NOT FOR: People requiring lots of amenities; families with small children.
Great Inagua
CLAIM TO FAME: Morton Salt Works; Inagua National Park.
Cactus plants cover a cliff on Eleuthera, one of the Bahamas' Out Islands.
(Bahamas Ministry Of Tourism)
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PROS: Birding. Nearly half of Inagua, the southernmost island in the Bahamas and the least developed, is taken up by Inagua National Park, home to the world's largest concentration of West Indian flamingos. During the November-to-January nesting season, about 50,000 of them perform elaborate mating dances, and the skies turn pink with flamingos on the wing. Dozens of other magnificent species, notably Bahama parrots, are permanent or transient here. Day passes to the park, obtainable through the Bahamas National Trust, cost a mere $25.
CONS: Finding a place to stay in Matthew Town requires some work. The Morton Main House, the best choice, is often booked weeks or months in advance. There are mom and pop eateries, a liquor store and a bank, but little else besides the enormous salt works of Morton Bahamas, the island's only industry. Wild donkeys, feral hogs and seed cattle vastly outnumber Inaguans.
BEST FOR: Bird lovers; people seeking someplace rugged and remote.
NOT FOR: Many, if not most, types of travelers.
Great Exuma
CLAIM TO FAME: Beautiful beaches, ruined plantations with slave quarters, yachting, fishing and diving; host of the Family Island Regatta in April.
PROS: George Town, the major settlement on Great Exuma, is cosmopolitan and well-provisioned. It is peopled by well-heeled, international visitors from yachts docked in one of the finest anchorages in the Caribbean, the harbor separating Great Exuma and Stocking Island. Good restaurants and the best nightlife in the southern Bahamas.
CONS: Exuma's top beaches are not within walking distance of George Town. It's well worth renting a car to reach them and other interesting sites.
BEST FOR: Anglers, divers, sailors and a wide variety of travelers, from those seeking a comfortable retreat among tropical splendor to those who want to explore Bahamian history and culture.
