City break in Abaco. Active leisure ideas for Abaco - attractions, recreation and nightlife

The Abaco Islands can be called Mecca for those who like diverse water-activities. Both professional yachtsmen and ones who are just interested in this kind of sport would extremely like here. Amateurs can not only take a ride on a yacht but also to try to learn the basic. There are several yacht-clubs in Marsh Harbour so you can easily find a decent instructor there, rent a yacht, take a small ride to Little Abaco or to have a cruise on the archipelago and see all the 17 inhabited islands. Anyway, it’s not necessary to know how to rule a yacht to have a real sea voyage.

Various sightseeing tours around the archipelago are offered in Marsh Harbour and in Hope Town. For instance, you go into a journey on a simple motorboat, a boat or a special yacht with a glass bottom. If you like scuba diving then you definitely must visit Man-O-War Cay. You can find one of the most fascinating points for diving there, and those who are fond of man-made ones would be very amazed. So, you can see Adirondack warship which sank in 1862. What is more, tourists who prefer beautiful underwater landscapes would also find something peculiar.

There is about a dozen of coral reefs around the archipelago. These are homes for hundreds of species of coral reef fish, sharks, turtles, rays, etc. Besides marvelous reefs, there are many underwater cave ranges which every diver would find especially nice. You can also dive, underwater fishing, swim, or even meet pretty mini pigs on the territory of Fowl Cays National Park. If you have never tried diving before but you’d really like to, then there are some dive-clubs where you can learn how to deal with a scuba set and you will get an international diving license after you finish a course. Anyway, you don’t need to have any special skills to see water area creatures. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Some parts of the reefs are very close to a surface so you can just put on a mask and see its inhabitants. Moreover, you can try snorkeling in the area of Mermaid Reef. The Abaco Islands are also good for fishing as there is a lot of fish here. The locals have been earning a living by it, and they would like to share some secrets with tourists. Surfers and windsurfers would really enjoy staying here as well. There is a great verity of stunning beaches on the islands – from luxurious to completely deserted ones. For example, there are kilometers of sandy tranquil beaches with small piers on Manjack Island and they cross with wild forests. You can find unusual creations made by locals in the forests – peculiar little stylized idols.

There are several beaches on Great Abaco: spacious and half-deserted Treasure Cay Beach is perfect for swimming, then Guana Cay Beach where you can get to by a beach buggy, Nippers Beach with its children park and diverse slides and a swimming pool. There are also lots of other beaches but they have no particular infrastructure. If you prefer resting in a shade, then Tahiti Beach with its palms is an ideal option. Nevertheless, there is something interesting for tourists who are not keen on water activities and beach holidays, too. There is a big variety of pristine animals and plants on the islands. Peculiar fact: after the abolition of slavery a part of local beasts ran wild and scattered around the whole territory so now you can see wild pigs and turkeys all around Abaco.

You can also enjoy a calm walk in the Abaco National Park (5.000 acres). There are various routes going through the local rainforests so you can easily have a short one-hour walk or even append a whole day surrounded by nature. The place is also famous for its endangered birds (particularly Bahamas Parrots). If you visit Elbow Cay, you can see deserted centuries-old gardens left from the abandoned plantations. If night-life is also really important for you, then come to Marsh Harbour as there are diverse bars and night clubs there.