OT - Anyone been to the Grand Bahama Island?

[PhilipJCaputo]

I'll be going there on my honey moon in mid/late june.... any advice on a good place to stay?? good places to eat?? what to aviod?? what to do??

The fiance and I have free airline tickets to go there, so thats why grand bahama island.

[632 Regal]

Post pictures!

Dont buy any of the shells them people try to sell you...lol. One guy did cause it was half the price of the ones in stores, ended up having a dead host in it and ruining everything that was in his backpack from the smell.

Thats about all I remember from my 1st honeymoon.

[Jeff N.]

The local beer - Kalick (or something like that) - is horrid. Drink rum instead.

[Brian C.]

....THAT is the question.

As a Honeymooner, I'm assuming that you will have....ahem....most of your "activities" planned, but the biggest question about The Bahamas is if you want to spend a lot and have fun.........or NOT spend a lot and have fun too! In the Freeport/Port Lucaya areas, there are lots of places to spend money and time, but my advice would be to check out Count Basie Square in the Port Lucaya Marketplace. Find a funky hangout like Pusser's, get a few Goombay Smashes and an order of conch fritters, or better yet....add the cracked conch, and watch the sun go down. Repeat as needed. The Casino is fun, but hey, why GIVE them your $$$ when you can get booze and fun instead? Outstanding fishing will run a couple a hundred for a half-day of fun.

Tips:
1. Sun Screen. Looking like, and feeling like a lobster is no fun.
2. Rent scooters. It's an island....how lost can you get???
3. Drink a lot of rum. See #2 above. :p
4. Eat ANY kind of fresh seafood you see. It won't be bad.
5. Smile and be friendly. Strangely enough, the people there are friendly for no reason. Really.
6. Buy straw hats from the kids or old people on the beach. They gotta live too.
7. Drink lots more rum, I like Meyer's.
8. Go on a snorkling trip, or go from the beach. The fishees won't bite. Really.
9. More Sun Screen. Trust me on this. :D

Have fun!
Brian C.
I'll be in Bimini in July! woo-hoo!! :p

[xphilter]

so grand bahama is nice...but if you can go to nassau...the tickets are about 180 round trip from grand bahama but it is soooo much nicer. There is a lot more to do there and the beaches are much nicer and bigger. They also have a huge hotel on paridise island with a big casino. Me and friends flew into grand bahama last summer but got really bored the first day and flew to nassau for the rest of the week. But thats just my 2 cents. have fun tho.

[JonE]

I agree, conch fritters and rum drinks go together very well! Try just about any water sport you want or were ever curious about. Have fun and remember to "romance her", find out what she would like to do and indulge her. I also agree, keep your money out of the casino's, unless that's your thing...
I like SCUBA diving the best, I'm sure there is some in the Bahamas, never dove there cuz there are so many other great Caribean dive destinations!
Sunscreen is mandatory, make sure it is new/fresh!
Enjoy

[Brian C.]

.....and leave you with a good feeling too.

I know that Newlyweds are going to be on some sort of budget, but I promise you that this will be a lot of fun. On a week's(?) honeymoon, I'm sure that you are expecting to do a bit of tipping. Hotel people, taxis, bartenders, boat captains....etc. The Bahamas is not a rich country but I find that the people there are honestly very nice. They all have just finished a very, very rough hurricane season last year that brought a lot of misery to many of their citizens. Many homes were destroyed and businesses ruined, though the loss of life was thankfully low.

Think of US$100. A good amount to some, not too much to others. Take $100 of your wedding money, and convert it to single dollar bills to take with you. Now do your best to give it away. Don't go crazy, maybe just an extra buck or two to the guy that carries your bags. Or give one to the old man in the Straw Market who gives you the best coconut drink you've ever had. When a plate of fresh grilled snapper gives you two a great dinner, tip the chef a couple of bucks, along with the waiter. And a kid will tell you where the best beach spots are if you plop a buck in his hands. It's amazing how an extra dollar or two will produce the biggest smiles you've ever seen. And it will make you both feel good and it will be something to always remember.

Just a thought.

Happieness always.....

Brian C.
:)

oooo.......Don't forget some Bimini bread!! Yum!!

[bofh]

I was there last July for a wedding, and I'll chip in that the local beer is horrid.

Stick to the Rum. And get scooters...

Um not at the same time, however.

[632 Regal]

So throwing pennies in the water for the local kids isnt gonna cut it this year?


.....and leave you with a good feeling too.

I know that Newlyweds are going to be on some sort of budget, but I promise you that this will be a lot of fun. On a week's(?) honeymoon, I'm sure that you are expecting to do a bit of tipping. Hotel people, taxis, bartenders, boat captains....etc. The Bahamas is not a rich country but I find that the people there are honestly very nice. They all have just finished a very, very rough hurricane season last year that brought a lot of misery to many of their citizens. Many homes were destroyed and businesses ruined, though the loss of life was thankfully low.

Think of US$100. A good amount to some, not too much to others. Take $100 of your wedding money, and convert it to single dollar bills to take with you. Now do your best to give it away. Don't go crazy, maybe just an extra buck or two to the guy that carries your bags. Or give one to the old man in the Straw Market who gives you the best coconut drink you've ever had. When a plate of fresh grilled snapper gives you two a great dinner, tip the chef a couple of bucks, along with the waiter. And a kid will tell you where the best beach spots are if you plop a buck in his hands. It's amazing how an extra dollar or two will produce the biggest smiles you've ever seen. And it will make you both feel good and it will be something to always remember.

Just a thought.

Happieness always.....

Brian C.
:)

oooo.......Don't forget some Bimini bread!! Yum!!

[PhilipJCaputo]

Thanks for the tips! I really like the 100 single dollar idea!