The Abacos
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Abacos - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Abaco National Park
Abaco National Park was established in 1994 as a sanctuary for the endangered Bahama parrot. The mission has been a success as the population at the time was just 1,500, and today there are nearly 9,000 documented. Many other birds call the park home, including the pine warbler and the Bahama yellowthroat. A 15-mile dirt track passes through the 20,500 protected acres, ending at the Hole in the Wall Lighthouse, a starkly beautiful and desolate location overlooking the ocean. The drive from the paved highway all the way to the lighthouse takes about 1½ hours and can only be done in a 4x4 vehicle. The lighthouse is technically not open to visitors, but people still do climb the rickety stairs to the top, where views of the island and the sea are mesmerizing.
Great Abaco Island, Bahamas242-367–6310-Bahamas National Trust Abaco Office -
2. Elbow Reef Lightstation
Upon arrival in Hope Town Harbour, you'll first see a much-photographed Bahamas landmark, an 89-foot-tall, candy-striped lighthouse first manned in 1863. The lighthouse's construction was delayed for several years by acts of vandalism; then-residents feared it would end their profitable wrecking practice. Today the lighthouse is the last hand-turned, kerosene-fueled beacon in operation anywhere in the world. Monday through Saturday, from 9 to 5, you can climb up the spiral staircase to the top for a superb view of the sea and the nearby cays. There are 101 steps in all, and there is no graceful way for an adult to crawl through the small door onto the viewing platform that goes all the way around the top. The lighthouse keepers and their families live in the small cottages at its base, so keep noise to a minimum as one of them is resting up for his night shift. There's no road between the lighthouse and the town proper. You can use your own boat to cross the harbor or take a ferry to the dock and explore the lighthouse; the ferry does not run very frequently, so expect to spend at least an hour here before the next one comes along, to either head back to Marsh Harbour or continue on to Hope Town.
Elbow Cay, Great Abaco Island, BahamasSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun. -
3. Tahiti Beach
This small beach at the southern tip of Elbow Cay is a popular boater's stop. The soft white sand is well protected from the close ocean cut by thick vegetation, a few barrier cays, and shallow water. This shallow area is popular for shelling, and, of course, simply relaxing and watching the tide rise. At low tide, the true beauty of this beach is revealed when a long sand spit emerges, perfect for picnics. It's great for young children, as the water on one side of the spit is ankle deep, stays calm, and remains warm. During peak season the beach can become a bit crowded. Amenities: floating bar and restaurant on calm afternoons. Best for: surfing; swimming.
Elbow Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
4. The Johnston Art Foundry and Gallery
Sculptor Pete Johnston and his sons (direct descendants of Randolph and Margot Johnston, who founded Little Harbour) and acolytes cast magnificent lifelike bronze figures using the age-old lost-wax method at the only bronze foundry in The Bahamas. You can purchase the art in the gallery.
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5. The Long Dock
You can walk hundreds of feet along this dock above the shallow aquamarine sea, and it is well worth a visit to the quaint village of Cherokee Sound, especially when you hear the story behind it. The Cherokee Sound community had always boasted about having the longest dock in the country. When Hurricane Dorian washed all 770 feet of it away, leaving little but a few pilings, the community got busy raising money and rebuilding using logs cut from local pine forests. The new bridge is even longer than the original by more than 30 feet and has a series of platforms with benches that make it an even nicer spot to take in the views.
Cherokee Sound, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Treasure Cay Beach
This beach is world famous for its expanse of truly powder-like sand and breathtaking turquoise water. A hotel and upscale homes line the miles-long beach, but most of it is clear from development since the land is privately owned—and almost clear of footprints. Amenities: parking (no fee); Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.
Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
7. Carleton Settlement Ruins
Tucked away toward the northwestern end of the Treasure Cay development are the ruins of the very first settlement in Abaco, founded by the Loyalists who left the Carolinas during the American Revolutionary War. The sight is not well marked, but a local can point you in the right direction.
Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
8. Gifts from the Sea Museum
One of the tiniest museums in the world is located under the communications tower in Cherokee Sound in a small building that used to house the community telegraph office. Most locals know it as the "Shell Museum" because inside you'll find a collection of more than 200 shells identified by both their Latin and common names. Many of these shells are ones you may find yourself (if you're lucky) as you walk the island's beaches.
