Bahamas accommodations
Bahamas accommodations welcome you to a destination nicknamed “The Islands of Song”. Known for its beaches, water activities, fishing, underground caverns, mangrove estuaries, Conch, Bahama Mama cocktails, swimming pigs and pirates, The Bahamas is a 700-island, 2,400-cay archipelago located 315 miles southeasterly of Florida. With visibility upwards of 200-feet below the surface, turquoise, Bahamian waters are some of the world’s clearest. Also some of the world’s best, The Bahamas’ white and pink sand beaches are main draws. Once home to pirate legends such as Henry Every (Long Ben), Benjamin Hornigold (turncoat pirate hunter), Henry Jennings (turncoat pirate hunter), Edward Teach (Blackbeard), John Rackham (Calico Jack), Samuel Bellamy (Black Sam) and Charles Vane, Nassau (New Providence) was probably the greatest first example of a Republic. The Bahamas has become popular for mobile business. In some areas, services such as massage therapy, catering and even bars/bartenders will come to you. When traveling to The Bahamas, keep in mind that English is the primary language, the United States Dollar is readily accepted, cars drive on the left-hand side of the road and the drinking age is 18 years old. Officially, the national currency is the Bahamian Dollar. Colloquial words include tings, meaning “things”, and tanks, meaning “thanks”. While generally a safe destination, it might be wisest not to venture out too much at night, especially outside of tourist areas. Good to know is that all official taxis have the word “Taxi” on the license plate. Lynden Pindling International Airport, located on Nassau, is the islands’ main international airport, with 19 other airports also providing international service. Avis Bahamas provides car rental service at the main airport, while ferrying from Nassau to other islands is possible via the ferry service Bahamas Ferries. Bahamian top events include Junkanoo, Bahamian Music and Heritage Festival, Cat Island Rake And Scrape Festival, Eleuthera Pineapple Festival and All Andros Crab Festival. Bahamas accommodations are some of the West Indies’ best. Before we get to Bahamas accommodations, let’s take a look at some more background information on the area to help you along the way.
The Taino people, moving from Hispaniola, first inhabited The Bahamas sometime around 500 AD. Known as the Lucayan people, original Bahamian residents numbered around 30,000 upon Christopher Columbus’ arrival circa 1492. The first European to discover The Bahamas, Columbus likely made landfall in what he named San Salvador, an island locally known as Guanahani. Columbus exchanged goods with “Indians” in this “New World”, which he claimed for the Crown of Castile. The Treaty of Tordesillas circa 1494 between Portugal and Castile placed The Bahamas in Spanish control. From 1513 to 1648, Castile shipped native Lucayans as slaves back to Hispaniola, resulting in The Bahamas’ desolation. The Bahamas’ first European settlers were known as the Eleutheran Adventurers, led by William Sayle, who commenced development between 1646 and 1648. Sayle, wanting a place to worship God freely while establishing England’s claim to The Bahamas archipelago, settled on the Island of Segatoo, which was renamed Eleuthera after the Greek word meaning “freedom”. King Charles II granted the islands to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas circa 1670. From there, the age of piracy and attacks ensued. In 1684, Spanish corsair Juan de Alcon raided the capital of Charles Town (later renamed Nassau). In March 1696, the English pirate Henry Every, captaining the ship Fancy, anchored at Royal Island off Eleuthera. Avery, bribing then-governor Nicholas Trott with gold and silver, established Nassau as a safe-haven pirate base. At this time, the legendary pirate Blackbeard, under Benjamin Hornigold’s tutelage, sought refuge in Nassau. In 1703, a joint Franco-Spanish expedition briefly occupied Nassau during the War of the Spanish Succession. Hornigold, in 1713, led the establishment of Nassau’s Republic of Pirates. The English sea captain, privateer and slave trader Woodes Rogers was sent by the British crown to restore order in The Bahamas. After a difficult struggle, Rogers succeeded in suppressing piracy by way of George I‘s “Kings Pardon“, which would grant clemency to any pirate who agreed no later than September 5, 1718. Many pirates, including Hornigold, agreed to the King’s Pardon and became “pirate hunters”. Others, such as Calico Jack and Charles Vane, were ultimately gibbeted, while Blackbeard was covertly killed in action by way of decapitation. Following the Golden Age of Piracy, African slaves brought to the island made up the majority of the population until 1834, when slavery was abolished. The Bahamas became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1973, and thereafter has relatively flourished by way of tourism and offshore finance.
Officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, The Bahamas is an island country in the West Indies’ Lucayan Archipelago. Consisting of an island chain spread out over 500 miles and over 100,000 square miles of ocean, The Bahamas is home to over 400,000 “Bahamians”. One of the Americas’ richest countries, The Bahamas and its currency keeps a 1-to-1 fixed exchange rate with the United States Dollar. Tourism accounts for about 70% of the country’s GDP, and employs about half of its workforce. In 2012, 5.8 million people visited The Bahamas, 70% of which were cruise visitors. Militarily, The Bahamas has only a navy, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, mandated in the name of the King to defend the territory. Goombay, a musical method of storytelling and dancing with a tropical calypso-style melody, is the islands’ official music, while Rake ‘n’ Scrape and Junkanoo are other music types. Named after the Lucayan people, a branch of the Tainos, the Lucayan Archipelago enjoys a tropical Savannah climate, with average high temperatures ranging from 77 degrees Fahrenheit in January, to 90 degrees in August. Historically, hurricane season has been strongest during the August and September months. Bahamian wildlife includes Conch, flamingoes, sea turtles, Abaco Parrots, Bahamian rock iguanas (vulnerable), Sandy Cay iguanas (critically endangered), dolphins and of course, the infamous Exumus pigs. Tiger Beach, an hour-long boat ride from the Grand Bahamas’ West End, in particular is home to tiger sharks. If and when diving, no matter where but especially at Tiger Beach, it is of course wisest to be with a local guide. Not advisable is ocean-swimming anywhere at night. The most common shark species found around the islands is the Caribbean Reef Shark (endangered), which is typically harmless unless provoked. Inland, Hamilton’s Cave, where the Lucayans are thought to have lived at about 500 AD, is the islands’ largest cave system. Found in shallow waters throughout the islands, mangroves are important ecosystems filled with various wildlife in summer and winter. Bahamas points of interest include Blue Lagoon Island, Atlantis Aquaventure Water Park, Dean’s Blue Hole, Cable Beach and Paradise Island. Local foods include cracked conch (a Bahamian signature dish), rock lobster, stew fish, Johnnycakes (a type of cornmeal flatbread that was an early American staple food), conch salad, pigeon peas and rice, baked crab, souse (head cheese), grouper with grits and rum cake. Fun drinks include the Bahama Mama (rum, orange and pineapple juice, crushed ice), Rum Punch, the Bushwacker (rum-based coffee-like cocktail), Hibiscus Margaritas and more. The Bahamian national drink is switcha, a non-alcoholic, lemon-lime flavored beverage. Excited perhaps by a little background information on the area, we’re ready for Bahamas accommodations that will help make for an unforgettable experience.
Paradise Bay Bahamas
Queen Highway – Roker’s Point, 29243, Farmerʼs Hill
Flamingo Bay Beach
B&B amenities: restaurant, sun terrace, garden, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, desks, boat tours, Jet Skiing, surfing, wakeboarding, car, scooter & kayak rentals, free private parking
Nearby restaurants / bars / pubs: Cocoplum Bistro, Exuma (restaurant), Big D’s Conch Spot (restaurant), T’n’T Delights (restaurant), Eva’s Place (takeout restaurant), Peninsular Bar and Seafood Grill (bar), The Drunken Duck Pub (Irish pub)
Nearby misc.: Emerald Bay Marina, Lighthouse Cafe & Ice Cream Parlor, Exuma ATV Adventures
Within feet:
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- Flamingo Bay
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Within 1.1 miles:
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- Flamingo Bay Beach
- Emerald Bay Beach
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Within 2.6 miles:
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- Coco Plum Beach
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Within 6 miles:
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- Exuma International Airport
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Approximate cost per night: $320
The Island House
Mahogany Hill, Western Road, Nassau
Old Fort Bay Nassau
Hotel amenities: restaurant, 82-foot lap pool, terrace, spa center, fitness room, local art, flat-screen TVs, energy-conserving automated lights, hairdryers, 24-hour front desk, free yoga classes, squash court, paddle tennis court, water sports facilities, cinema, car rentals
Nearby: Cocoplum Bistro, Island Brothers Cie (French bistro), The Captain’s Table (restaurant), St Paul The Apostle Catholic Church, Captains Beach, Lyford Cay Club Marina
Within feet:
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- Old Fort Bay Nassau
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Within 7 miles:
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- Cable Beach
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Within 12.4 miles:
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- Atlantis Aquaventure Water Park
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Within 2.9 miles:
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- Lynden Pindling International Airport
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Approximate cost per night (executive suite): $1,063
