[ad_1]
Heading to the Bahamas in the hunt for heat climate, quiet seashores and crystal clear water? This is likely one of the most picturesque island areas and definitely worth the effort, however there are some issues to know upfront to make your expertise just a little smoother. Listed below are 10 issues I want I’d identified earlier than vacationing on Exuma.
By: Lisa Fennessy
Exuma is just a little slice of paradise identified for its crystal clear waters, swimming pigs, blue holes, colourful snorkeling and white sand seashores. Principally an 11 out of 10 on the “picturesque island dwelling” scale—a lot in order that it has celebs scooping up its 365 islands left and proper for private use.
Wish to identify names? Celebs like Johnny Depp, Tyler Perry, Religion Hill + Tim McGraw, John Travolta, Sir Richard Branson, Eddie Murphy, Nicholas Cage and David Copperfield all personal their very own Exuma island. It’s additionally identified for Fyre Fest—the glorified celebrity-endorced music pageant failure of the 21 century. And to not point out a ship experience to Samuel Bankman-Fried‘s (now defunct) infamous FTX crypto foreign money change headquarters.
Talking of the David Copperfield island, you may lease it out for your self in case you are . It comes totally staffed with facilities like…5 homes, a restaurant, an outside theater, 40 personal seashores, a non-public air strip, a lighted championship grass tennis court docket, outside bathtubs, a fitness center…or discover the waters with what you see match by way of a 28-foot Nautilus Rib Catamaran, a 23-foot jet boat, Boston Whalers, sailboats, paddle boards and jet skis…all of that are included. You and 23 of your closest associates can get pleasure from (meals and alcohol included) this personal Exuma island for 400K USD per week lol. Who’s coming with me?!
Anyhow, evidently, that’s NOT the place we stayed however we did drive by it and it was B-A-N-A-N-A-S. As a substitute, we selected to remain at Hideaways on Nice Exuma because it appeared like a handy central location to native sights.
All in all, we had a good time on our Exuma trip however there are undoubtedly some issues I want I knew earlier than going which might have made our expertise just a little smoother. Right here they’re in no explicit order.
RELATED: 5 Issues I want I knew earlier than going to a Moroccan hammam
1. Money is king
One option to spoil your Exuma trip is to not have money in your pocket.
When you find yourself on the water you will want money for tiki bars, lunch, entry to sights (just like the sharks at Staniel Cay), ideas for captains and extra. When you find yourself on land you want money for seashore bars, eating places, grocery shops, the man who simply picked and minimize you a recent coconut…
We obtained caught with out money too many occasions. We needed to depart a breakfast spot as a result of we had no money. One other time we needed to depart a cart stuffed with groceries behind as a result of we didn’t have money they usually didn’t take AMEX. And we nearly misplaced out on swimming with the sharks as a result of we have been in the midst of the ocean and 6 {dollars} quick! It’s no joke.
PLUS there are solely three ATMs on the island—and the closest one to us ran out of money whereas we have been there. (The subsequent closest one was 25 minutes away).
Additionally, NO ONE takes AMEX. And nobody has a Paypal or Money App. I will need to have requested like 5 totally different folks if they’d an app and everybody checked out me sideways like I used to be talking in tongues.
MY ADVICE: Because the change is 1:1 for USD, my recommendation is to simply convey your individual money (ALL OF IT) and keep away from this whole headache earlier than it occurs. You need to use USD as native foreign money.
RELATED: What I packed for my seashore trip
2. Discovering meals is usually a actual difficulty
Exuma is an island so many of the meals there may be imported and when eating places run out, they run out. This occurs A LOT.
Let me paint the image of what this appears like:
The final day we have been there, my husband needed to do that place that had an enormous signal that stated “breakfast” out entrance. He went in and requested in the event that they have been serving breakfast. They stated no. So he went to Sandpiper Cafe (which is tremendous cute and yummy – completely suggest) however they have been money solely so he left to go to the ATM which was out of money so then he got here again to the resort we have been staying at and tried to order breakfast at that restaurant (Splash) and all they’d was toast and yogurt as a result of they have been “ready on meals from the boat.” (That they had been ready on “meals from the boat” for DAYZ).
