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An internationally known and loved vacation destination, quite naturally, Grand Bahama Island has many fine eateries. Seafood figures prominently on most menus, as it is sure to be high quality and fresh. The culinary traditions of the island should certainly be explored, but there are also many restaurants featuring international favorites.

For a fine dining experience, Luciano’s, found at Port Lucaya Marketplace and Marina, should not be missed. In business for more than 20 years, this restaurant offers classical cuisine from both Europe and the island in a formal setting that is sure to make the evening a special one. The dishes are made of the freshest ingredients, with each plate cooked to order.

Diners can choose to start their meal with such luxuries as Beluga Molossol Caviar, Foie Gras, Oysters Rockefeller, or with such appetizers as Cassolette d’Escargots, Cocktail de Crevettes Rose, which are jumbo shrimp on a bed of lettuce with a specially created red sauce, or Coquilles St. Jacques Provencales, which are deep sea scallops saut ed with garlic butter and served with tomato concasse.

In addition to delicious house soups and creative salads, there are many delightful choices on the menu. Seafoods and pastas, fine meats, freshly prepared vegetable side dishes and a host of delectable, elegant desserts and fine after dinner coffee selections make for a dining experience to remember.

The Prop Club, in addition to being a sports bar and dance club, boasts of offering the biggest burger on the island. Portobellos offers a wealth of Italian dishes. The Corner Bistro and Bar, at Count Basie Square in Port Lucaya, offers a wide variety of foods, specializing in Asian and international cuisine. Open from 5:30pm to 11pm every day, except for Wednesdays, they offer daily specials. In addition to their dinner-sized entrees, they also offer pizza, sandwiches, soups and salads.

Club Carib Bahamas is a beach bar and restaurant that serves wonderful seafood appetizers, including fried calamari, shrimp scampi carib, and a variety of sandwiches, salads, and entrees, including a delicious mango jerk chicken. This place welcomes children, and has a children’s menu. There’s live calypso music on the weekends, making for an enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere.

The Ferry House Restaurant is one of the most upscale restaurants in the entire Bahamas. Found in the Port Lucaya area of Grand Bahama Island, it serves continental classic cuisine of the highest quality, as well as a sort of culinary fusion that brings together Caribbean flavors with a more globally influenced cuisine than typical of continental cuisine.

Because the freshest ingredients are used, the menu varies with what is in season. Food is cooked to order, and from start to finish, diners should expect to spend about two hours at their meal. The restaurant opens daily for lunch from noon until 2:30 pm and is open for dinner every day, except for Monday, for dinner between the hours of 6pm and 10pm. This is a truly unique culinary experience, and if at possible, should be included in your dining plans.

From formal to casual, there are many satisfying dining experiences to be had on Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas. You’ll remember the food long after the tan has faded.

Long before the first Europeans wandered to the shores of Jamaica, the island was inhabited by native peoples who, even in those far back times, already had a society influenced by thousands of years of culture. Little remains of these native peoples, other than the collected relics that are displayed in museums on the island and the touch of their influence that can be seen in the culinary and cultural traditions of some segments of today’s native populations. With the arrival of the Europeans came the colonial era, the remains of which can still be seen today, in historical buildings and collected artifacts.

There are a few fascinating collections relics remaining from the early native inhabitants. Coyaba River Garden is one of the places in which these relics are on display. Located on Shaw Park Ridge Road in Ochos Rios, Jamaica, Coyaba River Garden is the site of lush and beautiful tropical gardens that make the perfect setting for their museum, which houses an assortment of pre-Columbian era artifacts, including some of those left behind by the Arawak, an early sea-faring native tribe that inhabited the island. Open daily from 8am to 6pm, there is a small admission charge of $5 for those over 12 years of age.

