Conjoined at the southern end of the Exumas by a narrow bridge, GREAT EXUMA and LITTLE EXUMA are home to all but a few hundred of the island chain's three thousand residents, most of whom live in the capital George Town, a bustling little hub offering plenty of hotels, restaurants and nightly entertainment, and popular with yacht sailors and venturesome tourists. Nonetheless, the town's most appealing sights lie offshore, including the azure and emerald depths of Elizabeth Harbour and its offshore cays such as Stocking Island, with its long windswept beach, and Crab Cay, site of the ruins of a Loyalist plantation. In late April, George Town's biggest social event of the year occurs, the Out Island Regatta, drawing crews from across the Bahamas to race their sloops.

North and south of town are several modest settlements like Rolle Town and Williams Town, which make a pleasant day trip by car or bicycle, and provide access to prime bonefishing and deep-sea fishing grounds.

The heart of historic Nassau is bustling Rawson Square on Bay Street, just across from Prince George Wharf, where the major cruise lines dock. The square is a small but authentic crossroads of old Nassau, where tourists, government workers, hawkers and musicians congregate - especially during Christmas Junkanoo festivities, when up to 30,000 onlookers arrive.

Just west and north of the square, the Hairbraider's Centre features Bahamian women braiding hair for about US$1 a strand. Across Bay Street, just south of Rawson Square, Parliament Square is the centre of Bahamian government, with buildings from the early 1800s and including the Opposition Building, House of Assembly and Senate, where a statue of Queen Victoria looks down sternly from the steps. Behind the Senate is the Supreme Court building, and its lovely Garden of Remembrance honouring Bahamian casualties of two world wars.

Back on Bay Street, a few blocks west of Prince George Wharf, is Nassau's justly famous Straw Market. Filling much of a square block, the open-air squeezes in 150 vendors peddling everything from beads, totes and T-shirts to shark-tooth necklaces and expensive hand-carved wooden turtles. Just behind the market, the waterfront area is bounded by Woodes-Rogers Walk, worth a quick stroll for the view of the teeming harbour.

Just west of the Straw Market, the Pompey Museum, on the corner of Bay and George streets (Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; US$1; tel 242/236-2566), is located in a former bank called Vendue House, later renamed to honour a rebellious slave who hid out on Exuma during the 1830s. One of the city's oldest buildings, it houses a collection of artefacts and documents tracing the history of Bahamian slavery.

This trip includes 4 stops: Snorkelling at the tongue of the Ocean with sharks, snorkelling at Goulding Cay where you will have an intimate experience with a host of sea creatures on our world famous reefs, Green Cay where you will have a chance to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of our unspoilt variety of terrains and bird life, your final stop will be at Rose Cay where we will kick back and enjoy endless stretches of pristine beaches, truly heaven on earth! 

Tidy, green and nicely painted STANIEL CAY has a noticeably prosperous air, owing largely to its popularity with yacht cruisers and expatriate residents with money and clout. The gateway to the Exuma Land and Sea Park, the cay has an airstrip, two marinas, library, volunteer-run clinic, and several restaurants and shops, though its main highlight is the renowned New Year's Day Regatta, which includes warm-up events like a public cookout, children's boat race, fireworks and Junkanoo festivities. There's also live music and a Long Drive Contest in which golf balls are hit into the sea. To qualify for the event, you must participate in Happy Hour beforehand.

Just offshore from Staniel Cay is the spectacular Thunderball Grotto, where columns of stalactites and stalagmites surround a chamber filled with colourful fish, as shafts of sunlight pour in through holes in the roof. Named for the James Bond film that was somehow filmed here in the early 1960s, the undersea cavern can only be accessed by diving or snorkelling through a strong underwater current. Unless you are an expert, go with a guide - or just rent the movie.

Three hundred yards across the Paradise Island Bridge from Nassau's harbour, PARADISE ISLAND consists of 686 acres of hard-pack coral and wind-blown limestone oolite sand, and until the mid-1960s was Nassau's boat-building centre and supported a population of wild hogs and domesticated pigs. This former "Hog Island" also acted as a get-away for rich tourists, home to places like the posh Ocean Club, a 59-room Georgian charmer with a central courtyard garden and tennis courts.