One other time we went to attempt Coco Plum Bistro for breakfast they usually stated they’d no eggs.
Additionally, as an extra be aware, it was nearly unimaginable to eat right here with celiac. There are not any gluten free merchandise within the shops and nothing marked on menus. Servers additionally gave me unconvincing wish-washy solutions to typical celiac questions. Which implies there have been a number of meals the place I simply ordered the fries and hoped the cross contamination didn’t do me too soiled.
Thank goodness I occurred to purchase a stack of corn tortillas as we have been on our option to verify into the resort. They turned my lifeline as I fried them up within the room for egg wraps, bean wraps, avocado wraps…One time the meals sitch was so dire I simply ordered two glasses of Savi B and referred to as it an evening.
Additionally, “open” and “shut” occasions are unpredictable. So for us, Christmas was on a Monday, some shops are typically closed on a Sunday after which shops have been nonetheless closed on Tuesday for Boxing Day so this (shops and eating places being closed for 3 days straight compounded with eating places having no meals) was simply wild.
MY ADVICE: My recommendation (particularly in case you are touring with youngsters) is to hook your self up and hit the grocery retailer to STOCK UP on stuff for breakfasts and packed lunches (not less than).
RELATED: My recommendations on how you can pack a suitcase for any vacation spot
3. Prepare to attend
“Island time” is so enjoyable till you might be dwelling it lol. If you’re going out to dinner be ready to attend HOURS.
We went to Shirley’s Seafood Restaurant in The Fish Fry on a Friday. We obtained the primary seating at 5:45pm and didn’t get out of there till 7:45pm. Full cease. One time I waited 65 minutes for an order of fries at Splash. And usually talking no sit down meal was shorter than 90 minutes. You will WAIT to be seated. You will WAIT for the meals. And you’ll WAIT for the service. Good luck ordering a second drink lol.
MY ADVICE: If you happen to don’t plan, you’ll find yourself spending your complete trip ready at a restaurant. Make some meals at house or attempt ordering takeout.
4. Issues guide up early
We went to Exuma throughout Christmas break so I don’t know if that performed into this expertise in any respect however I can inform you we couldn’t get a reservation at Blu On The Water—which I actually needed to attempt. The automotive rental choices have been sparse. Exuma Water Sports activities Excursions (#1 on Journey Advisor) have been bought out for the whole week. We couldn’t get involved with Dive Exuma to scuba. And Minns boat rental was bought out for the week.
MY ADVICE: The minute you resolve on dates, lock within the issues which can be most essential to you.
5. Renting a automotive? Reserve a jeep for those who can
I undoubtedly suggest renting a automotive so you may discover the island at your leisure. This isn’t a walkable island and you’ll undoubtedly have to drive to seashores, excursions, water taxi stops, eating places, e.t.c.
That being stated, when you’ve got the selection to lease a jeep, DO IT. There’s one main street (Queen’s Freeway) that runs the size of the island. Most of it’s paved however elements will not be and there are some critical pot holes that would depart you with a flat.
On prime of that, in case you are going off Queen’s Freeway to get to a seashore, it’s actually like off roading. To get to Coco Plum Seaside I needed to mainly drive by way of a puddle the dimensions of Lake Erie and to get to the Tropic of Most cancers Seaside it was nearly undriveable in some elements.
MY ADVICE: Hire a jeep over a sedan if attainable and put the 2 police numbers in your telephone for for those who break down, get a flat or have to name for assist. George City Police: 336-2666. Farmers Cay Police: 355-4034.
6. Know how you can dig for sand {dollars}
Do you know it’s important to dig to seek out sand {dollars}?! I didn’t! So right here I’m going to Coco Plum Seaside on the lookout for all of the sand {dollars} everyone seems to be speaking about and I see nothing! Little did I do know, sand {dollars} burrow within the sand so to seek out them it’s important to dig. I didn’t know till we have been on the seashore and a few man advised me as we have been leaving empty handed—then we discovered a ton proper alongside the shoreline the place the waves break.