When the Europeans settled, they created numerous plantations. Many of these still remain, restored as tourist sites. Among these is the Rose Hall Great House, built in the late 1800’s on what was a huge sugar plantation, with 2,000 slaves to work the fields. This house achieved notoriety for the numerous deaths and murders that occurred there through the years, including the strangling death of one of the later mistresses of the plantation. Located just outside of Montego Bay on Rose Hall Highway, the site is open to visitors and offers guided tours. The hours are 9am to 6pm daily, and there is a $15 admission charge for those over 12. For those under 12 the rate is $10.

Just outside of Ocho Rios, tourists to Jamaica can view a working plantation that has been restored as an educational site. In addition to touring the working farm areas, there trails for horseback riding. Prospect Plantation, on Route A3, offers tours three times per day, Monday through Saturday, at 10:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm. The tour rates are $6 for children under 12 and $12 for everyone over 12. The horseback riding rates are $20 per hour.

Spanish Town offers a splendid experience of 18th century British architecture, as well as structural remains of early Spanish rule. Walking is the best way to get the full effect of this lovely city. Spanish Town is also home to Saint James, which is the oldest cathedral, not only in Jamaica, but also in the Western Hemisphere. Elegant and beautiful, this is a sight that should not be missed.

Jamaica is full of small historical sites and museums. For those interested in such things, there are numerous places for exploration, with each of the complex eras of the history and culture of Jamaica represented. Wandering these sites, taking in the rich social and cultural history, will certainly leave the visitor with a greater understanding and appreciation of the Jamaica of today.

A vacation destination that attracts visitors from all over the world, the Bahamas offers a great deal more than the obvious pleasures associated with its pristine white sand beaches that border glistening, beautiful ocean waters underneath a wide open sky. The Bahamas also offer a wide variety of cultural pursuits. New Providence Island boasts numerous museums, housing a wide variety of exhibits, sure to stimulate the mind and imagination of all who visit.

The Pirates of Nassau Museum, located at Marlborough and George Streets in Nassau on New Providence Island of the Bahamas, offers a fascinating combination of history and entertainment. Open Monday through Saturday, from 9am to 6pm, and Sundays from 9am until noon, this museum charges an admission fee of $12 for adults, and $6 for children ages 3 to 18. With each paid adult admission, however, one child under 12 enters for free, as do children under 3. Beautiful, high tech displays that operate with motion detectors offer exciting insight into the pirate life that is a real part of the history of the area. Six million dollars was spent in the museum’s creation, and the result is fun, educational and simply remarkable. A perfect family outing, children really have a great time here.

The Pompey Museum of Slavery And Emancipation, found at Bay and George Streets at the Vendue House, is another wonderful place to visit. The museum site was once a place where slave auctions were held, and inside there are many historical exhibits from the era featuring artifacts and documents. On the second floor of the museum, there are art exhibits, with the work of the Bahamian artist Amos Ferguson holding a position of prominence. Open Monday through Friday from 10am to 4:30pm, and for shortened hours every other Saturday, this museum charges a nominal fee of only $1 for people 12 years of age and older. Those under that age are charged a mere 50 cents. A great bargain and an even better collection of art and artifacts.

The Nassau Public Library and Museum, located on Shirley Street, offers a fascinating look back into the history of the Bahamas and New Providence Island. The building itself has historical merit. It was built in the last years of the 18th century and served then as a jail and workhouse, making it the island’s second prison. Towards the end of the 19th century, the building became the island’s first library. The hours are from 10am to 8pm on Monday through Thursday. On Friday, the hours are from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday, the hours are from 10am to 4pm.

There are several more museums scattered throughout New Providence Island. Among the most interesting are the Junkanoo Expo, which displays costumes and floats from the yearly parade by the same name, the Atlantis Museum, which is devoted to natural history, and the Roselawn Museum, which contains a variety of artifacts, often gleaned from the sea, such as chunks of shipwrecked ships.

New Providence Island of the Bahamas is just full of pleasant surprises. One of the most interesting of these surprises is the degree to which the rich the history of this island is revered and preserved. It creates a well-rounded vacation experience by offering something out of the ordinary.

