Nassau: things are better than ever in the capital of the Bahamas

Cruise Travel, March-April, 2005 by Deborah Williams

Ever wanted to help train marching flamingoes, kiss a bottlenose dolphin, hand-feed a lory parrot, swim or dive with sharks, explore an extraordinary marine sanctuary, pilot your own sub underwater, or enjoy a glass of wine from one of the world's top cellars, a favorite of the original James Bond? All these amazing experiences and more are beckoning cruise visitors to Nassau, the capital of the 700-island Bahamian chain.

Although the Bahamas identifies itself with the Caribbean islands to the south, the chain is firmly in the Atlantic Ocean, running east and south off the tip of Florida. Cruise calls have been increasing steadily in recent years, and nearly two million passengers visited the Bahamas last year.

Because of its proximity to South Florida, Nassau is a popular port-of-call, especially on three- and tour-day cruises. It has everything that cruise passengers look for in a tropical port--beautiful beaches, extensive watersports, historical attractions, top-rated golf courses, glitzy resorts, bargain shopping, friendly citizens--all dished up with a dash of distinctive Bahamian flair.

Nassau is on a large, sheltered harbor at the north end of New Providence Island, a small isle just 21 miles long and seven miles wide. Half of the Bahamas' quarter-million residents live on New Providence. The capital, a handsome pink and white city, is the country's financial center, filled with colonial charm, history, and world-class shopping and dining--all within an easy walk of the cruise terminal.

Ships sail in past the elegant British Colonial Hilton Hotel, just a short stroll from the cruise terminal. Built on the site of Fort Nassau, the original Colonial was destroyed by fire in 1922 and the current hotel opened six months later in 1923. It has served as a set for several James Bond films. The hotel's beach and pool are open to cruise passengers on a day-pass basis.

A battleground for Spanish, British, and French colonization efforts, New Providence was also a haven for buccaneers. The notorious pirate Blackbeard posted a lookout here in a tower (which bears his name today) while he caroused around the islands. His story is part of the swashbuckling history on display in interactive exhibits at the Pirate Museum downtown.

The British won control of the islands and ruled for 250 years until the Bahamas became independent in 1973. A high point of British rule was surely the arrival during World War II of the Duke of Windsor, the former King of England and the great-grandson of Queen Victoria. The Duke and Duchess brought a style, elegance, and certain chic that had not been seen before in Government House.

Across the street from Government House is 260-year-old Graycliff, a 20-room antique-filled hotel with two restaurants and a cigar factory, presided over with grace by the Grazaroli family. The award-winning dining rooms (open for lunch and dinner) continue to attract royalty, heads of state, celebrities, visitors, and residents who come for the wine (one of the world's most celebrated cellars with more than 180,000 bottles), memorable dining, and gracious service. Now an island resident, Sean Connery, the British actor who first brought James Bond to the silver screen, had dined a few days before our visit. Writing in the guest book, he proclaimed the meal "splendid"--also an apt description for our meal.

A Pleasant way to get a quick overview of Nassau's history and culture is to hail a horse-drawn buggy with driver, which will take passengers past an imposing statue of Columbus, who discovered the isles on October 12, 1492; down Bay Street filled with souvenir shops and stores such as John Bull, a local institution since 1929 with fine jewelry, china, cameras, perfumes, and designer items; and past the Straw Market. Stocked with locally made straw hats and bags, wooden carvings, dresses, shirts, and ever-present T-shirts, the market is now in a temporary location, since a fire destroyed the original, but will be rebuilt this year.

Paradise Island, just over the bridge (or across the bay on a water taxi), is home to the astounding 2,300-room Atlantis Hotel, created by South African billionaire Sol Kerzner. Towering over the island, it is the largest hotel in the Bahamas and Caribbean region. The casino and restaurants are open to the public, who can also tour The Dig, the property's 11-million-gallon marine habitat.

The Dig is an imaginative depiction of the ruins of mythical Atlantis with a series of passageways, boulevards, and chambers from which gigantic picture-windows offer views of underwater life ranging from piranhas and sharks to jellyfish and eels. The swimming pools and five water-slides--several culminating with a tunnel through enclosed shark tanks--are open only to hotel guests. Some cruise passengers spend the day here by booking a room at Atlantis or neighboring Comfort Suites, where rooms include use of the pools and other Atlantis facilities. Nearby, a 14th-century French cloister, imported to the island by Huntington Hartford, presents a stark contrast to the glitz of Atlantis.