As you might have already heard, gambling is legal in the Bahamas (and the gambling age is 18 and above). That is gambling is legal for everybody, but Bahamians. Bahamians caught gambling are subject to fines of up to $500. The odds are a lot better for tourists: tourists gambling in the Bahamas Casino’s are rewarded with a complimentary drink. The casino on Grand Bahama is located in Port Lucaya and has a wide variety of games, including roulette, black-jack, baccarat, dice and slot machines. A win in the casino is a real Bahamas Celebration and could happen with as little as 50 cents in a slot machine.

Something that a lot of people ask about doing while on Grand Bahama is Horseback Riding along the beach. There are a couple of places that you can go to do this on Grand Bahama, but the company I have used is Pine Tree Stables. They are located midway between the International Bazaar and Port Lucaya, which is about a 10 minute cab ride from most hotels. They offer two departures daily and you must make a reservation. You will be taken on a 2 hour guided ride from the Stables along a trail that winds its way through the endangered Pine Forest, past a Castle and through the Hardwood Coppice, along the Swash, over the Dunes, west on the Beach and into the ocean. Of course the ride along the beach and into the ocean is the highlight of this tour. The horses only walk and jog, so no experience is necessary. I recommend that you wear long comfortable pants and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet when you ride into the ocean. This really is a great experience and worth the $85 fee.

The Peterson Cay Kayak & Snorkel Tour is one of my favorites. Peterson Cay, one of the smallest National Parks in the Bahamas is one mile off the southern shore of Grand Bahama. The Bahamas National Trust manages Peterson Cay National Park and all other national parks in The Islands of The Bahamas.

Access to Peterson Cay National Park is by boat only, hence the Kayak portion of this tour. As you approached Peterson Cay your guide will lead you with extreme care so that you paddle through the shallow sandy areas away from coral reefs.

The snorkeling there is excellent. Clear blue shallow waters are perfect for people that are either not strong swimmers or first timers. While snorkeling around the coral and sunken rocks you will see schools of tropical fish, soft corals and sea fans.

After snorkeling you can relax on the beach, however there are very few shaded areas, so lots of sunscreen is recommended. A light lunch and refreshments are included in the tour, but you may also want to bring along some drinking water.

Before heading back to your kayaks for the 30-minute kayak back to shore any garbage that you may have had must be packed up. This helps to keep Peterson Cay and the reefs clean.

 

This tour runs every day except Monday and due to limited space is often sold out. I highly recommend you make reservations ahead of time at the Discovery Sun Tour Desk.

Nature lovers really enjoy the Lucaya Park & Beach Tour. The 40-acre park is filled with mangrove, pine, and palm trees. It also contains one of the loveliest, most secluded beaches on Grand Bahama, a long, wide, dune-covered stretch of sandy beach reached by following a wooden path winding through the trees. As you wander through the park, you'll cross Gold Rock Creek, fed by a spring from that is said to be the world's largest underground freshwater cavern system. There are 36,000 entrances to the caves -- some only a few feet deep. Spiral wooden steps have been built down into two if the caves and they are quite a unique and interesting sight. The pools in the caves are composed of 2m (6 1/2 ft.) of fresh water atop a heavier layer of salt water. The freshwater springs once lured native Lucayans, those Arawak-connected tribes who lived on the island and depended on fishinfor their livelihood. They would come inland to get fresh water for their habitats on the beach. Lucayan bones and artifacts, such as pottery, have been found in the caves, as well as on the beaches. You will learn a lot about the rich history of Grand Bahama on this tour and I guarantee you will fall in love with Gold Rock Beach. This tour is available for purchase onboard Discovery Sun at the Tour Desk for just $25, the same tour will cost you $40 on the island. If you are venturing out to the park on your own remember there is a $3 admittance fee for the park, however they do not accept payment at the park. You will need to purchase your admittance ticket ahead of time from the Rand Nature Center, which is the only place admittance can be purchased. If you are visiting the park as part of an organized tour through Discovery Cruise Line, your admittance will be included.

We just recieved this Youtube entry from  a recent guest who said that he had such a great time onboard that he wanted to share his experience - looking at his pictires, I think the weather was on the cooler side when he sailed - not to worry, he'll be sailing again soon and the sun is out in full force as we are heading into a great summer! So pack you bags and joing us for your summer family vaction!

