The Bahamas - It's More Than Just Beaches

While the beaches of the Bahamas are thelimestone just off the coast of the island. Divers
premier tourist attraction, there are many morecan trace the road and have found some
things to do if you travel inland. On Abaco youinteresting relics just 20 feet below the surface.
can visit the Abaco National Park, which is aGrand Bahama Island offers visitors a plethora of
20,500-acre national park dedicated tonon-beach related activities. At Fragrance of the
preservation of the native plants and animals ofBahamas you can make and bottle your own
the Bahamas. It is one of the only places in theperfume. This interesting exhibit is housed in a
Bahamas where you can see the endangeredhistorical English-style mansion that you can tour.
Bahama Parrots. These beautiful emerald coloredThe International Bazaar is a 10-acre series of
birds call the park home. Also on Abaco you canshops and restaurants that feature products from
see the wild horses of Abaco. These horses arearound the world. This is a great place to pick up
probably descendants of the horses Columbussome trinkets to commemorate your trip.
brought on his trips to the New World. They areLong Island is home to the Columbus Monument,
housed in a preservation area in the pine forestswhich attributes to the discovery of the
of Abaco. Also on Abaco you can explore thearchipelago by Christopher Columbus. Hamilton's
Hope Town Lighthouse. This candy-stripedCave is an interesting location to explore. Here
lighthouse was built in the early 1860s. It is still lityou can see the cave where Lucayan artifacts
by a kerosene lamp.were found. St. Mary's Church is an interesting
Andros Island also has a lighthouse on thelocation. It does not have stunning architecture like
southern end of the island. The Andros Lighthousesome of the other churches on the islands, but it
was built in the 1890s. Andros is home to manyis thought to be the oldest church on the island.
ruins of the sugar cane plantations of theThe church was built in the 1600s by the Spanish.
Bahamas past. You can visit the Old GovernmentParadise Island is home to the Ardastra Gardens
Administrate Building and Jail House, Old Schooland Conservation Center. This miniature zoo
Buildings, the Whyms Plantation, the Chamberlainhouses 300 animals from around the world in
Sisal Plantation, several old wells, the Twin Lakesbeautiful tropical garden displays. For those who
Farm and more. History lovers will want to spendenjoy military history, there are several historic
several days visiting these sites from the 1800sforts to visit on Paradise Island, including Fort
and early 1900s. The Star Gate Blue Hole dive isCharlotte, Fort Fincastle and Fort Montagu.
famous because in the 1990s several Indian skullsAs you can see, there is much more to do on
were found here. Andros also has several historicthe islands of the Bahamas than just the beaches.
churches for visitors to explore.Of course, if you are traveling to the Bahamas,
The next island in a tour of the Bahamas is Bimini.you are going to want to spend some time
Bimini has its own museum, dedicated to theocean-side. Be sure to schedule some time,
history and culture of the people of the island.however, to explore the many inland activities of
There is a site that has been nicknamed the "Lostthe Bahamas.
City of Atlantis". This site is several blocks of