Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
The Bahamas has more than 700 islands and is an archipelago that boasts hospitable people, gorgeous weather, fascinating traditions, beautiful nature and a way of life all its own. It isn’t difficult to come up with things to do in the Bahamas. Rather, it’s difficult to fit in everything. You don’t want to miss Andros Island, Port Lucaya Marketplace, traditional Bahamian music or Paradise Island’s Aquaventure Water Park. This island paradise is 50 miles off the coast of Florida. Given the Bahamas’ proximity, wealth of culturally enriching activities and possibilities for limitless relaxation, you should consider making the Bahamas the next stop on your travel itinerary.
Any trip to the Bahamas simply would not be complete without visiting the nation’s capital. Visitors can golf, sail, windsurf, water ski and parasail. Nassau’s attractions are also first-rate. If you appreciate art and culture, consider visiting the artists of Festival Place, which can be found on Prince George Wharf. It is a bustling marketplace that resembles a traditional Bahaman village. The Government House is a must for all visitors, or if you’re interested in piracy on the high seas, plan a trip to the Pirates of Nassau Museum. The museum’s educational exhibits and mesmerizing folktales and legends will fuel the imagination of everyone in your family. Nassau is teeming with activities for everyone.
If you and your family have never had the chance to visit Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, this is an absolute must to add to your bucket list! Atlantis is a resort destination like no other in the world. It is the largest and one of the most beautiful island resorts we’ve ever seen. Atlantis caters to all ages, especially “big kids!” You won’t believe how many fun things there are to do and see — for both business and pleasure: a multitude of unique accommodations, the most incredible water park and aquariums that you’ve ever seen,renowned beaches, swimming with dolphins, 18-hole golf course, fantastic dining at more than twenty restaurants, shopping, and even a casino that your kids might think is the largest arcade they’ve ever seen.
Atlantis | www.atlantisbahamas.com | (877) 530-9326
Aquaventure Waterpark – 141 Acres of water fun!
This non-stop aquatic thrill park features over twenty million gallons of water, incredible Atlantean-themed towers, thrilling high-speed water slides, a mile-long river ride with rolling rapids and wave surges, 20 swimming areas, a spectacular kids water-play fort and 11 unique and refreshing swimming pools.
The Cove Atlantis – Luxurious and Sophisticated
Accommodations
The Cove Atlantis is the island’s most fashionable sophisticated and chic escape. Here, a stylish and decidedly upscale guest experience makes every moment as extraordinary, from the exquisite open-air lobby to the exclusive amenities offered through The Cove Club. The Club allows guests the opportunity to relish in additional services and amenities reserved strictly for them, including a dedicated concierge for restaurant, golf, spa and cabana reservations.
Guests of The Cove have exclusive access to Cain at The Cove, a sophisticated adults only ultra-pool boasts an outdoor gaming pavilion and 20 private cabanas nestled between the beach and the main pool. The cabanas offer the most ideal atmosphere for enjoying the breathtaking views of the beach and pool.
Stuart Cove | 800-879-9832 | www.stuartcove.com
Stuart Cove’s Aqua Adventures is Nassau’s premier attraction featuring water-based activities. Located on the southwest side of New Providence Island, Stuart Cove’s is in the ideal physical location to take advantage of the diverse underwater geological formations. As such, dive sites are available for divers with no experience all the way up to expert-level divers. Dive sites encompass steep vertical walls that plummet to 6,000 feet of depth, shallow tropical reefs, 13 different locations containing ship or airplane wrecks, and numerous locations that were used as underwater movie sets for feature films.
The feature diving activity at Stuart Cove is the “Extreme Shark Adventure,” an underwater encounter with Caribbean Reef Sharks. Participants get to free swim with the sharks and later watch a feeding frenzy. To say the sharks come close to the divers is an understatement – they are everywhere!
If diving isn’t your idea of fun, snorkeling is a great opportunity to see the underwater delights of the island first hand. Billed as the worlds most exciting snorkeling adventure, Stuart Cove offers its guests the chance to visit 3 locations on a single voyage. The first underwater stop is a shallow reef that is teaming with fish. At the second location snorkelers visit a shipwreck. This could be a 200-foot tanker sunk as an artificial reef in 2000 that rests in only 40 feet of water with its mast reaching up to only 8 feet below the surface or one of the wrecks used to make the 007 films “For Your Eyes Only” and “Never Say Never Again”. Finally, if the weather permits, and your fellow passengers have the nerve – the optional 3rd site – takes participants to shark-infested waters where a bait box is lowered into the water. Those who are able to overcome their fears can snorkel above the sharks and observe their natural beauty and grace as they circle around the bait box suspended below. Those who choose to remain on board will still be able to observe the animals as well, without getting wet.
SUB Bahamas is Stuart Cove’s newest underwater activity. Your personal SUB (Scenic Underwater Bubbles) looks somewhat like a motorcycle with a giant bubble on top. Passengers sit on the “bike” with their head inside the bubble. Fresh air is supplied by scuba equipment that is on board the SUB. The beauty of SUB diving is that you can wear your normal eye glasses, you don’t even have to know how to swim, since all you are doing is driving an underwater motorcycle, and you breath normally since there are no hoses or tubes to breath through!
Graycliff | 1-855-GRAYCLIFF (472-9254)
Graycliff Restaurant’s cuisine epitomizes elegance in the finest continental and Bahamian tradition with a menu that is both delicious and distinctive. The secret recipes at Graycliff have set its reputation in the hallmark of the rich and famous. Creative culinary innovation has resulted in a variety of sumptuous dishes that are distinctly its own. Sophistication and refinement have creatively transformed Bahamian dishes earning Graycliff Restaurant an international reputation for fine Bahamian cuisine. Your experience at Graycliff Restaurant begins in the parlour with its high ceilings and tranquil feeling. Within moments of sinking into one of the sofas, one of the bar waiters will arrive with your favourite cocktail. After perusing the menu and placed your dinner order, you are then escorted to your table to enjoy your meal.
Graycliff’s Wine Cellar is world-renowned and the wine list has won the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award since 1988 and the World of Fine Wines 3-stars since 2015. The Wine Cellar has an inventory of over 250,000 bottles from over 400 vintners in 15 countries, making it the third largest wine collection in the world. The Wine Cellar is a connoisseur’s dream, the inventory ranges from today’s most popular vintages to some of the rarest, oldest, and most expensive bottles in the world.
