Also known as

Information, Tales and Anecdotes of over 35 years visiting the Abacos.
Especially geared for the First Time Visitor and including,
Lodging, Rentals, Accommodations and Services.
And it's being updated all the time.

(The Short Version)

A post on an Abaco bulletin board by Bruce & Lesley of Pasadena, MD, says it all."....Well I thought this site had some people who seemed just a little over enthused about a vacation destination. Now I fully understand. This place has grabbed me heart and soul.... I can't say I came home from there. I feel "there" lies my home I never knew existed... Hope that doesn't sound too corny... We're already discussing our next trip."

I have been vacationing in The Abacos regularly since 1973. (Map) That was just months prior to their independence from Great Britain. In early years we stayed almost exclusively on Green Turtle Cay. However since moving to Florida in 1990, we now include Elbow Cay (Hope Town), splitting our time between both. That move also afforded us seeing all the Abaco Cays the way they should be seen, aboard my boat Motu Iti. Some of those accounts are linked below. All of the Cays will be covered here. For those who want to head off to mainland places less traveled, the off the beaten path settlements and places of interest they are linked in the side panel.

We will working our way southward, as one arrives from Florida by boat starting with Spanish Cay, Green Turtle Cay and the Cays to their south. The mainland resorts of Treasure Cay and Marsh Harbour, the Bahamas third largest city, will be covered too. All places covered are accessible for the fly-in traveler via the mainland airports of Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay via numerous Air Carriers. Once you arrive, it's just a short taxi ride and then either a ferry or rental boat to get to the outlying cays. All of the the photos throughout our website are by the author unless indicated otherwise. Before we get started some general information.

General Information

As mentioned this site is intended for the fly-in vacationer. Where they overlap with the cruising yachtsman is in the pages of the Cruising Guide to the Abacos. It's a must have for anybody visiting the Abacos. It's authored by state side professor and Elbow Cay resident, Steve Dodge. His Guide, although geared to the cruising folks, it's jam packed with useful info not found in any Fodor's or Frommer's etc. It's colorful and so inviting. Every nook and cranny is mentioned including many not covered here, and it's updated annually. It also has a "Yellow Pages" listing of services, shops, restaurants, fishing and diving guides etc. etc. You can get a copy at West Marine or directly from the publisher White Sound Press. Recently the first printing of the new biannual publication Destination Abaco, hit the shops and resorts in Abaco as a free give away. It too is packed with info in a convenient carry about size. You'll see it in shops, and resorts. And for a sneak peek take a look at these Regional Abaco Webcams if working. They are scattered through the cays.

RENTING A BOAT when visiting the Cays, for us, it's a must. The Abaconian waters are the appeal to this part of the world. You'll want to explore the beauty of uninhabited island beaches for some frolicking fun, fishing, picnicking, snorkeling, beach combing etc. etc. There are easily attainable islands where you can feel like the only people in the world. Then there are the out island watering holes - great places to meet new friends and end a day on the water with a Goombay or Kalik. As an alternative you might consider chartering a vessel and have your captain guide you around to places often over looked. Many charters come provisioned and just about all a dinghy for local exploration and getting ashore when anchored out. Check out Chartering on our Boating Abaco page.

POLARIZED is the magic word here in the Abacos . Get yourself a pair of Polarized Sunglasses if you don't already have them. They remove glare and reflection accentuating the turquoise, green and blue of the Abaco waters. And their through water penetration is amazing. If you are like myself and use glasses to read, you might want to consider a pair of polarized glasses with readers on the bottom and no magnification on the top. Perfect for reading on the beach or looking at a chart in a boat. You might also want to consider a polarized filter on your camera. Your photos will then turn out like those fantastic tropical pictures we see in travel magazines.

COMMUNICATIONS: I used to get asked, "Is there cell phone service in the Abacos?" And what about the internet? The answer is yes to both, however check your American carrier first. The Bahamian area code (from the outside) is 242. There is WiFi, a plethora of hot spots and even internet cafés. For details on a mobile WiFi account when in Abaco, check out, Out Island Internet or the successor of Coconut Telegraph, BahamasWiMax, which covers from Green Turtle Cay to Little Harbour. Expanded full island wide coverage is planed for the near future. Also many resorts offer an on premises computer terminal for guests. Still with all this technology available, you'll be hard pressed to find a telephone or TV in a resort room. Oh, stay away from those "BLUE PAY TELEPHONES" that take any credit card. Last we heard they'll hit you for $20 a minute! Finally, the Abacos are a place to disconnect and unwind but if you must bring your lap top, here is just the excuse you'll need.

PROVISIONING: For folks renting a home and or have cooking facilities, small grocery stores can be found on all the cays but variety is limited. Produce is generally poor and some canned items have been on the shelf for a while. Still many offer fresh baked bread and pastries and local favorites like conch salad. Fish Markets seem to come and go on the Cays so ask around. The Solution is shop in Marsh Harbour, The stores are larger, cheaper and some are close to stateside supermarkets like Maxwell's. Here, produce is fresher, there is a good selection of meat and the turn over is greater. Prices are closer to stateside, with some items twice the price.

