An Insider's Guide to Yachting in The Bahamas
For yachters, the Bahamas is among the most transfixing destinations on earth, and for good reason. “First and foremost, [The Bahamas] offers these extraordinary expanses of untouched beaches, which are world class,” says India Hicks, the British-born, Bahamas-based designer, entrepreneur and author of the new book “Lady Pamela: My Mother’s Extraordinary Years as Daughter to the Viceroy of India, Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen, and Wife of David Hicks.”
India attributes much of the Bahamian fanfare to the sand itself. “We have this really extraordinary sand,” she says. “On Harbour Island, it’s pink; on Windermere, it’s white; and on Andros, it’s golden. The attraction to The Bahamas is the sand, it’s the turquoise waters, it's the swaying palm trees. And you certainly can find wonderful places to stay that range from bed and breakfasts to five star hotels.” We chatted with India, Bahamas regular Will Massie—co-founder of McKinnon and Harris—and Adam Belshe, a yacht captain, to assemble our guide to paradise.
Harbour Island and Eleuthera
Among the most sparkling jewels of the Bahamian crown, Harbour Island is famous for its pastel pink sand beaches and Colonial architecture. “We normally go right after Christmas to Harbour Island,” says Will, who visits the Bahamas a couple of times a year. “For me, Harbour Island has everything. It's got the culture, the restaurants, and some really great hotels if you don't want to rent a house. It has a lot of boating (not everywhere in The Bahamas does), and I love to sail and paddle board.” Here's what not to miss on Harbour Island and on its sister island, Eleuthera:
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Briland Club Marina - Located on a more private side of the island, the Briland Club is undergoing a $200MM expansion of its already dazzling accommodations.
Valentines Resort & Marina - Amidst the hubbub of Dunmore Town activity, Valentines provides a perfect launch pad to explore the island and walk off the boat to lunch or dinner.
STAY
India and her husband David Flint Wood offer several of their own properties as rentals on Harbour Island (favored by Ralph Lauren): Hibiscus Hill. “We offer a different experience [than a hotel]…you're in a very authentically Bahamian home or cottage,” India says. “It’s not a five star hotel feel, but all of our homes tell a very good story. They were all built by local carpenters, and the architecture is very befitting to The Bahamas. We have dark wood stained floors, overhead fans, lovely mosquito netting, and four poster beds that are stained dark mahogany.”
While you’re in the Bahamas, be sure to try Idle Assembly Rum: “It’s made by my husband, but it's really a product of the Caribbean,” India says. And the name holds special meaning: “There used to be a signpost on the dock as you arrived on Harbour Island that would say ‘No crowds, No loitering, No idle assembly.’ And David felt that actually one of the things that we love to do in The Bahamas is to gather idly.”
For a hotel with all the trimmings, Will appreciates The Ocean View Club. “It’s low key, and right on the water there,” he says. “The hotel is made up of a main house, some tents and huts—it's really fun…and the food's fabulous.”
Another of his go-to’s: The Dunmore, which fronts that famous pink sand beach and was designed by McKinnon and Harris friend and client Amanda Lindroth. “It’s more Palm Beach style—and really gorgeous.”
EAT
“Right as you get off of the ferry, there's The Landing, a great restaurant and gorgeous hotel that was designed by India Hicks,” Will says. “It’s one of the best places to eat, literally right on the sound side of the island. The food's just out of this world.” He recommends their stone crab stack, an appetizer served with crispy wontons, arugula and sweetened soy sauce. “And the local fish is always amazing—usually a red snapper.” For a fresh conch salad, India loves Queen Conch. “It’s what we call a ‘shack’ and has the freshest conch salad made in front of you with fresh-grown lime, chili peppers, tomatoes, a squeeze of orange, and conch that’s just been brought in.”
To kick-start a day, India often goes for the coffees at Cocoa. “It’s run by a lovely Bahamian couple; you overlook a quiet marina,” she says. Another: Sweet Spot, a vegan cafe where the menu includes cold pressed juices and portobello ‘bacon’ BLTs. “It’s also Bahamian owned,” she says. “There's a lovely vibe to both of them. Both feel very islandy.”
Steps from Valentines Marina, Rock House Hotel has a pool with cabanas that can be reserved during the day with poolside lunch service. At night, the restaurant is buzzing with the most beautiful people on the island. Try the grilled Bahamian lobster tail and the Idle Breeze cocktail, made with Idle Assembly Rum.
