Thinking about a Bahamas getaway this fall
 

I am thinking about a week or so long getaway to just flat check out, relax and decompress. All I need is a small place with internet access . Might be interested in some snorkling and I am a food lover and really like experiencing local food .

I am been looking at Abacos and Eleuthera . Any suggestions ?

Hi,

Have you ever thought about the Exumas?

Check out flying into GGT (Georgetown, Great Exuma) as the previous poster suggested then check vrbo.com for homes on Great Rxuma- it will be an easy trip if you can fly from Atlanta on Delta on the Wed. and Sun. flights- or check AA through MIA. If you want a hotel or small inn those are also available there.

you mention no budget & don't say when you wish to travel...

i have 2 suggestions.
first, on long island is cape santa maria beach resort. small, laid back, good food, good beach, def has snorkeling, not sure about the wifi. one of my best friends took her sister & said it is marvelous.

second, is club med Columbus Isle on san salvador. this is the smallest island i've been to with the most delightful people i've met on any trip. laid back would be an understatement - (no other hotels, we rented a villa which i would recommend if you wanted a villa but it requires taking a full cooler if you want to eat well). columbus isle beach is gorgeous & their food very, very good. they do have wifi & the resort started as a dive/snorkel destination. be advised when i say quiet i'm serious. there is nothing to do off resort except ride bikes to look around or you could rent a car & drive all the way around the island in 2-3 hrs - assuming the roads have been repaired. there are a couple small local restaurants. you would definitely go home decompressed!

There are so many places in the Bahamas Out Islands that would meet your requirements. A few that you might look into include Staniel Cay Yacht Club (Exumas -- fly Watermakers Air through FLL); Small Hope Bay Lodge (Andros -- fly Watermakers); Fernandez Bay Village (Cat Island -- fly via FLL, check FBV's website for details); Sea Spray Resort or Abaco Inn (Elbow Cay, Abacos); etc. Each of these is small, rustic and has internet, at least some of the time.

Cape Santa Maria (Long Island -- fly through NAS) might suit as well, but having stayed there myself, I liked it but didn't love it. It was a little too groomed for my taste; when I go to the Out Islands, I either want to be on a boat or go really basic. Your taste may be different.

A couple of caveats. First, as long as your expectations are realistic, you will be OK with the food. Bahamian food is basically conch, conch, conch, grouper, conch, lobster, conch, souse, snapper, conch, etc. I exaggerate a little, but the point is that little is grown on the islands, and much is shipped in. If you are happy with various preparations of the same thing, you'll be fine. If you are looking for elaborate, composed meals, the Out Islands are not the place for you.

Second, depending on when in the fall you are thinking of going, consider trip insurance (interruption or delay). I've had two November trips cancelled on a day's notice due to hurricanes -- once to the Abacos, and once to Long Island. Of course, if your airline cancels your flight, or your hotel is closed, you'll get your money back or be allowed to reschedule. But if you end up standed somewhere in transit due to a storm, and have to spend money on hotel and meals, trip insurance can cover it. (Been there, done it all, due to hurricanes, blizzards and volcanic eruptions, so I've gotten my money's worth out of trip insurance. Not everyone is as unlucky as I am....)

Cape santa maria on Long island. We also love Eleuthera. Check out pineapple fields resort which is not beachfront but a quick walk away or sky beach resort.

How about the Grand Bahamas ? I have Delta Frequent Flyer miles and can get there direct from Louisvlle .

Mark; Grand Bahamas is the most touristy behind Nassau, Not a place to relax.
We did stay at Small Hope Lodge on Andros Island 3 years ago and it was small and by letting them know in advance that I did not eat fish they made sure I had a beef, chicken or pork selection (with no repeatsin the week). If you enjoy snorkeling they do an excellent job of taking you out daily for 90 minutes to good spots. Andros has the third largest barrier reef in the world behind Australia and Belize.

Thanks ...........will check out Andros

If you want an incredible break, relaxing with friendly laid back people, great snorkeling and messing about in boats in very safe protected waters then go to :

http://www.travelguidebahamas.com/hope-town.html

The cottage are around $1500 a week, 20 ft boats to get around cost $600 a week. Look at the local geography, The Sea of Abaco is 50 miles long, 5 miles wide and 20 ft deep. This leads to incredible sea colours, it is protected from the Atlantic by barrier Cays/reefs and so is very safe.

As pointed out above, the dining experience is not Michelin star.