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Grand
Bahama Island
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An old favorite is about to make a big splash. |
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Essentials |
Grand Bahama is the first island I ever visited, so it holds a special place for me. If you're a beach aficionado, Gold Rock Beach in the Lucayan National Park is worth the trip. Low tide exposes acres of golden rippled sand, a truly incredible sight like nowhere else I've ever seen (except on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia). Located in the middle of nowhere, 25 miles from Freeport, Gold Rock has no visible buildings (just a few picnic tables). With a rental car, bring a picnic and spend the day; the tall casuarina trees will supply plenty of shade. You can also join a kayaking tour of the extensive mangrove system directly behind the beach along Gold Rock Creek. Grand Bahama 's twin cities, Freeport/Lucaya, were constructed from the ground up to cater to visitors. Until a few decades ago, Grand Bahama was mostly pine forest and one of the least developed islands of the Caribbean. In order to make an impact and be noticed quickly, the island pulled out all the stops to become instantly famous with the opening of Freeport's International Bazaar in 1967. The International Bazaar was actually the forerunner of Walt Disney World's EPCOT, predating it by more than a decade. The 10-acre shopping mall, designed by a Hollywood special effects set designer, has a huge, brightly painted Chinese entrance gate that leads to avenues depicting different parts of the world. Even more colorful specialty shops are available at the Port Lucaya Marketplace and Marina.
Certified divers have the unusual chance to play with trained dolphins in the open ocean. Many islands offer dolphin encounters in an enclosed area, but only on Grand Bahama can you swim with them freely. There's also a dolphin encounter program, too. Grand Bahama offers more golfing opportunities than perhaps any other island. It has four championship caliber courses planned by such leading architects as Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Dick Wilson. The Wilson-conceived Lucayan Country Club has been ranked by Golfweek as not only the Bahamas' best courses but one of the Caribbean 's top three. In the past, Grand Bahama has lacked convenient air service or hotel facilities to fulfill its grand possibilities. Now with its new airport terminal and regular ferry passenger service from Florida, everything could be coming together. The island's long wait could be over. Next Page: Grand Bahama Deja vu: It's Becoming Popular All Over Again Grand Bahama Arrival Briefing (What You Need to Know If You Go) Grand Bahama Nature Parks: The Basics |
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