Bike riding tours are a wonderful way to explore Jamaica. Traveling by automobile just can’t provide the same experience. You miss so much, like the scents carried by the wind - the smell of the ocean, the tropical forests, the mountains, and the abundant flowers and other plants. The slower pace allows you to really see what you’re looking, to talk to local people, and to really savor the experience of Jamaica.

Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours, Ltd., located at 121 Main Street, in Ocho Rios, is one of the most well known providers of these sorts of adventures. Their specialty is a day long bike tour that begins 5,600 feet up in the Blue Mountains, which are the highest mountains in the Caribbean. Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours, Ltd., makes these tours available out of both Ocho Rios and Kingston, Jamaica, providing charter bus service from these points to the mountain for groups as large as 150, with the average group being made up of about 40 people. All necessary biking equipment is also provided, as are meals, and rates are reasonable — $93US for adults and $65US for children under 12 years of age.

The bicycle tour is all down hill, which makes it appropriate for almost all age groups - age 7 is the youngest recommended for participation — and means that you’ll be able to devote your most or your energy to enjoying the magnificent scenery. And, magnificent it is! Bikers pass through stunning mountain vistas that include the remarkable coffee plantations that produce the Blue Mountain coffee beans that are becoming well known to coffee connoisseurs for their superior taste and quality, and enjoy wild life sights that are found nowhere else in the world outside of Jamaica. They’ll see waterfalls and have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing swim in the cool, clear mountain water. You’ll want to remember to bring a swimsuit, towel and camera.

Manfred’s Jamaican Mountain Bike Tours, located in Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, offers a wonderful one-week get away tour. Participants enjoy quality lodging and excellent local cuisine on a 500 acre farming estate in Apple Valley. Each day features a bicycle tour to a different part of Jamaica, revealing parts of the country far beyond the usual tourist destinations. This experience of the real Jamaica - beyond the glitter and glitz of the tourism industries - is simply unparalleled.

In Negril, Rusty’s Xcellent Adventures offers a variety guided bicycle tours at different skill levels. Biking equipment and, if necessary, biking instructors, are available. For those who prefer independent exploration, there are numerous places throughout Jamaica that offer bicycle rentals, as well as rentals of scooters and the like.

Bicycle tours are an excellent way to explore Jamaica. In addition to enjoying the natural Jamaica, its ‘real’ people and culture, you’ll be doing so in away that has less of a negative environmental impact. Bicycle tours allow you to slow down and to savor your surroundings, collecting memories - and perhaps even a newfound cultural awareness and understanding — that will last a lifetime.

San Salvador, one of the many small islands that make up the Bahamas, is a beautiful and cultured place, with a rich history. In addition to its lovely beaches, it offers a wide variety of sights and activities.

Among the interesting cultural sites is the New World Museum. This is found on North Victoria Hill, and is open every day during daylight hours, although you may have to invest a little time in finding someone to let you in. This museum features exhibits of artifacts left behind by the original native tribes that inhabited the island before the arrival of the Europeans. Quiet and private, this is a thought provoking experience.

There are many unusual historic structures in San Salvador. Watling’s Castle, in Port Nelson, once belonged to the pirates that terrorized the towns and waters of the islands that make up the Bahamas. Also in Port Nelson is the Fortune Hill Plantation. Once a grand cotton producing plantation, it now is open to the public for tours. Farquharson’s Plantation is found west of Queens Highway, not too far from South Victoria Hill. All that remains of this ambitious plantation are ruins, but the shape and size of the great house and kitchen areas can be detected in the foundation parts that remain. The failure of this plantation was assured when Britain signed the legislation that ended slavery.

Guanahani Dive Ltd. is located in San Salvador and has three boats available for charters, which allows them to offer a variety of tour packages. These include a selection of diving opportunities, snorkeling, fishing and boating trips. They also offer a double occupancy 5 day and 4 night package, working with Riding Rock Inn, that features lodging, meals, transportation, diving and gear rental. The per diver rate is between $654 to $710.

