Posted by: travadmin on Jan 06, 2004 – 11:16 PM
exoticlocations  Great Exuma, Bahamas makes the Washington Post list of top 10 hot international destinations in the new year.
Why go: Now that U.S. travelers are realizing there’s more to the 700-island country than the well-worn resorts of Nassau and Freeport, tourism experts say the Exumas are North America’s next warm-your-toes destination.

The details: Much of the 500-mile long Bahamian archipelago is pristine and untouched, with mainstream development isolated to the two towns for which the Bahamas are best known. But the Exumas are next on the growth list, thanks to the opening of the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay in January and a greater number of flights from the United States (the best connections are via Miami). Once you have one high-end hotel, others tend to follow, and already a number of boutique hotels and other properties have started jockeying for the best spots on the sand.

Where to stay: Rooms at the new Four Seasons (242-336-6800) are $495 a night. If that’s too many clams to shell out, consider floating accommodations with a weeklong rental through Bahamas House Boats (242-336-2628, www.bahamahouseboats.com; from $1,750 weekly or $275 daily). Better yet, reserve one of seven pastel-hued cottages on a mile-wide island in the middle of the Exumas at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club (242-355-2024, www.stanielcay.com; from $110).

Info: Bahamas Tourist Office, 800-422-4262, www.bahamas.com.

By Elissa Leibowitz
Washington Post Staff Writer