The Abacos in a Nutshell
or should we say Conch Shell.
- A Down to the Basics Quick Planner - Considering a trip to the Abacos? Here are some fundamentals.
The details can be found at:
- A Down to the Basics Quick Planner - Considering a trip to the Abacos? Here are some fundamentals.
The Abacos in a Nutshell
or should we say Conch Shell.
The details can be found at:
First, get yourself a copy of the colorful Cruising Guide to the Abacos (Steve Dodge). You'll want to bring it with you. It's made for the cruising folks but it's packed with info - more than any travel guide. It's sold state side at BoatUS or West Marine. You can learn about anything from weather to the snorkeling spots. Restaurants, hotels and the popular watering holes are also included. It includes a yellow pages arranged by location where you can look up a shop for anything one might want. And it's an absolute must if you rent a boat.
If you cant find what you want to know in Dodge's Guide, or my main Abaco Page,
Boat or No Boat? That is the Question.
The Next Big Question?
Which Island or Cay - to Stay
As mentioned, most people are attracted to the Abacos for their waters and their offerings. A boat can also influence your decision on where to stay. That said, if I had no boat at my disposal, Would I still go?. Absolutely! My choice of place to stay would be then be Elbow Cay. I say this because if you are staying in Hope Town (Hope Town Harbour Lodge or rental home) you can walk to everything and the resorts at the south end will come and pick you up for dinner, lunch and even for a few drinks and a swim in their pool. And this courtesy even works in reverse - staying at a south end resort (Abaco Inn or the Sea Spray) they will take you to town on request. If you rent a home out side of town, you'll need a golf cart which is sometimes included. All the resorts on Elbow Cay are on the ocean except Club Soleil which is on the harbour's, not connected, west side and where a boat is absolutely necessary. Incidentally that is the side with the lighthouse. To get the full picture of Elbow Cay check out the main pages of my Abaco Guide linked above.
On Green Turtle Cay you'll need at least a golf cart to get to New Plymouth or another resort or restaurant for dinner. Nobody provides "on call" courtesy transportation (at least a/o 2007). And keep in mind the island's two resorts (Green Turtle Club and the Bluff House) are on White Sound on the north end of the Cay and are quite a trek to New Plymouth. The ocean beach is a 20 min. walk from the G.T.C., and about twice that from the B.H. Unlike Hope Town the resorts on G.T. require ordering your dinner when making your reservation. Town restaurants, not so.
G.T., being north of the Whale Cay passage pretty much limits your boat rental travels to the neighboring uninhabited pristine Islands of Manjack and Noname cays. For a trip to Guana Cay you'll need a larger boat and good weather. There is also lots to explore on the nearby mainland as written about in out our 2007 update and to get the full picture on Green Turtle Cay, check out the main pages of my Abaco Guide linked above.
And if you stay on the mainland of Great Abaco at Marsh Harbour, you're probably not going for beaches but you'll need a car to explore the island. The Resorts at Treasure Cay with their beautiful beach on the Sea of Abaco, will require a car, which you can rent locally, to get to Marsh Harbour or explore the island settlements, and the near by wild horses and blue holes. Again, all written about in our 2007 update.
As far as a rental home on Guana Cay or Lubbers Quarters go, You'll need a boat. As far as boat size and distance limitations see my Boating Page
Suggested Guidelines
1) If you are considering going in May, June, July or around Christmas and especially on weekends during those periods, you'll need to book 5 - 6 months in advance. This particularly applies to airlines and boat and to a lesser degree, golf cart rentals. And remember the first couple weeks in July is the busy Regatta Season.
2) Reconfirm your flight a couple times before departure to avoid any surprises.
3) Use carry on luggage if you can, but remember, security will remove any sun screen you might be carrying.
4) When departing Marsh Harbour, although you may hate to, book an early flight and get there early especially if you have connections. And again use carry on luggage in case you have to change flights in a hurry.
5) Don't arrive too late to cause conflicts trying to catch the water taxi to the Cays. An expensive charter could be the result.
6) If you are required to change planes in south east Florida, Try to avoid Miami at any time. It will save you some serious hiking time. At Ft. Lauderdale, more often than not, you'll have to take a bus to your connection terminal after clearing customs. I'd avoid that airport too if I can. Our 2006 trip had us connecting through Palm Beach. Including baggage pickup, customs and immigration, we were at the departure gate for Tampa in about 15 minutes! More at AbacoAirlines.com
7) And one final note: there can be lengthy lines returning via FLL and MIA on Saturday and Sunday due to extensive cruise line traffic.
8) Here is a page of useful travel tips from our website pages.
Summary
For a beautiful satellite image to put things in perspective click here.
As of the mid 90's “Family Islands” have taken on new meaning especially on Elbow Cay. Here because of it's village of Hope Town and proximity to Marsh Harbour and surrounding Cays, it has become a popular bustling vacationing spot not unlike some coastal US cities where families gather seasonally. As one voicer on one of the message boards put it "I have to admit, Hope Town has changed a lot since I last visited 15 years ago. It seems the majority of the houses in town are no longer inhabited by local residents, but have instead been converted into vacation rentals. Though Hope Town is as beautiful as ever, it feels more like a theme park than the peaceful, laid-back town it used to be."
If you are looking for quiet out of the way remote islands and beaches where you‘ll have a good chance to be alone to yourself, Green Turtle is the place to go. Assuming you have or rented a boat (a 17 footer will do). The uninhabited islands 20 minutes to it's north are loaded with beaches on the protected bay side where you can pretend to be the only people in the world.
If your looking for a little more activity, stay south of the Whale Cay Passage. This area is called the Hub of Abaco for good reason. The main islands are linked in commerce and by ferry to Marsh Harbour. Here though, it's more of a challenge to find a quite spot to be alone. Even on the lovely and numerous islands south of Elbow Cay you'll have company most of the time. Better yet combine both. If you are adventurous and a boater with some navigation experience, you might want to pick up at least a 22' boat from Rainbow Rentals or other rental agency in Marsh Harbour as we often to. Then trek north the 30 miles for Green Turtle for 3-4 days then south to Hope Town for a week. As mentioned, this inter island approach will require commonsense boating experience and a copy of the Cruising Guide to the Abacos. The downside to this approach is weather. It could be unpleasant on the day you've committed to pick up or return your boat. Otherwise staying close to your home island with a boat you rent there, remembering to book well in advance during the busy season.
Remember, Lubber's Quarters has no beaches to speak of and Treasure Cay's beautiful beach is on Abaco sound. Both provide little on site snorkeling.
For the whole story see my Abaco Guide
Quick links of Accommodations & Services
Abaco Guide
| Green Turtle Slide Show
| Hope Town Slide Show
| Boat Rentals
| Air Carriers
| 2007 Update
| 2006 Update
| Travel Tips