There are remarkably secluded beaches, their natural beauty still unmarred by excessive commercial development. In the glistening blue waters that lap the edge of the 6-mile long East Beach, at Port Nelson, sharks can occasionally be seen. Bamboo point, Sandy Point, Long Bay and Fernandez Bay are other beach areas that should not be missed. These beaches usually quiet and peaceful and are excellent for swimming and snorkeling.

There are fine examples of Bahaman cuisine available for diners on San Salvador, and among the delectable offerings, of course, seafood figures prominently. At The Riding Rock Resort and Marina, they serve tuna and wahoo almost right out of the ocean. At the 80-acre compound that makes up the Club Med Resort on San Salvador, reservations by non-guests can be made to enjoy luxurious buffet style lunches and dinners.

San Salvador Island is the perfect vacation destination for people who enjoy spending time with each other. Quiet and secluded, far from the hustle and bustle of the tourist industries, this is an excellent place for families, newlyweds and second or third honeymoons. In short, if you’re looking for a beautiful place, away from the rapid pace of your daily life, where you can relax and enjoy the offerings and activities of the island without being too distracted from the most important thing of all - each other - then San Salvador Island is the perfect Bahamas travel destination for you.

When it comes to opportunities to enjoy good food, Paradise Island of the Bahamas is aptly named. On this small island, the cuisines of the world are represented. There are a wide range of cuisine choices and dining settings.

Anthony’s Caribbean Grill, located at the Paradise Island Shopping Mall, serves Caribbean and American foods. While the Caribbean is - to be truthful - rather Americanized, the quality of the ingredients is high, and the food, whichever culinary genre it may properly or officially belong to, tastes good and is satisfying. Among the eatery’s offerings are pizzas with a plethora of available toppings, barbecued chicken and ribs, fried chicken, ribs with Caribbean-style barbecue sauce and a host of large sized salads that serve as meals. A broad range of mixed drinks is available. The hours are from 7:30am to 11pm, and it is open daily.

At The Water’s Edge, a nightly seafood buffet is served. The culinary influence is decidedly Mediterranean, and in addition to an abundance of seafood, there are many pasta dishes, including penne a l’arrabbiata. Pizzas of various types and styles are also a part of the buffet. The dining area itself is beautiful and works to set the tone of the meal. There are immense chandeliers and an artificially created miniature lagoon with three waterfalls adds an interesting touch. Reservations are strongly suggested for this establishment, found at the Atlantis. It is open daily, from 6pm to 10pm.

Mama Loo’s specializes in Asian cuisine, though there are a few dishes with a Caribbean touch. The d cor of the restaurant, with its ceiling fans and potted palms, does add a sort of Far East mystique that is enjoyable. Szechwan, Cantonese, and Polynesian cuisines make up most of the menu, though there are a few Caribbean dishes as well. The specialties of the house are the stir-fried lobster, beef, and broccoli with ginger, the shrimp in spicy chili sauce with a peanut sauce, and the deep-fried chicken filets with honey-flavored garlic sauce. Reservations are strongly suggested for this restaurant, located in the Coral Tower of the Atlantis. Mama Loo’s is open Tuesday through Sunday from 6pm to 10pm.

The Cave, located at the Atlantis, offers simple fare that is delicious. Burgers, sandwiches, salads and ice cream draw a casual crowd, many right off the beach which is close by, and many families with children. The prices are reasonable and the hours are from 10am to 6pm every day.

Villa D’Este serves what many consider to be the best Italian food on the Island. Located in the Coral Tower of the Atlantis, this restaurant serves a variety of traditional favorites that take their influence from the Tuscany region of Italy. Some of the more interesting dishes are whole roasted rack of lamb coated with red wine sauce and rosemary potatoes and pan-fried chicken breast with artichokes and mushrooms in a lemony white wine sauce. Reservations are essential and the hours are 6pm to 10pm, Thursday through Tuesday.