 

 

Snorkeling on Grand Bahama is fantastic and there are many different snorkel trips to chose from. The company that Discovery Cruise Line uses is Pat & Diane who offers snorkeling with a difference. The boat that they use is one of a kind and you will not find another like it on the island. The 'Fantasia' is a 72 ft double deck catamaran that offers a safari at sea. The tour is suitable for all ages and all experience levels. You will be able to take some great pictures while you are snorkeling on the surface of the shallow reefs teaming with multi-colored fish. The boat has a 30ft open straight waterslide as well as a 30 ft rock-climbing wall, which just adds to the fun and value of this snorkel trip. There is even a bar & grill onboard so you can have lunch and refreshments, of course for an extra fee. In water supervision, snorkel gear, flotation devises and instructions are all included. Snorkel trips on Grand Bahama range from $40 - $45 per person. Discovery offers a great deal at the onboard shore excursion desk for the Sea Safari snorkel, it is just $34 per person; the same trip on the island is $40. This 2-hour snorkel adventure is defiantly worth the money.  

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capitalizing on the fastest growing market in the tourism arena, Tansey and Joanel Louis are offer visitors to Grand Bahama the opportunity to see one of the least-explored parts of the island by airboat. The husband and wife team has been operating the Bahamas Eco-Ventures tour company since July 2007 and has, to date, taken more than 350 guests to explore the mangroves and other marine life existing on the north shore. During the tour, visitors are given a rare close-up view of herons, turtles, plovers and a variety of fish, including barracudas and mangrove snappers. Once on-board the boat, you are given information about what the various sights seen, including the mangroves and many blue holes located in the area. The boat stops several times along the tour to allow you to get off, if you wish, and take photographs. Midway through the tour, the boat docks next to a sand bank where you are taken on a brief nature walk and you learn about traditional Bahamian bush medicines and other local plants. The tour ends with lunch at the restaurant. This tour really gets you away from it all for a really special experience seeing the natural beauty of Grand Bahama.

I found this video of the Robinson Crusoe Beach Party which I thought I would share - I have done this excursion a couple of times and had a blast - you get to snorkel and then hang out at this great beach with lunch and all you can drink! Needless to say, I had one too many! This is a great activity for spring break in the Bahamas!

 

 

Port Lucaya Resort and Yacht Club is located right next to the Port Lucaya Market Place and just across the street from the beach and casino. There are many bars and restaurants within walking distance so it is a really convenient location. The hotel itself isn’t the best there is, but you can’t beat if for location. Port Lucaya Resort & yacht club is a distinctively colored two-story building that encircles a pretty garden area and Olympic size swimming pool. First floor guest rooms have private patios overlooking gardens and/or pool area. Second floor rooms have balconies that overlook a multi-million dollar marina. I have stayed in this hotel on several occasions and have found it to be very clean and comfortable with pretty good service. There is a snorkel trip that leaves from the marina right at the back of the hotel, which I found to be really convenient as many other trips required transportation. Since the hotel is so close to the market place and bars it can be a little noisy in the evenings but I never found it so bad that I couldn’t sleep. Overall for price and location I think this is a great place to stay.

Many people are looking for the best way to see Grand Bahama and want to do it in the most economical way. The onboard shore excursion desk offers a three-hour tour of Grand Bahama called the Bahamian Getaway for just $29.95. In my opinion this is the easiest way of seeing the island with an experienced local guide. Grand Bahama is 96 miles long and 17 miles at its widest point. Although the island is quite small, you will not find an organized tour that will take you around the whole island. There are tours of the East End and West End and then tours that take you to the main point of interest around the center of the island, that is what the Bahamian Getaway does. You will get a wealth of history and geography of the island as you are being taken around and there will be several stops for you to get off the bus and have a look around the different areas. The highlight of the Bahamian Getaway is the guided tour of the Garden of the Groves, one of Grand Bahamas number one tourist attractions. This beautiful botanical garden is a must see during your stay and the $15 entrance and guide fee is included in the price of the tour when purchased onboard at the Shore Excursion Desk. I am asked all the time, “Can’t I just get a cab driver to take me around for the day?” The answer is yes you can, but this is not a third world country and you can’t just offer them $50 to take you around for the day. It is a very strong taxi union on Grand Bahama and the government sets rates that all cab drivers follow. You can expect to pay $45 per hour and $22.50 for each additional ½ hr or part thereof and that will not include admittance fees to any of the parks or gardens that you may stop at along the way.

        Garden of the Groves