The weather in the Bahamas is almost always good and there are fantastic beaches. But you don’t have to spend the whole day on the beach in the Bahamas, there are also many different sights to see here. There is something on offer for tourists, especially in Nassau. According to dentistrymyth, Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas. The city has an extremely colonial charm, like the old parliament building and also the historical court and government building. But the city’s pirate museum is also worth a visit. There you can learn a lot about the celebrities of the privateers, such as Blackbeard, Charles Vane or Jack Rackham.
If you spend your vacation in Nassau on Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, you should definitely do this – Watch the Junkanoo Cultural Festival. The festival is well organized and traditional drum music can be heard. Many of the locals wear elaborate costumes at the festival.
A visit to the Bahamas Historical Society Museum is certainly interesting. In the museum you can learn everything about the history of the Bahamas from the discovery of Columbus to the present day. You can also admire numerous artefacts from the original residents of that time, the Lucayan, Taino or Arawak Indians.
Anyone interested in history should check out the Ford Fincastelwatch. It was built in 1793 by Lord Dunmore on Bennet Hill. At that time the castel was armed with two 24-pounders, two Carronades 32-pounders, two 1-pounders and a howitzer.
Fort Charlotteis the most interesting and largest of the three forts in the capital of the Bahamas. It was built between the years 1787 and 1789, as was the fortress Fincastel, by Lord Dunmore. The fortress was named in honor of King George the Third’s wife, who was called Sophie Charlotte von Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The fortress is known for having a waterless moat. It is also equipped with a sugar bridge, ramparts and a dungeon. From the fortress you have a wonderful view of the city’s harbor. The special thing about Fort Charlotte is that a shot was never fired here in combat.
Fort Montagu was built to provide shelter for officers and soldiers. The fortress was built in 1742 and was heavily armed. In the fortress itself there is a terraced cistern in which up to thirty tons of water could be stored. It was built in such a way that the excess water was drained off immediately to avoid flooding. There is also a guard room in the barracks, like a bomb-proof powder magazine in which up to 95 barrels of powder could be stored.
Also the Pompey Museum worth a visit. The building of the museum erected in 1796 and named after a slave who lived on the island of Exuma. Today’s museum was used as a marketplace until the late 19th century. Even slaves were sold here. The Pompey Museum has a permanent exhibition for today’s tourists that deals with the theme of the experiences of African slaves in the Bahamas. There are some exhibits that are items from earlier plantations or pieces of African origin.
Queens Staircasee is the most visited attraction in the capital of the Bahamas. It was built by slaves within a year from 1793. The stairs have a height of 31 meters and are really impressive. So it also serves as a shortcut to the Bennet hill. Next to the stairs is the only waterfall in the Bahamas. However, it is not of natural origin but was created artificially.
The straw market is also worth seeing. It emerged in the late 1940s when the sponge industry collapsed and women were looking for a new source of income. So they began to make baskets, bags and dolls from palm and sisal leaves. A short time later, many straw souvenirs were made for the holidaymakers, who also requested these goods accordingly. After the Second World War, the American vacationers came to the Bahamas, which of course led to an increase in the turnover of the straw souvenirs. Straw processing is the country’s oldest industry. Even today there are various markets where the goods are sold. The markets would be in Nassau, Cable Beach, Paradise Island, and various other islands.
Another attraction in Nassau is the monastery. It was actually built in the 14th century, but was transported brick by brick to the USA by the newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. Huntington Hartfort bought it in the 1960s and set it on a hill on Paradise Island. From the monastery you have a wonderful view of the port of Nassau.
The island of Andros is especially recommended for bathers. There are many wonderful beaches and many different reefs for divers and snorkelers that only call for an exploration tour. Above all, exploring sunken shipwrecks in the shallow coastal areas will give recreational divers many unforgettable hours.
Various groups of holidaymakers, from all-inclusive tourists to single travelers, get their money’s worth in the Bahamas. The various interest groups, such as nature lovers, those interested in history, beach holidaymakers, etc. do not have to worry about the holiday becoming boring. There is something for everyone in the Bahamas.