MONEY: The Bahamian dollar is on par with the US dollar. Both are used interchangeably and you can request your change be in US as we do usually near the end of our trip. Your credit card company will probably tack on a "foreign transaction fee" (1%) for each charge.

On Fishing: Due to over fishing, the Bahamian Government saw to it to do some serious tightening of their fishing regulations. That includes Shellfish too - Lobster & Conch. Those regulations can be (found here).

Marine VHF Radio: Another practical item that we always bring is a Marine VHF Walkie Talkie. It's fun and invaluable tool for use in making a dinner reservation, booking a golf cart or boat rental and even hailing a taxi in Marsh Harbour. Even listening to the island chit chat is fun. But most importantly, you'll be able to listen to the Cruisers Net on CH 68 every day at 8:15 for a broadcast of the islands happenings and weather, and even a period for you to ask a question. More than likely your rental boat will be equipped with one. More info on the Cruisers Net, a recent broadcast and VHF protocol can be found on our Flotsam & Jetsam page.

The Abaco Cays

...... have been called Out Islands, Family Islands and the Friendly Islands all of which definitely apply. Here you will find friendly folks, a relatively bustling economy with none of hassles and hustlers of fast paced Nassau, Paradise Island and Freeport. Evenings are spent with family and friends or fishing buddies or at the local watering holes, most all accessible by water, often with returning folks and occasionally a calypso band. Some places play bingo or trivia pursuit for drinks. Darts and Karaoke are also popular pastimes. That's it for nighttime excitement, we have to say. Still many folks settle in for a season either in a home or their boat, or as the Barefoot Man puts it in one of his songs they've come to "harbournate". As far as "islands" go, the Abacos rate high as being a truly homogeneous little spot in the world.

The Abaco Cays start in the north at Walkers Cay working their way 100 miles or so down to Little Harbour. For the most part they parallel the Island of Great Abaco and can be thought of as barrier islands as they are what separate the Atlantic from the shallow Sea of Abaco and Mainland Abaco. Unlike the classical sandy barrier islands of the eastern US, here they consist of limestone with some elevation and are protected on the ocean side by the third largest barrier reef in the world. For the most part the cays are green with mangrove and white sand beaches. Most are uninhabited.

The Atlantic side of these cays are littered with some of the most beautiful coral reefs you'll find in the Atlantic. Shooting up from the depths one can find reefs in waters from 6 to 200+ feet. They are surely as spectacular, as the Caribbean hot spots of Grand Cayman, Bonaire, Belize etc. There are reefs for snorkelers to the experienced diver. There is even a network of well maintained and protected underwater parks with mooring buoys for visiting boaters. It's truly a divers paradise and a well kept secret. And it's only 180 miles from Florida's mainland . The Florida Keys cant even come close and shouldn't even be mentioned in the same conversation. For the fisherman, the fishing is likewise as outstanding with tournaments at many locations throughout spring and summer and no less comparable than Costa Rica or Cabo San Lucas, A word of caution: Making passage from Abaco Sound to the ocean between the cays to the fishing areas and diving spots is a bit tricky if not impossible in most areas. And it is forbidden to take a rental boat to the ocean. There are plenty of spots to dive without risk that are covered below.

The North Abaco Cays

WALKERS CAY - is the northern most tip of the Abaco Cays. In its heyday a major sport fishing and diving center with resort and it's own operating air strip where you may also clear customs. The resort is closed now as a result of the devastating hurricane season of '04, and a mysterious fire afterwards. If you want to know more about it's glory days and rumored renovation Click Here. The air strip remains open servicing the folks of Grand Cay to its south.

GRAND CAY the island just to the south of Walker's is the first cay you come to with a settlement and where many of the Walkers workers lived. It's number one attraction is Rosie's Place who provides a full service marina and air conditioned rooms in addition to his famous eatery. There is really no way go get here except by boat. Still, Grand Cay is an increasingly popular spot for Florida boaters who can make the trip in about 5 hours. Today many of the cays folks make a living fishing and lobstering. Info & picts here.

Southward from Walkers & Grand, you will pass a half a dozen or so uninhabited cays with the names of Double Breasted, Stranger, Carter, Moraine, and Allen-Pensacola. Most have their own protected and secluded spots where you will always find a few boats anchored.