In 1967, when the Paradise Island Bridge linked the island with Nassau, a small airport was built at the island's eastern end, and Resorts International created a huge hotel complex catering to package tourists. With a recent second bridge now assisting the increased traffic flow, Paradise Island has become a hugely popular destination, with a spate of resorts, hotels, casinos and beaches submitting it to accusations of being overbuilt. Still, the island has some quiet backwaters, namely a marvellous north coast where pink sands meet the soft turquoise of the Atlantic Ocean.

A world away from the up-tempo lifestyle and commercialism of a place like Nassau, CAT ISLAND and SAN SALVADOR offer an isolated example of Bahamian life before the advent of modern tourism. Still retaining the traditional farming and agriculture of the old Bahamas, the islands have nonetheless experienced economic difficulties in recent years, with their young workers leaving for service jobs in New Providence and Grand Bahama and the population shrinking to new lows in the last few decades. Nevertheless, they both have considerable attractions for visitors, from splendid stretches of pink sand beaches, to exquisite snorkelling and diving, to intimate and comfortable lodges far from the bustle of more populated islands.

Erected around 1769, this building has been a marketplace for slave auctions and goods salvaged from wrecked ships. It presently houses the Pompey Museum, which is a permanent exhibit portraying the slavery and post-emancipation days of The Islands Of The Bahamas. The art gallery on the second floor houses works by Amos Ferguson, a famous Bahamian artist. Vendue House is opposite George Street on Bay Street. 

Visit Nassau City's historic sites and major points of interest on an interesting walking tour. Tour times are 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:45 p.m., and 3:45 p.m on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (Mondays and Thursdays by appointment only). Tours depart from the Tourist Information Centre at Rawson Square, downtown Nassau, and are conducted by a trained guide. 

Erected around 1769, this building has been a marketplace for slave auctions and goods salvaged from wrecked ships. It presently houses the Pompey Museum, which is a permanent exhibit portraying the slavery and post-emancipation days of The Islands Of The Bahamas. The art gallery on the second floor houses works by Amos Ferguson, a famous Bahamian artist. Vendue House is opposite George Street on Bay Street. 

A panoramic view of New Providence Island coast to coast. This is the highest point on the island, 216 fett above sea level. Located near fort Fincastle, on Elizabeth Avenue.

Vendue House served as the locale for slave auctions in the 18th century. A permanent exhibit portrays slavery and post-emancipation eras of The Bahamas. The work of Bahamian artist Amos Ferguson is displayed in the art gallery on the second level.

Hours are Monday-Friday, 10:00am-4:30pm, every other Saturday 10:00am-1:00pm. 

Admission: Adults $1, children 50 cents.

Pirate's of Nassau is a world-class pirate attraction in the heart of downtown Nassau. Experience the true story of pirates in an amazing, historically accurate, interactive environment, which will entertain, excite and educate visitors of all ages. Pirate themed pub and Courtyard bar and PLUNDER! The Pirate Gift Shop. 

Open Monday-Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm.

Admission $12 adults, $6 children, 2 children under the age of 12 yrs admitted FREE.

Travel and see the island and people of New Providence by doing what the ordinary tourist would not do. See who we really are; come into our communities; and see our houses, buildings, vegetation and culture as you learn about our history and our way of life. Enjoy my unprecedented tours of the east, west, south or north sides of the city of Nassau in New Providence. 

A truly breathtaking way to experience the natural beauty of Grand Bahama Island is by kayak, a mode of transportation ideally suited for exploring the many creeks and mangrove swamps of the island's north shore. There are no rivers or dangerous creatures in the parks and creeks of Grand Bahama Island. Kayaking is easy and no special techniques are required. The wide, stable two-man kayaks are easy to get in and out and also suitable for all ages. With a range of tour options and experienced guides, this is a great activity! 

Be sure to include Nassau's historic forts and monuments in your travel-Fort Montague; Fort Charlotte, where the cannons have never been fired in anger; and Fort Fincastle, shaped like a paddle wheel steamer, next to the water Tower. Walk or take the elevator to the top of the tower for a spectacular view.