When searching for the perfect vacation rental in The Bahamas, most are looking for a place on a beach. We do love a good beach, but what we love more is quick access to coral heads for snorkeling whenever the mood strikes. This is a list of a few locations we have enjoyed over the years, with links to home rentals and resorts within walking distance of each. Cat Island, Northern Most End (Shanna's Cove Beach)The beaches on the northwestern end of Cat Island are spectacular for swimming and have plenty of small, but fishy coral heads very close to shore. Eat lunch at Shanna's Cove and you can walk the trail back to another beach (Might be called Man of War?). We have not stayed in this part of Cat Island, but have enjoyed many hours at the beaches there. A few rentals in this area: 1. A Home on the Beach for the Two Of You2. The Highest Residence in The Bahamas, Casa LomaNote about this home: This home is fully off grid and has amazing views. Beach access is a short, private walk and the snorkeling should be wonderful. I'm hoping we can stay here on our next trip. 3. Shanna's Cove Resort4. Tail Winds ResortCat Island, Southern Most End (Greenwood Beach)As you can see from the kite boarding video above, Greenwood Beach is a world class, pink sand beauty. It's eight miles of very soft, walkable sand and amazing coral formations the entire length. The fishiest sections are in front of the homes, about a half mile south of the resort. What these coral heads lack in fish is made up with an incredible maze of fun snorkeling through natural coral sculptures. Places to stay on this beach include: 1. Greenwood Beach Resort2. Coral Beachside3. Turquoise VillaLong Island, Galliot Cay (Cape Santa Maria Beach)This beach is absolutely awe inspiring. It has something for everyone: expansive soft white sand for walking, gentle waves and soft sand underfoot for swimming, as well as a string of fishy coral heads very close to shore. The coral stretches approximately 30 yards offshore, parallel to the beach. Deeper snorkeling is available at the southern end, near the house with cannons. If you look at a satellite map, check out the dark blue areas north of the resort, too. 1. Tangerine Sunsets, NinaThis is an apartment on the main floor of a beachside mansion. It's one of the nicest vacation rentals we've ever enjoyed and the shore-side snorkeling was amazing. 2. Cape Santa Maria ResortLong Island, Turtle Cove (to be near Dean's Blue Hole)To be completely honest, Turtle Cove is not our favorite place. I'm not sure we've even gotten into the water there. However, this neighborhood has a few rentals and they are all a nice walk to Dean's Blue Hole, which is fantastic for snorkeling. The blue hole itself is quite an experience, but the coral heads closer to the Atlantic from this beach are also great fun. An added bonus is that this beach has the most sand dollars and sea biscuits I've ever seen. 1. Cottage at Dean's Blue HoleEleuthera IslandIt's been a few years since we've visited Eleuthera, so I won't go into as much detail and I did with Cat Island and Long Island. However, there is some great beachside snorkeling on Eleuthera. Instead of sharing links to rental properties, I'll instead suggest a few locations with links to google map. Compared to Long Island and Cat Island, travel to Eleuthera is much easier. There are three operational airports and it's even possible to find direct flights from the U.S. However, be careful of flights into North Eleuthera as this will put you in for a long drive to the three places suggested below. 1. Twin Coves Beach, Governor's Harbour2. Ten Bay Beach, toward the rocky south end3. The beach behind Tippy's - find a rental at Pineapple Fields
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AuthorI'm a mom to two, wife to one, and a math teacher to many. We live on Michigan's West Coast, in the beautiful town of Holland. We love the people, natural beauty, and peaceful vibe of the Bahamas Out Islands. Archives
December 2021
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