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6 Best Sights in New Providence and Paradise Islands, Bahamas
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New Providence is the Bahamas' most urban island, but that doesn't mean you won't find beautiful beaches. Powdery white sand, aquamarine waves, and shade-bearing palm trees are easy to come by, regardless how populated you like your beach to be. Whether you crave solitude or want to be in the middle of the action, there's a sand spot that's just right for you.
Cable Beach and the beaches near Atlantis are where you'll typically find loud music, bars serving tropical drinks, and vendors peddling everything from parasailing and Jet Ski rides to T-shirts and hair braiding. Downtown Nassau only has man-made beaches, the best being Junkanoo Beach just west of the British Colonial Hilton. But the capital city's beaches can't compare to the real thing. For a more relaxed environment, drive out of the main tourist areas. You'll likely find stretches of sand populated by locals only, or, chances are, no one at all.
Sights
Aquaventure
Fodor's choice
From near-vertical slides that plunge through shark tanks to a quarter-mile-long lazy river ride, this 141-acre water park allows you to both unwind and get your adrenaline pumping. Spend the day going from ride to ride, or relax under an umbrella on the white sand of three unique beaches or by one of 14 swimming pools. Three pools are designed especially for the youngest of guests, including Poseidon's Playzone, a Maya-theme water playground. Day passes for non-resort guests are limited, so be sure to plan well ahead.
Atlantis Paradise Island
Fodor's choice
With luxury shops, a glitzy casino, and seemingly unlimited choices for dining and drinks (40 restaurants, bars, and lounges), Atlantis is as much a tourist attraction as a resort hotel. At Dolphin Cay, you can interact with dolphins, sea lions, and stingrays. The 63-acre Aquaventure water park provides thrilling waterslides and high-intensity rapids as well as a lazy-river tube ride through the sprawling grounds. Celebrity sightings are frequent at both Nobu restaurant and Aura nightclub. The on-site comedy club, Jokers Wild, brings top comedians to the stage. Many of the resort's facilities, including the restaurants and casino, are open to nonguests, but the leisure and sports facilities are open only to resort guests and those who purchase a day pass. Atlantis has the world's largest man-made marine habitat, consisting of 11 lagoons. To see it, take the guided Discover Atlantis tour, which begins near the main lobby at an exhibition called The Dig. This wonderful series of walk-through aquariums, themed around the lost continent and its re-created ruins, brings you face-to-face with sharks, manta rays, and innumerable forms of exotic sea life.
Fort Fincastle
Shaped like the bow of a ship and perched near the top of the Queen's Staircase, Fort Fincastle—named for Royal Governor Lord Dunmore (Viscount Fincastle)—was completed in 1793 to be a lookout post for marauders trying to sneak into the harbor. It served as a lighthouse in the early 19th century. A 15- to 20-minute tour that brings this historic site to life costs just a few dollars and includes the nearby Queen's Staircase. The fort's 126-foot-tall water tower is more than 200 feet above sea level (and the island's highest point). Unfortunately the tower remains closed pending restoration.
Take a self-guided journey through Nassau's pirate days in this interactive museum devoted to such notorious members of the city's past as Blackbeard, Mary Read, and Anne Bonny. Board a pirate ship, see dioramas of intrigue on the high seas, hear historical narration, and experience sound effects re-creating some of the gruesome highlights. It's a fun and educational (if slightly scary) family outing.
Pompey Square
This open space at the western end of Bay Street overlooks busy Nassau Harbour and is the spot to catch local festivals and events, live music, and Bahamian crafts shows. With 24-hour security, public restrooms, an interactive water feature that delights kids of all ages, and a host of small restaurants and bars nearby, this square pays tribute to an enslaved man who fought for his freedom.
The Heritage Museum of The Bahamas
So many artifacts are on display in this small but interesting museum nestled in historic Mountbatten House that you can easily spend an hour wandering. There is a 40-minute guided tour that covers Bahamian history from the days of pirates through the slavery era to the present. One of the best exhibits is the life-size replica of the old Bay Street General Store. By a series of coincidences, the collection box from the country's oldest church ended up in this museum—right across the street from the remains of the very same church.
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