SHOP
When he’s on Harbour Island, Will frequently makes time to stop in at Princess Street Gallery. “It has a wonderful mix of sophisticated tropical art, jewelry, Bahamian design books and hand crafted utility for the home,” he says. “It's very curated and local.” Among the local artists represented there: Eleuthera-based painters Chauncey Rolle and Catherine Armstrong.
India recommends Haynes Library on Eleuthera: “I think it’s the oldest library in The Bahamas and it's in a wonderful building [built in 1897] ,” she says.
The Sugarmill is India's own beautifully curated boutique, located on Bay Street right near the heart of Dunmore Town.
The Dunmore Shop, newly designed by Amanda Lindroth, is flawlessly curated with caftans, sun hats and swimsuits.
A visit to A and A Hidden Treasures reveals the multi-generational art and craft of Bahamian grass bag making. All grasses are harvested, dried and woven by hand in the Bahamas and can be personalized to your yacht or tender.
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Just a quick boat ride across the sound from Harbour Island, you’ll find glamping resort The Other Side—where Will recently swam to meet some resident sea turtles. “Harbour Island is home to endangered Green turtles, Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtles,” Will says. “The Other Side is a solar powered glamping resort that is owned by the same family as The Ocean View Club. The turtles were so gentle and friendly and feeding them was truly unforgettable.”
It’s also worth heading just south of Harbour Island to visit the Queen’s Bath on Eleuthera, India says, which is half a mile from the Glass Window Bridge—where water is turquoise on one side, and inky blue on the other. “You can lay in these wonderful pools of warm, clear saltwater, and when the tide comes in, the water rushes across these pools and you can get very exciting blow holes coming up with water shooting high in the air,” she says.
The Exumas
There are as many islands and cays in the Exumas as there are days in the year, with something for everyone—including swimming pigs (really!) and coves that are so cinematic multiple films have been shot here. “Compass Cay is really interesting,” Will says. “It's just a tiny little marina and you can actually swim with these nurse sharks—they are probably six, seven feet long and you can literally stand up while they swim around you. I swore I wouldn't get in the water with them, but actually did after watching so many people!”
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Staniel Cay Yacht Club is a full-service marina with a dock that caters to both center consoles and mega-yachts up to 210 feet. We love their charming waterfront bungalows.
STAY
“Fowl Cay would be the place I’d stay on land,” says Adam Belshe, a yacht captain who is often in the Bahamas. “It’s a private island with six houses and your own private chef.”
There aren’t a lot of notable public hotels in the Exumas, Will says. “It’s mostly by boat, and there are some amazing plane wrecks to snorkel,” he says. Off of Norman’s Cay, there’s a plane wreck reportedly left by Pablo Escobar on a sandbank, submerged in crystalline waters. “It’s incredibly well preserved. Aluminum doesn't rust or corrode, so you see everything, and there are just amazing fish living among the wreckage.” (Keep your eyes out for neon-hued angelfish there that can be the size of a dinner plate.)
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In the Exumas, you don’t want to miss Thunderball Grotto, Will says. “It’s where they filmed some of the James Bond movies—it’s incredible,” he notes. “An underwater cave with an oculus that lights up the inside! It’s out of this world.” Among the resident fish: sergeant majors, angel fish, and yellowtail snappers. “It's really amazing, and within just a quick boat ride from Staniel Cay, in the Exuma Cays.”
The Abacos
“Hope Town is just fascinating,” Will says of this district on Elbow Cay, in the Abaco islands—The Bahamas’ unofficial capital of boating. “It’s this historic town with a [circa 1860s] lighthouse, and it's just so quaint and beautiful.”
ANCHOR
As far as deeper-drafting boats go, “You can anchor off of Baker’s Bay and Green Turtle Cay,” says Captain Adam. “We drive 8 feet (and) cannot get into Hope Town, but smaller boats can.”
Green Turtle Club Resort & Marina is a full-service 40 slip facility that can accommodate vessels up to 130 feet.
EAT
Come hungry. “There's this really great restaurant called Firefly—if you're on a boat, you just pull your boat right up, stop in, and you have dinner or lunch,” Will says of the restaurant tucked in a waterside resort that presides over its own coral reef. “Their cornmeal conch fritters are just amazing.”
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One of Will's favorite places to splay out on the sand in the Abaco islands is Tahiti Beach, where cloud-white sand is fringed by palm trees and visitors often spot sand dollars in the clear, lapping water. “It’s on [the southern tip of] Elbow Cay and really pretty,” he says. “It's sort of like a sandbar beach.”
