Dr. Dessy

While you are in The Bahamas, why not going for excursion, visiting some of their islands. We booked a full day small group Exuma Escape tour from Viator, a 5 islands adventures that start at 8:30 am and end around 5:30 pm. The tour start at the small port right across the back of The Atlantis Hotel where we stayed, so no need to take a taxi, just go to the marina area, cross the road, and the meeting place is right beside the Jimmy Buffet’s margaritville Bahama. (Sad story actually when we ate in that place, the same night as the night that Jimmy Buffet passed away).

You wait quite sometime there until all crew and materials ready. Make sure to pack water resistant bag and wind break jacket as based on our experience, the time we get home, big storm ahead of us, so it was rainy and windy. Water, snack, and lunch are provided by the tour, so you do not really need to carry food and drink with you. They gave chips and soda water after every island visit. Lunch is in one of the island, and we have sand bar with some alcohol before the end of the trip.

The first stop of the trip is the Great Guana Cay where we visit the reptilian rock iguana in their natural habitat. We got a chance to feed the iguana with grape. They are quite aggresive, especially if you have grape in your hand. Note that you need to stick the grape on a stick while feeding them, otherwise they might bite your finger.

Next stop is Compass Cay where I experienced shark interaction in open and shallow water. This is a nurse shark, which are very friendly and love we come and feed them. The guide prepared squid for the shark and we also got a chance to feed them if we want to.

Third island is the swimming pig island, the pigs here are huge but they are professional swimmer. They even love to give us attraction. Be careful, show your empty hand and never put your back on the pig, always face them, or you might be the unlucky guy who get mowed over by the pig.

Next stop is lunch, the restaurant that we went is right by the water. The food was nice and the service was good, The owner make sure we have enough food and when the soda that I want run out, he make sure to check in the kitchen and bring me one.

After lunch, we head the the sand bar, its is shifting sand bars that appear at low tide. The sand is soft, the water is crystal clear, and there are some part of the water that are warm and just few step the water get colder. We also found the starfish and big shell over there. Alcohol and cocktail is served here but I think most people enjoy being around this tiny sand island better than have a drink.

Last stop is to see the famous Pablo Escobar sunken plan wreck just off to Norman’s Cay. It was a very long trip to go there. I personally prefer we go to another island or place where we can do snorkeling. We can see the plane on the water clearly.

On the way home, we experienced a big storm ahead of us. So at this time, that wind jacket would be very useful.

Apart from this excursion, we also did our own excursion to the Nassau town. The town is not that big, at certain time, it was full of tourist coming out of 4 big cruises. Once the sunset hit, all the tourist back to their ship and the town back quiet.