4 Best Sights in The Berry Islands, Andros, Bimini, and the Berry Islands

Two crescents scoop Great Harbour Cay's east coast with 5 miles of almost unbroken powder. Travel north to discover Sugar Beach with its bluff-surrounding romantic private coves. Progressing south, the beach becomes Lover's Beach, thinning out until Hotel Point Beach, where the strand widens and you can see waves clash from two directions. Farther south still is famous Great Harbour Beach itself, where you'll encounter the fabulous boutique hotel Carriearl and its fine pool, restaurant, and bar. On the south end of Great Harbour Beach near the airport, you'll find The Beach Club, a popular daytime bar and grill with a gift shop. Play beach volleyball, or take a yoga class. (They may ask for a small donation.) At the extreme south are the shallow, simmering sandbars of Shelling Beach that let you wade out for yards. At low tide, you can cross the tidal Shark Beach Creek to the pristine Haines Cay, which, hidden from the north by a hill, offers an even more splendid, long beach. Along Great Harbour Cay's powdery 5-mile stretch, nearby reefs beckon snorkelers, and gin-clear waters invite kayakers and paddleboarders. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: shelling; swimming; walking; snorkeling.

At low tide, walk across from Shelling Beach estuary, round the point, and walk south a half mile, and you'll discover one of The Bahamas's most unspoiled, beautiful beaches. It's 2 miles long, with excellent snorkeling on its north end and swimming all along. Wear some sturdy footwear for the land walk. It's also reachable by kayak. There are no trees for shade, so an umbrella, lots of fluids, and sunscreen are advisable. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking; snorkeling; solitude.

Sugar Beach is the northernmost of the island's beaches, where rock bluffs divide the sand into romantic "private" coves of various lengths. Explore the caves or snorkel in calm waters. On top of one of the hills are the ghostly remains of the Sugar Beach Hotel, a 1950s lair built by the Hollywood Rat Pack—Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. Female stars invited there included Marilyn Monroe, Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, Angie Dickinson, and Judy Garland. This was their scenic escape from paparazzi. The hilltop ruins are decrepit and surrounded by bush and cliffs, so explore with caution. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking; snorkeling; solitude.