Best Kept Secret

By Perry Joseph

Promise not to tell? One of the best kept secrets of the Bahamas is Harbour Island. This romantic little island, known as "Briland" by its inhabitants, is a short hop from the States. A one hour flight from Florida to North Eleuthera followed by a brief cab and water taxi ride gets you to this Bahamas gem in a hurry.

Harbour Island is less than 4 miles long and a 1/2 mile wide. Its long wide beach is famous for its hard-packed pale pink sand. The likes of Fodors and Conde Nast rate it as one of the "best Bahamas beaches." The beach, combined with some great restaurants, hotels and vacation home rentals, makes Harbour Island a destination of choice amongst Bahamas enthusiasts. It's no surprise to find a few "rich and famous" there -- they know they won't be hounded.

Central to Harbour island is Dunmore Town. This quaint and friendly community features old Victorian structures adorned with Bahama's colorful pastel paint schemes. No high rise hotels, fast food or traffic jams on this island!

Golf cart rentals are the transportation of choice. Swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, and just plain walking the beach are some of the popular activities. To be sure, Harbour Island is not known for its shopping and night life nor is there any gambling. If you seek large crowds, wild parties or theme park rides, this is not your destination.

Harbour Island's weather is delightful; especially during late Winter and Spring when there is little chance of rain. Ocean breezes take any edge off of moderately warm temperatures ranging from the 70s to 80s during the day and late 60s at night. Air conditioning during season is unnecessary -- ceiling fans are adequate. Nothing beats falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean through an open window.

Dining out is casual. The better restaurants include Pink Sands Hotel, Coral Sands, The Landing, Rock House, Romora Bay Club and Harbour Lounge. For local fare, Ma Ruby's should not be missed. And there are more... Part of the pleasure of exploring the island is checking out the restaurants. When compared to other Bahamian islands, Harbour Island has one of the best selections of restaurants -- all within close proximity to any place you stay.

On the ocean side, hotels include Pink Sands Hotel, Coral Sands Hotel and Dunmore Beach Club. On the bay side, it's The Landing Inn and the Rock House. On a budget? There are other hotels to choose from. Visiting Harbour Island is not cheap, but if it was, then everybody would be there, right?

Harbour Island's vacation home rentals and villas are numerous. Location and size come at a price. If you desire "beachfront", the better locations are usually on the north and south along the east coast. If you want to save a little, there are some nice rentals in Dunmore Town and others located in the interior of the island. The beach is always minutes away.

Look for home rentals on the internet offering more than a few photos so you know what to expect. A number of rentals are handled by rental or real estate agents who may not provide much in the way of details, descriptions, map locations or photos. Owners who care about promoting their home rental typically have independent web sites and accept e-mail inquiries directly.

The better house rentals on Harbour Island are booked nearly a year in advance of prime season. Those who want the best make early reservations -- many are repeat customers. You can also take a "standby" position on a number of rentals in hopes someone cancels. Ask for referrals and double check policies for deposits and refunds.

If you seek a memorable and relaxed Bahamas vacation coupled with sun, sea, great food and a romantic beachfront that will knock your eyes out, consider Harbour Island. See you on the beach!

Copyright © 2004 Perry Joseph

Perry Joseph is a freelance writer, website developer and frequent visitor to the Bahamas. For more information on Harbour Island, visit his website: Harbour Island Bahamas

Freeport Bahamas Is A Fantastic Place To Enjoy Your Holiday

By Suzane Gray

Going for an exotic holiday is what most of us would like to do. A holiday is the perfect way to take a break from work to relax and refresh the mind and body. For a vacation you can go to Freeport Bahamas which is one of most attractive tourist destinations in the world. After all, this wonderful island has all the amusements that you have always dreamt. The place is full of natural beauty, has unending beaches where one can indulge in playing water sports and various other activities as well. The blue water and cool atmosphere is what fascinates many nature lovers to visit that place again and again. Once a while all of us want to go for a vacation to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. Once you go on the vacation with your family or friends, I am sure this vacation will turn out to be one of the most memorable ones. So, just plan make plans to visit this magnificent and lovely place to enjoy your break.

Tour and travel agencies operate in many cities and they offer different types of packages to people who want to go to Freeport Bahamas for their holiday. Depending on the budget you have, you can take any package for the vacation and indulge in all the fun activities with your family or friends. The island has sandy white beaches that appear to be never ending and are completely litter free. The white sandy beaches are free of pebbles and stones and obviously who would not like to go there time and again. This place creates a fantastic atmosphere and is the perfect palace for newly weeds to go on a honeymoon. The main attraction of Bahamas is the unending stretched beaches and you truly feel that you are at a perfect place. Imagine how wonderful it would be as if you are sitting at the beach and enjoying the calm atmosphere of Bahamas.

If you want to visit Freeport Bahamas for your vacation and are facing a financial crunch, there are solutions for that as well. There are several tour operators that provide cheap holiday package and discount holiday packages for visiting Bahamas. You just have to find out a tour operator that givens this offer. If you are not satisfied with the package that they offer, you can browse on web as almost every tour operator has web presence. You will surely find out a tour operator that offers you the perfect package which you are looking out for. If you are going there by making your own arrangements then make sure that you do an advance booking either in a hotel or in a villa whichever you prefer. Visitors can also find various houses that the owners offer on rent and you can enjoy a homely environment at your vacation destination.

If you are a nature lover then Bahamas is full of delight and natural sights which are a perfect place for a nature ardent like you. Shopping is another aspect that most of us like to do especially when we are in a tourist destination. Freeport Bahamas has big market and you can buy mementos to take it back home for your family or others.

Suzane Gray has been offering Bahama travel and vacation packages advice for quite some time.To find Cheap Bahamas vacation packages,freeport bahamas,Bahamas travel package that best suits your needs, visit www.gobahama.com