Now that we’ve officially “cruised” through the Bahamas, what better time for a little recap and “best of” post!
We may have only scratched the surface during our two and half months traveling from island to island, but man oh man did we have an awesome time! The Bahamas are really some of the best cruising grounds in the world. I’m so glad we got our sea legs here first!
BEST SNORKELING
…hands down >>Thunderball Grotto<< in Staniel Cay. By a land slide.
Holy crap was that place awesome! Talk about the most magical snorkeling experience in the Bahamas. We are definitely planning to hit that place up again on our return journey one day.
BEST BEACH
…Ahhhhh! This is a tough one for me.
I’m going to call it a TIE and give best beach to >>Cape Santa Maria/Calabash Bay, Long Island<< AND TO the east side of >>Great Harbour Cay<<.
Both spots were by far the prettiest, crystal clear, white sand beaches we saw in all of the Bahamas!
BEST RESORT
…hmmm, that’s an easy one! ;)) >>Cape Santa Maria Resort<< in Long Island of course! Not only was it the one and only resort we stayed at in the Bahamas (because hello we are traveling with our floating home), but also where we spent my birthday and got ENGAGED!!! So it wins regardless.
BEST ANCHORAGE
…we had plenty of great anchoring experiences in the Bahamas, and a few really crappy ones that I’d rather forget, but the east side of >>Great Harbour Cay<< takes the cake. Not only was it one of the prettiest beaches, but the anchorage itself was super calm and private. I guess that’s why we ended up staying for almost a week. ;))
And holy moly has our >>Mantus Anchor<< provided total peace of mind for us newbie sailors. Thank god we have that thing aboard s/v LAHO.
BEST LAUNDRY
…most folks will probably guess Blackpoint. After all, Blackpoint definitely wins for the prettiest laundromat location. However, I have to say the actual best laundry in terms of most thorough washing machines (that don’t leave rust stains on your clothes) and best dryers that *actually* dry an entire load in one fail swoop goes to >>the Corner Laundromat<< in George Town. It’s hot in there, so bring a cold drink to enjoy while you wait on your laundry.
BEST WATER
…since we don’t have a water maker aboard this ship, we typically keep our eyes peeled for tank refilling opportunities. The water quality has been pretty consistent throughout the islands of the Bahamas, but the easiest and cheapest water (ahem FREE!!!) was back in >>George Town<< at the Exuma Markets dinghy dock. And so super easy to access by dinghy without having to lug 50 lb. jerry cans around town.
BEST WI-FI
…again, a toss up. We scored FREE wifi all the way back in >>Bimini<< (while we were anchored outside the World Resort + Casino), and then again in Blackpoint. The wifi is free pretty much everywhere in Blackpoint on land, but we had to sit in the cockpit of the boat with the laptop to get a signal on the boat. Still, it was F-R-E-E!!! And in our book, that’s a win.
BEST FISHING
…definitely in the Berries! We snagged 4 huge mutton snapper, a grouper, a jack, and tons of barracuda while sailing through the islands!
>>Here’s what we’ve been using to catch fish in the Bahamas.<<
BEST GROCERY
…Highbourne Cay in the Bahamas had the cleanest and most Americanized selection with tons of fresh produce, but it was on the small side and rather pricey (like most of the Bahamas). And George Town’s Exuma Markets had the biggest selection of everyday stuff (although be sure to check dates on anything you buy).
BEST RESTAURANT
…Although we don’t tend to eat at restaurants all too often while cruising, >>the “Exuma” restaurant<< at the Highbourne Cay Yacht Club wins for best food! But also the most expensive for us budget-minded cruisers.
And Rowdy Boys Bar + Grill in Clarence Town, Long Island, and CarrieEarl’s in Great Harbour Cay were our second and third favorites for sure.
BEST SUNSET
…man have we seen some doozies! Once again, I’d say >>the Berries<< gave us the best sunsets of all. Make sure to enjoy them with a cold sundowner from the cockpit of your boat. :)))
BEST EXPERIENCE
…100% PIG BEACH!!!!!!!!!!! Handing out saltine crackers to a bunch of huge pigs is definitely one of the most awesome things we’ve done here in the Bahamas!
Check out our photos + GoPro video from >>Pig Beach<< at Big Majors Spot in the Exumas!
And if we had to pick a 1st runner up (because really, we’ve had TONS of awesome experiences), it would be >>our one amazing day<< swimming with stingrays, touring Little Stirrup Cay, and finding/cracking/eating fresh conch!
The Bahamas sure were good to us! I can only hope we continue to have these same kind of awesome experiences as we sail south through the Caribbean!
>>Thanks for visiting LAHOWIND sailing blog! We’d love for you to get to know us and follow our story as we attempt to navigate a whole new world of sailing, as we cruise the Bahamas + Caribbean. …Learn more about us and our sailing + cruising adventures.