Cost per person (four people): $266
Pineapple Fields
Banks Road, Governorʼs Harbour
Tippy’s Restaurant and Beachside Bar
Hotel amenities: outdoor pool, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, fully-equipped kitchens, free parking
Nearby restaurants / bars: Buccaneer Club (restaurant), Pammy’s (restaurant), New Sunset Inn (restaurant), Four Friends Restaurant, Fish Fry – Home of the “Rum Bubba” (restaurant), 1648 – An Island Restaurant, Tootsie’s Treats (takeout restaurant), Cocojo (bar), Ronnies Hi-D-Way (bar)
Nearby misc.: LMN’s Sweet Treats (ice cream shop), Bacchus Fine Foods (grocery store), Burrows One-Stop Grocery Store, The Tea Kettle Gift Shop & Cafe, Norma’s (gift shop), Edwin’s Turtle Lake Marine Reserve, Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (national park), Twin Coves Beach, French Leave Beach, RBC ATM
Within feet:
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- Tippy’s Restaurant and Beachside Bar
- North Palmetto Point Beach
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Within 1.3 miles:
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- French Leave Beach
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Within 2.6 miles:
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- Twin Coves Beach
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Within 10 miles:
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- Governor’s Harbor Airport
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Approximate cost per night (one-bedroom apartment – top floor): $436
Cost per person (three people): $145
Dolphin Cove
14 Swans Drive, Freeport
Silver Point Beach
Hotel amenities: fine dining restaurant, 2 outdoor pools, private marina, private terraces with marina views, central air conditioning, cable TVs, fully stocked kitchens, washers & dryers, irons, hair dryers
Nearby restaurants: Manta Ray Beach Club (seafood restaurant), Ocean’s Blue (restaurant), Bernie’s Tekie Hut (restaurant), Michelle’s Kitchen (restaurant)
Nearby misc.: Grand Bahama Scuba (SCUBA tour agency), Lil B Fishing (fishing charter), Coral Beach, Silver Point Beach
Within feet:
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- Silver Point Beach
- Coral Beach
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Within 1.5 miles:
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- Solomon’s Supermarket
- Port Lucaya Marketplace
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Within 4.3 miles:
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- Grand Bahama International Airport
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Approximate cost per night (two-bedroom marina view): $280
Cost per person (four people): $70
Eleuthera Retreat
North Shore, North Palmetto Point
North Palmetto Point Beach
Hotel amenities: private pink sand beach area, sea views, garden, free Wi-Fi, fully-equipped kitchens, hair dryers, private entrance, private parking
Nearby: Lanny’s Restaurant and Bar, Fran&Fab Tree (tourist attraction)
Within feet:
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- North Palmetto Point Beach
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Within 2.4 miles:
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- Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve
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Within 3.5 miles:
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- French Leave Beach
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Within 11 miles:
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- Governor’s Harbor Airport
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Eleuthera Retreat is 19 miles from Rock Sound International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Beach Front Villa): $1,479
Cost per person (eight people): $184
French Leave Resort
Queen’s Highway, Governor’s Harbour
Governor’s Harbour Beach
Hotel amenities: restaurant, outdoor pool, fitness center, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, coffee machines, bathrobes, hairdryers, snorkeling activities, car rentals
Within feet:
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- Governor’s Harbour Beach
- French Leave Beach
- Twin Coves Beach
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Within 2.9 miles:
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- Bank Road Deli Restaurant
- Tippy’s Restaurant
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Within 7.9 miles:
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- Coco Plum Beach
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Within 6 miles:
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- Governors Harbour Airport
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Approximate cost per night (villa): $1,827
Cost per person (four people): $456
Tropical View Villa
Little Exuma, Hartswell
Tropic of Cancer Beach
Villa amenities: gardens, BBQ facilities, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, fully-equipped kitchens, washing machines
Nearby: Brea Delights (restaurant), Tropic Breeze Restaurant, Turtle Pond Bar And Grill, Tropic of Cancer Beach
Within feet:
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- Tropic of Cancer Beach
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Within 1.5 miles:
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- Santanna’s Grill Pit
- Club Arawak
