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Abaco

Culture of Abaco. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

According to historians, the Abacos archipelago – it includes Great Abaco, Little Abaco and some small uninhabited islands – used to be deserted till the 5th century AD. The Lucayan people from the Arawak tribes were the first one who came to the island. Presumably, they came right from The Greater Antilles. They swam with canoes and little by little they had settled the whole territory. They have been living here peacefully for about ten centuries. First islanders’ state of the art hasn’t changed since their past days. Unfortunately, only a small amount of their architecture has saved to the present days. However, there is an explanation of it.

Guide to Abaco sightseeing - things to see and to visit

The Abaco Islands are located in the northern part of the Bahamian archipelago, the largest and most visited are Great and Little Abaco. 13 smaller islands are also accessible for …

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Christopher Columbus started placing a new continent on a map right from this place. However, he wasn’t interested in the islands, even though they were pronounced as a property of the Spanish Crown. Still, the archipelago was just a source of a free labor force for Spaniards. It took just thirty years for Europeans to take all the aboriginals out and sent them to the other countries to work on mines and farms. Spaniards didn’t build anything here despite the fact that Abaco used to be in their possession. About one and a half centuries later English colonists came to the island willing to find their own land far away from overpopulated Bermuda. It was the time when the gradual settlement of the islands started. It continued in the 18th century by the colonist of independent America.

There is a tremendous amount of «witnesses» of those days all around Great Abaco and Little Abaco and only experienced divers can reach them. We are talking about sunken ships, of course. There were tremendous battles between Englishmen, French, and Spaniards near the archipelago. What is more, Pirates had been inhabited its coasts for many tens of years and they made the Bahamas their own impregnable fortress. The unpopulated Abaci Islands used to be a perfect base for secret operations and raids on sailing by merchant ship at that time. Some people believe that Pirates hid their treasures somewhere on the islands. Even though there is no proof of it yet, still any diver or snorkeler can see those sunken caravels and frigates as some of them lie not far from the surface. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Family holidays with kids in Abaco. How to entertain your child, things to show to children.

If your kids are the ones who can’t imagine a vacation without different activities, then the Abaco Islands are the perfect option. There is a great variety of entertainment programs …

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As you come to Little Abaco, take a walk around the streets of the biggest city of the archipelago – Marsh Harbour. By the way, the settlement is the third in size on the Bahamas. Marsh Harbour was founded in 1784. You see some ancient buildings since then there. The administration building, a small church, the central parts of the harbor – all these have been standing there for more than two centuries. There are also old villas of reach planters which are hotels, shops, restaurants, and bars now. The city is surrounded by luxurious mansions of world-famous celebrities – politicians, businessmen, and film and theater actors. There is also the gallery-pub Pete's and the museum founded by the first settlers. The park of sculptures of island’s famous colonists and rulers is also a very fascinating place to visit.

However, the biggest local architectural attraction is admitted to be Seaview Castle. Yes, there is even a castle in such a small town, even though it’s not that ancient as it may seem. Its fortification was built in 1944 by Evans Kottman. This rather peculiar construction (on the architectural point of view) was colored in yellow and it has never been repaired since it was built. There is a notional attraction on Great Abaco. It’s located in a small but really popular among tourists village called Hope Town. We mean the old lighthouse which was built in 1860. It still denotes the border of the Elbow Reef.

Cuisine of Abaco for gourmet with top restaurants and cafe

The local cooking traditions were greatly influenced by cooks from England, the USA, Africa, and Caribbean countries. Nowadays you can easily find here on the Abaco Islands all possible …

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The construction is not only well-saved but it’s still used as intended. Moreover, the lighthouse’s mechanism hasn’t changed since the 19th century and it still powered by kerosene burning. There is a spectacular view on Great and Little Abacos and on the adjacent islands from 37 meters high. Hope Town is a must-visit because of its two museums too. The little museum of whales is dedicated to classification, habits, and history of relations between people and these giant mammals. And in Wyannie Malone Historical Museum you’ll be able to know something new about the archipelago’s history. There are artifacts since the time of the War of the Spanish Succession and the American Revolutionary War as well as evidence the Lucayan people living there in the far earlier days in the museum.

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Abaco - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Iconic cultural sights of Bahamas

Nassau is the location of the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. This gallery is open in a villa that dates back to the end of the 19th century. It is an excellent place to get acquainted with the works of modern Bahamian artists. Visitors can see numerous installations, paintings, sculptures, and photographs that uncover modern lifestyle and cast the light upon such important problems as environmental problems, national identity, and many others. The Heritage Museum of the Bahamas in the capital offers a large collection created by Hamilton White, famous British antiques collector. The exhibition features artifacts starting from the pirate times and up to the beginning of the 20th century. Documents, clothing, weapons, tools of different epochs, the history of the slavery trade, and the road to freedom – numerous artifacts available in the museum tell visitors the history of the islands. The museum’s shop sells tea and chocolate. … Open

Culture of Abaco. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Iconic cultural sights of Bahamas

Photogallery of cultural heritage of Abaco

Landmarks of culture on Abaco map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Abaco