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Abaco, Bahamas: Escaping the Crowds

By: Morgan Engle 

For those travelers wishing to escape to an island paradise and avoid the crowds, Abaco is the place to go.  Just a short flight from Florida, the Abacos are a group of islands located in the Northeastern Bahamas.  With plenty of islands to choose from, the Abacos offer plenty of unique vacation options.  The most popular places to visit are Green Turtle Cay, Treasure Cay, Great Guana Cay, Marsh Harbour, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay (Hope Town).  

Green Turtle Cay, one of the most northern outer cays, is small and quaint.  The island is covered with pastel-coloured clapboard homes, scattered among several historical attractions.  With many restaurants, shops and beaches, Green Turtle Cay is packed with plenty of things to do and see.   

Treasure Cay is home to one of the most stunning beaches in the Caribbean.  It is perfectly flat and covered in soft, white and pink sand.  The water along the beach is ideal for relaxing, as it is crystal clear and shallow.  Treasure Cay also boasts a golf course and its own airport.  

Great Guana Cay is beautiful and has wonderful snorkeling that is easily accessible.  Just off the beach, which lines the Atlantic side of the island, is the third largest barrier reef in the world.  Snorkeling is as easy as grabbing some gear and walking into the warm waters.   

Marsh Harbour, which is on the mainland, is the central hub of Abaco.  It hosts the main airport, as well as most retail stores.  Although the outer cays have their own food markets, most residents travel to the mainland for groceries, banking, hardware and other supplies.  From Marsh Harbour, most of the other Cays are accessible by ferry or boat.  

Man-O-War Cay is a quiet and peaceful cay South of Guana Cay.  On the island you will find a small shop where beautiful, quality bags of all sorts are hand-crafted.  The island is also known for their legendary boat building operations.  

Elbow Cay, the most Southern of the populated cays is well known for its historic, candy-striped lighthouse.  Built in 1864, the Hope Town lighthouse is a great way to see the island and its surroundings from a birds-eye view.  Elbow Cay also has spectacular beaches and great snorkeling.  

All of the islands have their own marinas with docking and moorings for boaters.  They also have food markets, along with many restaurants and shops.  Each island is different from the next, and even for locals, going from one island to another is like the start of a new vacation.  Each landscape is unique and often indicates the personality of the island.  Although one could spend a week visiting all the islands, in order to appreciate the Abacos for what they are, it is recommended that a week be spent exploring one island (maybe two).  The Abacos are less traveled than other islands; therefore they are perfect for those travelers seeking relaxation, adventure and to escape the crowds.