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Within 12 miles:
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- Exuma Markets
- Island Boy Cafe
- Straw Market
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Within 19.8 miles:
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- Exuma International Airport
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Approximate cost per night (three-bedroom house): $333
Cost per person (six people): $55
Rollezz Villas Beach Resort
Joe Sound Creek, Cat Island, Old Bight
Cat Island
Resort amenities: restaurant, private beach area, sea / mountain views, patio, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, full kitchenettes, free bike rentals, free parking
Nearby: Sunshine Restaurant, J&R’s Restaurant, Da Pink Chicken (bar & grill), Favor’s Service Centre (gas station)
Within feet:
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- Cat Island
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Within 4 miles:
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- Mermaid Lake
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Within 7 miles:
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- Mount Alvernia
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Within 33 miles:
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- Arthurs Town Airport
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Approximate cost per night (three-bedroom villa): $695
Cost per person (eight people): $87
Governorʼs Harbour House
Governorʼs Harbour
Governor’s Harbour
Home amenities: 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, outdoor heated swimming pool, garden, BBQ facilities, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, fully-equipped kitchens, free on-site parking
Also in the area: French Leave Resort
Within feet:
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- Twin Coves Beach
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Within 1.3 miles:
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- French Leave Beach
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Within 4.9 miles:
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- Receiver’s Beach
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Within 7 miles:
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- Governor’s Harbor Airport
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Approximate cost per night: $1,014
Cost per person (eight people): $126
Coral Sands Inn & Cottages
Chapel Street, Harbour Island
Pink Sands Beach
Inn amenities: restaurant, beach bar, free continental breakfast, beach with lounge chairs & snorkeling activities, outdoor pool, tile / wood floors, large windows, light colors, flat-screen TVs, mini-safes, billiards game room, tennis court
Nearby restaurants / bars: Caribbean Pot On Wheel’s Cuisine (Caribbean restaurant), Da Vine Wine Merchants (restaurant), Rock House Restaurant, The Dunmore Restaurant, Sweet Spot Café (Vegan restaurant), Angela’s Starfish Restaurant (restaurant), Famous Brian’s BBQ (restaurant), Ms. V’s Bar & Grill (barbecue restaurant), Arthur’s Bakery (restaurant), On Da Hill Restaurant, The Shack (restaurant), Gusty’s Bar, Vichum Club (bar)
Nearby misc.: Bahamas Coffee Roasters (café), bluwatur bakery (bakery), Kay Markets (supermarket), Captain Bobs Marketplace (grocery store), Pigly Wigly (grocery store), Bristol Wine and Spirits (liquor store), Morlyfe Wholesale & Retail Liquor Store (liquor store), TIP Touch Massage (massage therapist), The Blue Rooster (clothing store), ConchPearlCatering (mobile caterer), Princess Street Gallery (art gallery)
Within feet:
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- Pink Sands Beach
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Within 2.8 miles:
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- Bottom Harbor Beach
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Within 6 miles:
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- Gaulding Cay Beach
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Coral Sands Inn & Cottages is 3 miles from North Eleuthera Airport.
Approximate cost per night (One bedroom Oceanfront Cottage): $1,411
Ocean West Boutique Hotel
Cable Beach, Nassau
Orange Hill Beach
Hotel amenities: bar, outdoor swimming pool, terrace, fitness center, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, coffee machines, hairdryers, pool table, 24-hour front desk, free private parking
Nearby restaurants / bars: Sapodilla Estate (restaurant), La Caverna (Italian restaurant), Daq Shack (bar)
Nearby misc.: Cafe Channing Noelle, Caves Village (shopping mall), The Caves (museum)
Within feet:
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- Orange Hill Beach
- Compass Point Restaurant
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Within 2.1 miles:
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- Cable Beach
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Within 2.6 miles:
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- Lynden Pindling International Airport
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Approximate cost per night (diamond room): $327
So there they are, Bahamas accommodations that will help make for an unforgettable trip. We hope you have found this information valuable and most of all, that you enjoy your time in the Caribbean!
