Posted by: travadmin on Dec 14, 2003 – 02:11 PM
exoticlocations  Are you one in a million? How about one in 10 million?

You are if you visited the Caribbean last year. If you are not, it is time to go. Ten million Americans can’t be wrong.

Picture yourself in a hammock shaded by the palm trees, cooled by the trade winds, lulled by the murmur of the surf rolling in on a white sandy beach, waiting for a rum punch to be delivered, thinking about an evening of dining and listening to the island music.

It just doesn’t get any better.

The roughly 3,000 islands and cays of the Bahamas lie off the East Coast of Florida.

Regardless of the island you pick, you can’t go wrong. Christopher Columbus ispurported to have written to Queen Isabella, “I saw so many islands that I could hardly decide which to visit first.”

Pick an island based on what you enjoy. If you love shopping, glittering nightlife, the beach and golf, consider Grand Bahama or New Providence.

If your tastes run to secluded hideaways with great snorkeling and grand vistas, head to the Abaco or Harbour Island.

Whether you’re the independent type who likes adventure and discovery or you prefer to be pampered and hang out on the beach, there’s an island to suit you.

It is hard to find a bad beach, but if you want the very best, The Travel Channel’s top Caribbean pick for 2003 was Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas.

It is the place for natural beauty, elegant resorts and, most important, three miles of pink sand and gentle waters.

The ocean is warm throughout the year and generally calm. The ambiance is laid-back and friendly. Unique resorts and hotels offer privacy in tropical hideaways, including the luxurious and the simply charming.

Some of the best diving spots in the Bahamas are around New Providence, where many ships have sunk. Grand Bahama, Andros, Bimini and Eleuthera offer supreme diving locations, laden with reefs, colorful creatures swim and underwater caves and tunnels.

If the sounds of the Caribbean set your feet dancing, then head to the Bahamas during Christmas and enjoy the heart-pounding Junkanoo festival. Or go any other time and dance to the sweet rythms of the steel drums and calypso melodies. Get ready to limbo to the calypso beat.

The season There is no “wrong” season to visit the Bahamas.

The climate is mild all year round. Just pick the most convenient time.

The main tourist season runs from mid-December to mid-April. Bargains can be found during the off-season – late spring to fall.

The rainy season, usually falls between June and November, but the effect on the vacationer is minimal.

The options are many.

Based on an article by Sandra Scott