San Salvador
San Salvador is located in the far eastern Bahamas. The small island of San Salvador, just a few miles from Cat Island and sprinkled with land-locked lakes, was allegedly Christopher Columbus’ first stop in the New World. Most visitors come to the island to dive in the crystal-clear waters off its pink-sand beaches. Bahamas, San Salvador - Originally called “Guanahani,” Christopher Columbus made this tiny, 63-sq.-mile area, the most historically important island of The Bahamas. He made first landfall here in 1492 and no less than four separate monuments mark the exact spot where Columbus came ashore. It still remains undiscovered, cloaked in its past, prominently visible amongst the tumbling Loyalists plantation ruins and preponderance of interesting relics and artifacts from Indian days.
The island was taken over by British buccaneer George Watling and he renamed San Salvador Island after himself (Watling Island). It wasn’t until 1925 when the island went back to its original name.
Related Travel Information
San Salvador Attractions
Dixon Hill Lighthouse
New World Museum
UNESCO Monument
Cut Cay
Great Lake Preserve
Watling’s Castle/Sandy Point Estate
Chicago Herald Monument
The Landfall Park
Bahamian Field Station
Big Fortune Hill Plantation
Nao Santa Maria Monument
Pigeon Creek Site
San Salvador Beaches
. Bonefish Bay, at Club Med, known for its abundant bonefish
. Long Bay, at the Columbus Monument site
. Grotto Beach, at Sandy Point, which has a little grotto
. Snow Bay, near the entrance to Pigeon Creek, where the sand is fine like snow
. Dim Bay Beach, near the original Columbus Monument (now Chicago Herald Monument)
. East Beach, a three-mile beach near United Estates, where there is good snorkeling right off the
Cat Island
Cat Island - Is one of the most beautiful, fertile islands in The Bahamas and boasts the highest elevation of them all with Mt. Alvernia at 206 feet. Its 150 sq. miles is covered with rolling hills of dense green forests and uncounted miles of magnificent beaches. This boot-shaped, untamed island is one of the most beautiful and fertile of The Bahamas. A lush sanctuary, it provides tranquillity for those seeking an escape from the pressures of modern civilization. Divers head south to the offshore reefs. Being relatively undiscovered and lacking in infrastructure, Cat Island is inexpensive, featuring
Nassau/Paradise Island
Come visit the jewel of The Islands Of The Bahamas -- Nassau/Paradise Island. As the cultural, social, political and economic centre of The Bahamas, it is the most visited destination in the islands. Nassau/Paradise Island has much to offer visitors. There are more sights and activities here than you can experience in one trip. In downtown Nassau many buildings date back to the 18th century including the ancient Fort Fincastle, reached by the Queen's Staircase, built by hundreds of slaves. Garden enthusiasts should visit the Royal Victorian Garden containing more than 300 species of tropical plants and exotic creatures,
Mayaguana
This unspoiled, mostly undiscovered slice of The Bahamas is a favorite stopover for yacht enthusiasts, offering a peaceful, quiet and relaxing vacation and miles of unspoiled beaches for swimming, scuba diving and shelling enthusiasts. Mayaguana Island is home to 312 locals and the Bahama hutia -- a cross between a rat and a rabbit that was thought to be extinct until the mid-1960s. Most people make a living fishing and farming the fertile soil of this woody terrain. The main form of communication on Mayaguana Island is the mailboat which transports the mail once a week.
Grand Bahama Island Attractions
Garden of The Groves
Hydroflora Gardens
Sunset Village
The Heritage Trail
Fragrance of The Bahamas (The Perfume Factory)
International Bazaar
Sir Charles Hayward Library
Teen Center
Ye Olde Pirate Bottle House Museum
Lucayan National Park
Peterson Cay National Park
Rand Nature Centre
Bowling & Recreation Center
Freeport Rugby Club
Grand Bahama Tennis & Squash Club
Lucaya Cricket Club
Volleyball Courts
Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)