Spanish Cay

... is the next of the outlying cays heading south that has any populace and those folks are attached with the resort there. Like Walkers, Spanish Cay is a point of entry with operating airstrip and customs. There is a fine large marina attached to the Resort at Spanish Cay. An earlier owner of the island, Clint Murchison who owned the Dallas Cowboys, removed the Casuarina's (Australian Pines) which have all but undermined the natural foliage of this and other islands. Instead he replanted the island with thousands of coconut palms and other indigenous foliage. The resort has changed hands a couple times, has gone thru a couple of hurricanes and undergone a major overhaul including brand new docks. As part of the renovation they've added tennis courts a new air conditioned restaurant and game room/bar overlooking a fresh water swimming pool and the sea of Abaco. They claim three lovely beaches and golf carts are available to explore the island. Their Wreckers Bar, not always open, is the only eatery in the Abacos suspended over the Ocean. If peace and quiet is what you are looking for, this is the place. Of course snorkeling, fishing and shelling are always available. Throw in a good book and a Pina Colada from their bar and your in business. Across from Spanish Cay on Abaco's mainland and 42 Miles from Marsh Harbour (half that to Treasure Cay) is the settlement of COOPERS TOWN. It's about a $45 taxi ride from Treasure Cay. The government dock is where you'd pick up a ferry to Spanish Cay. Unfortunately there are only two scheduled, early morning and late afternoon and primarily intended for the resorts day workers. A charter is about $200. So it looks like a late arrival and early departure is the only way to go. Call them on this in any case. Note: the Resort at Spanish Cay is only opened in season. Also, the North Abaco mainland settlements of Coopers Town, Fox Town, Crown Haven and others moved to "The Abacos, off the Beaten Path" found in the side bar.

Green Turtle Cay & New Plymouth
(Back to Top)

The next cay you come to with any population (20 Miles south of Spanish Cay) and where it all started for us, is Green Turtle Cay (See Map). (Aerial) It is the island that we spent our early days almost exclusively. Needless to say things have changed a lot in my 35+ years. During those early trips we would take our kids. It was a great place when they were growing up. They were both good swimmers so we didn't have to worry about a thing. They could run around all they wanted, as kids still can today.

The Village of New Plymouth (Map) was originally settled by the loyalists in the 1770's. The quaint brightly colored picturesque village can be walked in less than 10 minutes end to end or about two hours covering all the side streets and stopping in every store including having a Goombay Smash at Miss Emily's. Finding any of the named places in this guide is as easy as asking somebody in the street and then it wont be more than 5 minutes from where you're standing.

Lobstering and tourism are the main industries of the island today while the village serves most of the Islanders needs. There are hardware, gift and food markets in New Plymouth albeit a bit pricey. Merchandise arrives regularly from Marsh Harbour or directly from the states. The Bahamian Government places a hefty duty on many items which makes things a bit costly.

Occasionally a doctor sets up practice and usually leaves as there just was not enough "business" to keep him or her there. Today you will find a clinic with a nurse. For anything more serious you'll have to go to Marsh Harbour or Florida.

Be sure to stop by for a visit at the Albert Lowe Museum for a peak at the settlement's earlier times. You'll also find here beautifully crafted model ships built by late Mr. Lowe and art works by his renowned son Alton. Alton has a gallery in his lovely home. It's a 15 minute walk on the other side of the settlement's big hill. For more information see Abaco Art. The model ship building continues by still another son, Vertrum, whose work can be found along with other local artists at Vert's Model Ships. Other points of interest is the Loyalist Memorial Sculpture Garden featuring Bronze busts of many of the influential folks of days gone bye. It's in the middle of town, you cant miss it.

Every year in May is the annual Annual Green Turtle Heritage Festival. The well received intent of the event was to establish a "Sister City" concept between historic Green Turtle Cay (New Plymouth) where the Loyalist first settled in 1784 and Key West, Florida, where many Green Turtle Cay residents relocated in the ensuing 150 years. So if you are planning a trip to the Abacos and more specifically Green Turtle Cay, you might want to consider this event. But book early. (We should mention that as of 2010/11 Hope Town & Man-O-War have begun their own, albeit smaller versions of their heritage day. Want to know more go to Flotsam & Jetsam).

Access to New Plymouth and Green Turtle Cay is of course only by ferry- the "BOLO". Nigel, Larry or Curtis will probably be your captain. The BOLO runs from anywhere on the island to a dock on the mainland serving the airport (by land Taxi) at Treasure Cay. Connecting commuter flights here are to Miami, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale. and Nassau. More on our Air Carriers page.

New Plymouth lies on the western side of settlement harbour. Here there are a half a dozen restaurants in town. The lovely and quaint turn of the century New Plymouth Inn, reminiscent of Bogey and Bacall, opens and closes at the whim of it's proprietor. Still it has one of the most romantic restaurants in all the islands. In it's prime, it would have been an inspirational place for playwrights, novelists and poets. As of spring 2010 it was open and we can frankly report it is as charming as ever - the romance is still there. Hopefully this time it will remain open. It's all up to Wally, their a bit eccentric, long time owner. It's location in the middle of the village, away from beaches and marinas, probably has something to do with past difficulties.

New Plymouth eateries: in no particular order there is the "Wrecking Tree" one of the few places that will make conch salad to order, and the popular "McIntosh's Bakery & Restaurant". It's on the street going up the hill facing the cemetery. Then there is everybody's all time favorite "Laura's (carbohydrate) Kitchen". You'll find it just up the street from the town dock. Here you will get your plate piled high with food reminiscent on an Amish restaurant and all for a reasonable price (no alcohol here). A reserva