Abacos Islands, Bahamas

Hope Town on Elbow Cay:

Take a trip to a colonial village where there are no cars and the colonial architecture is witnessed in the small cottage type homes; this is Hope Town on Elbow Cay. One of the landmarks is the Hope Town Lighthouse, standing 120 feet tall with its colorful red and white striped exterior. A climb to the top will give you a panoramic view of Elbow Cay. 

Hope Town was founded by Wyannie Malone. She was a widow who traveled from South Carolina with her 4 children. Their service as British Loyalists earned them hundreds of acres of land on Elbow Cay.  The Wyannie Malone Historical Museum is an interesting attraction that tells the story of Elbow Cay including the First Nation people, the Lucayan Indians. There were pirates, rum runners, British Loyalists, boat builders and farmers. This history is captured at the museum with historical manuscripts, artifacts and photographs.

There are several beaches on Elbow Cay; one of the most popular is Tahiti Beach, located on the southwest end of Elbow Cay. The aqua waters are shallow, great for beach combing, sun bathing, kayaking, paddle boarding and more. It is a place where the boats pull up on the sand bar and people hang out. A quiet, more private beach is Garabonzo Beach, located on the west side of Elbow Cay.

Abaco National Parks:

There are four national parks in the Abaco chain of islands. Each park represents its own beauty, geography, and wildlife for which the nature preserves were established to protect. The Abaco National Park is located at the southern tip of Abaco Bahamas is home to the Abaco Parrot. Only 3,000 of these endangered, exotic birds still exist on Abaco.

The Pelican Cays Land & Sea Park is set up to preserve the barrier reef and islands. It is an ideal place for snorkeling and diving to experience the exotic, colorful marine life. It has an extensive cave system. It is located south of Marsh Harbour, and north of Cherokee Sound. The Tilloo Cay National Reserve is a fabulous nesting area for tropical birds including the very rare White-Tailed Tropicbird. This park is ideal for bird watchers as many tropical birds make their home here. It is located just south of Elbow Cay. The Black Sound Cay National Reserve is near Green Turtle Cay and home to mangrove swamps that are attractive to exotic tropical birds. Fowl Cays National Park was established to protect the coral reef. It is known as an excellent place to snorkel and dive. A lot of non-commercial fishing is done near the reef as well.

The Wild Horses of Abaco Preserve is located on Treasure Cay Bahamas. It was once home to the now extinct Spanish Colonial Horses that were brought over with explorers such as Christopher Columbus. The horses were once 200 strong and then in the 1960s reduced to just three. Soon after the last mare died, efforts began to re-establish the herd through cloning. This pine forest region of Abaco Bahamas is available for touring and hiking by reservation. A one day trip to Bahamas from Miami is ideal for naturists, bird and butterfly watchers and those with natural botanical interests. 

Hidden Underwater Worlds:

For those who love scuba diving or want to learn, Abaco Bahamas is an ideal destination. The miles of reefs, the blue holes and intricate cave systems that can be found at several of the Out Islands as well as under Great Abaco and Treasure Cay Bahamas are excellent venues to encounter the exotic marine flora and fauna. 

The Sawmill Sink Blue Hole is located inland on Abaco Bahamas. Until you take a dive into the depths of this blue hole you will find it hard to imagine what lies underneath. Intricate cave systems, crystals, stalactites and stalagmites, and other formations are the norm. The Sawmill Sink Blue Hole is 55 feet across and 110 feet deep. The Sawmill Sink Blue Hole has drawn the attention of the science and archaeology communities as they have discovered many fossils that date back over 2,000 years. When the archaeology team is there, the Sawmill Sink Blue Hole is closed to the public. This is just one of many blue holes that dot Abaco Bahamas.

Some of the crystal caves that are on Abaco Bahamas include: Dan’s Cave, Tennakie Blue Hole, Ralph’s Cave, Donker’s Blue Hole, and Basin Harbour Crack. Aside from the blue holes and cave systems, Abaco Bahamas offers other types of dives such as ship wrecks, reefs, and underwater cliff sites. No matter what your level of dive skill, there is a dive for you!