Fodor's Expert Review Staniel Cay

This is the hub of activity in the cays, and a favorite destination of yachters. That's thanks to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club—one of the best full-service marinas in the cays. Shack up in one of the cotton candy–color cottages, some perched on stilts right in the water. The club's restaurant is the place to be for lunch, dinner, and nightlife. The island has an airstrip, two hotels and a range of airbnbs, and paved roads, and virtually everything is within walking distance. Oddly enough, as you stroll past brightly painted houses and sandy shores, you are as likely to see a satellite dish as a woman pulling a bucket of water from a roadside well. At one of three grocery stores, boat owners can replenish their supplies. The friendly village also has a small red-roof church, a post office, and a Bahamian bread vendor. Staniel Cay is a great home base for visiting the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park.