Cherokee Sound, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas242-475–7868Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Call ahead to request entry -
9. Guana Cay Beach
The beaches on Guana Cay stretch along much of the island's ocean side and are often only separated by rocky outcroppings. The sand here is slightly coarse and more of a cream color, with speckles of pink from wave-ground corals. Surfing is popular here, especially on the northern beaches. The North Side Beach, as it is known by locals, offers long, quiet walks. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing; walking; swimming.
Great Guana Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
10. Hero's Wall
This memorial wall is adorned with plaques honoring residents who have helped to develop the community over the years. Notice that most of them share the same last name, as is often the case in small island communities. In this case, Albury and Sweeting are the most common names.
Ballfield Rd. and Queen's Hwy., Man-O-War Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
11. Hole in the Wall Lighthouse
Off Great Abaco Highway at the turn in the road that takes you to Sandy Point, a rugged, single-lane dirt track leads you to this navigational lighthouse that stands on Great Abaco's southern tip. The lighthouse was constructed in 1838 against local opposition from islanders who depended on salvaging shipwrecks for their livelihood. Over the years the lighthouse has survived sabotage and hurricanes and was automated in 1995 to continue serving maritime interests. The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation has leased the site to monitor whale movements and conduct other ocean studies.
Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
12. Hope Town Beach
Hope TownA beautiful reef just 30 feet offshore makes this a perfect spot to go snorkeling. Just be careful as the seas can get rough that side of the island. The wide, sandy beach is also a great spot to go for an early morning or late afternoon stroll. Be sure to look out for sea glass. Public access is behind St. John's Methodist Church or through the graveyard behind Taylor Park. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling, swimming, walking.
Elbow Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
13. Loyalist Memorial Sculpture Garden
The past is present in this garden across the street from The New Plymouth Inn (note that it's laid out in the pattern of the British flag). Immortalized in busts perched on pedestals are local residents who have made important contributions to The Bahamas. Plaques detail the accomplishments of British Loyalists, their descendants, and the descendants of those brought as enslaved people, such as Jeanne I. Thompson, a contemporary playwright and the country's second woman to practice law. This is an open garden, free to the public.
Green Turtle Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
14. Man-O-War Heritage Museum
Historic artifacts from the boatbuilding industry and local experience over the ages on this tiny island are on display in this small museum, offering a true look back into life as it was way back. The museum is housed in the century-old Sweeting homem and parts of the original island clinic have also been salvaged and are on-site. A portion of the ground floor houses the island's only coffee shop—a great spot for a cup and a delicious pastry and a chance to fund the museum. It's also a great spot to check in with the world as they offer free Wi-Fi.
Queen's Hwy. and Pappy Ben Hill, Man-O-War Cay, Great Abaco Island, BahamasSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun. and Mon. and after 11 am daily -
15. Pelican Cay Beach
In a protected park, this is a great spot for snorkeling and diving on nearby Sandy Cay reef. The cay is small and between two ocean cuts, so the water drops off quickly, but its location is also what nurtures the pure white sand. If you get restless, ruins of an old house are hidden in overgrowth at the top of the cay, and they offer fantastic views of the park. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling.
8 miles north of Cherokee Sound, Cherokee Sound, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
16. Sandy Point Beach
If shelling and solitude are your thing, venture 50 miles southwest of Marsh Harbour to the sleepy fishing village of Sandy Point. Large shells wash up on the sandy beaches, making it great for a stroll and shelling. The best spot for picking up one of nature's souvenirs is between the picnic site and Rocky Point. Well offshore is the private island Castaway Cay, where Disney Cruise Line guests spend a day. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.
Sandy Point, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
17. Sawmill Sink Blue Hole
A half-hour drive south of Marsh Harbour is a crudely marked electric pole directing you to turn right onto an old logging trail. A short drive down this road takes you to an incredible blue hole. It was featured by National Geographic in 2010 for the fossils found deep within it. Though you cannot dive this hole, you can swim in it.
Great Abaco Hwy., Great Abaco Island, Bahamas -
18. Treasure Cay Blue Hole
You'll need a car or at least a bicycle to visit this natural wonder, but it's worth the trek. Scientists believe the Treasure Cay Blue Hole is 200 feet deep, but feel free to dip your toes into the crystal-clear blue waters or make a splash swinging from one of the rope swings tied to surrounding pine trees. The water is both salt and fresh, and there is no known marine life in the blue hole.
Off S.C. Bootle Hwy., Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas
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