MY ADVICE: If you happen to discover a brown sand greenback that appears fuzzy, it’s STILL ALIVE so put it again.
7. Know the place to search for starfish
Likewise, we went to Starfish Seaside and noticed ZERO starfish. I’m like what’s everybody speaking about “Starfish Seaside”? There’s nothing right here. It wasn’t till we took a GUIDED snorkeling tour to the identical seashore that the captain advised us to snorkel to seek out starfish. I’m like omg I’m so dumb—the starfish are within the ocean, not on the sand. I used to be on the lookout for starfish skeletons not reside ones lol. Instantly we noticed 5-6 large starfish (like the dimensions of basketballs) about 15-20 toes from shore.
MY ADVICE: Join excursions or rent a captain to take you round Elizabeth Harbour. We rented our personal boat and noticed nothing. Then we went to the identical spots with a captain and noticed all of it! A blue gap, huge starfish, the perfect snorkeling websites, a barracuda (!!), The Lazy River, the Rolletown sandbar and extra.
RELATED: My recommendations on how you can ski Park Metropolis as a newbie
8. Use bug spray
Hear, we have been there for 8 days and I noticed no bugs however I left with a zillion, itchy AF bug bites. It’s the no-see-ums, or biting midges that may tear you up and also you received’t comprehend it till it’s too late. On breezy days the wind retains them away however on nonetheless days, look out.
MY ADVICE: Purchase and use bug spray marked particularly for no-see-ums whether or not you assume you want it or not.
9. If the climate sucks there may be NOTHING to do
There’s little or no infrastructure on Exuma that means there are not any fancy resorts or film theaters or malls. The entire level of an Exuma trip is to both be on the water, within the water, at a seashore or on a ship—that’s the place it’s at!
So when it rains, you might be mainly S.O.L. You may go to a bar and hope they’ve meals, learn a guide or sit in your resort room. (Most streaming companies received’t work there both. We couldn’t get entry to HULU or Netflix and so on. though Apple TV did work).
Likewise, if the climate is tough it is going to have an effect on the ocean visibility. We tried to see the ocean turtles at Hoopers Bay not as soon as however twice and each occasions we didn’t see a lot. It was too murky from windy climate.
MY ADVICE: Set your self up for fulfillment and don’t go to Exuma throughout the wet season!
RELATED: handle frizzy hair
10. Test the tide schedule
The tide schedule issues and it WILL have an effect on your expertise on Exuma. For instance, there may be one tour everybody does once they go to Exuma and it’s the one the place you see the pigs, swim with the sharks, see the iguanas, see what’s arguably the perfect sandbar on the planet, snorkel Thunderball Grotto, and so on. All of the tour firms do that tour and belief me, you need in on it.
Nevertheless, full cease. If you happen to go on this tour when it’s excessive tide, you will be unable to snorkel the Grotto or see the sandbar. They’re inaccessible throughout excessive tide. I used to be on this tour with a lady from LA who stated this was her fifth time happening this tour and he or she by no means obtained to see both of these two issues as a result of it was all the time excessive tide.
Additionally you don’t need to go to Coco Plum Seaside at excessive tide as a result of you’ll miss the spalling sandbars and a chance to go sand greenback looking. Likewise, for those who go to the Lazy River at Moriah Harbour Nationwide Park at low tide it’s not a lazy river in any respect and you’ll work to swim down it lol. Belief me, I’m talking from expertise.
MY ADVICE: If you happen to can, guide every week there when low tide occurs throughout nearly all of the daytime hours.
I’ve a lot extra to say about this journey however for concern of writing a guide, I’ll cease right here. Be at liberty to ask me any questions and we will chat extra within the feedback. I need you to get essentially the most out of your Exuma trip!
[ad_2]