4 Best Sights in Bahamas

Upon arrival in Hope Town Harbour, you'll first see a much-photographed Bahamas landmark, an 89-foot-tall, candy-striped lighthouse first manned in 1863. The lighthouse's construction was delayed for several years by acts of vandalism; then-residents feared it would end their profitable wrecking practice. Today the lighthouse is the last hand-turned, kerosene-fueled beacon in operation anywhere in the world. Monday through Saturday, from 9 to 5, you can climb up the spiral staircase to the top for a superb view of the sea and the nearby cays. There are 101 steps in all, and there is no graceful way for an adult to crawl through the small door onto the viewing platform that goes all the way around the top. The lighthouse keepers and their families live in the small cottages at its base, so keep noise to a minimum as one of them is resting up for his night shift. There's no road between the lighthouse and the town proper. You can use your own boat to cross the harbor or take a ferry to the dock and explore the lighthouse; the ferry does not run very frequently, so expect to spend at least an hour here before the next one comes along, to either head back to Marsh Harbour or continue on to Hope Town.

As you enter Fresh Creek Harbour, you’ll see this historical lighthouse built circa 1892 to navigate boats into the southern entrance of Fresh Creek Channel. No longer in use, the lighthouse, with a brace of rusty cannon near a delightful small beach, is an island landmark and offers a picturesque view, including a large, rusty old shipwreck.

The sparkling white Bird Rock Lighthouse (built in 1872) once guarded the Crooked Island Passage. The rotating flash from its 115-foot tower still welcomes pilots and sailors to the Crooked Island Lodge, currently the islands' best lodging facility. This lighthouse is located 1 mile offshore and can only be reached by boat.

A couple of miles south of Graham's Harbour stands Dixon Hill Lighthouse. Built around 1856, it's the last hand-operated lighthouse in The Bahamas. The lighthouse keeper must wind the apparatus that projects the light, which beams out to sea every 15 seconds to a maximum distance of 19 miles, depending on visibility. A climb to the top of the 160-foot landmark provides a fabulous view of the island, which includes a series of inland lakes. The keeper is present 24 hours a day. Knock on his door and he'll take you up to the top and explain the machinery. Drop a dollar in the box when you sign the guest book on the way out.