Paradise Island is indeed a heavenly experience for those with an adventurous and discerning type of culinary taste. There’s a lot to choose from, and certainly nobody will have to leave the island hungry.

Long before the first Europeans wandered to the shores of Jamaica, the island was inhabited by native peoples who, even in those far back times, already had a society influenced by thousands of years of culture. Little remains of these native peoples, other than the collected relics that are displayed in museums on the island and the touch of their influence that can be seen in the culinary and cultural traditions of some segments of today’s native populations. With the arrival of the Europeans came the colonial era, the remains of which can still be seen today, in historical buildings and collected artifacts.

There are a few fascinating collections relics remaining from the early native inhabitants. Coyaba River Garden is one of the places in which these relics are on display. Located on Shaw Park Ridge Road in Ochos Rios, Jamaica, Coyaba River Garden is the site of lush and beautiful tropical gardens that make the perfect setting for their museum, which houses an assortment of pre-Columbian era artifacts, including some of those left behind by the Arawak, an early sea-faring native tribe that inhabited the island. Open daily from 8am to 6pm, there is a small admission charge of $5 for those over 12 years of age.

When the Europeans settled, they created numerous plantations. Many of these still remain, restored as tourist sites. Among these is the Rose Hall Great House, built in the late 1800’s on what was a huge sugar plantation, with 2,000 slaves to work the fields. This house achieved notoriety for the numerous deaths and murders that occurred there through the years, including the strangling death of one of the later mistresses of the plantation. Located just outside of Montego Bay on Rose Hall Highway, the site is open to visitors and offers guided tours. The hours are 9am to 6pm daily, and there is a $15 admission charge for those over 12. For those under 12 the rate is $10.

Just outside of Ocho Rios, tourists to Jamaica can view a working plantation that has been restored as an educational site. In addition to touring the working farm areas, there trails for horseback riding. Prospect Plantation, on Route A3, offers tours three times per day, Monday through Saturday, at 10:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm. The tour rates are $6 for children under 12 and $12 for everyone over 12. The horseback riding rates are $20 per hour.

Spanish Town offers a splendid experience of 18th century British architecture, as well as structural remains of early Spanish rule. Walking is the best way to get the full effect of this lovely city. Spanish Town is also home to Saint James, which is the oldest cathedral, not only in Jamaica, but also in the Western Hemisphere. Elegant and beautiful, this is a sight that should not be missed.

Jamaica is full of small historical sites and museums. For those interested in such things, there are numerous places for exploration, with each of the complex eras of the history and culture of Jamaica represented. Wandering these sites, taking in the rich social and cultural history, will certainly leave the visitor with a greater understanding and appreciation of the Jamaica of today.

The peaceful, beautiful atmosphere of the Exuma Islands is the perfect place to enjoy a good meal. Fortunately, there are a number of dining options that will provide that - a good meal - and better. The food is excellent on the islands.

Club Peace and Plenty serves fine quality Continental, Bahamian, and American fare on Queens Highway. This restaurant prides itself on using the finest ingredients possible to carefully create classic dishes that are authentic and original dishes that are creative. Among the appetizers are conch salad, a salad made from the heart of an artichoke, and another featuring hearts of palm. Some of the lunchtime favorites are homemade soups, conch burgers, chef’s salad, and deep-fried grouper. Popular dinner entrees include Bahamian steamed grouper, simmered with onions, sweet pepper, tomatoes, and thyme and a roasted herb-flavored Cornish game, and, of course, fresh seafood dishes. At breakfast time, the full range of traditional favorites is usually available, including the traditional Bahamian breakfast of boiled fish and grits. Reservations are essential for dinner and the hours are from 7:30am to midnight, every day.

Sam’s Place is another special dining establishment. Located on the second floor, this restaurant and bar enjoys a clear, beautiful view of the capital city’s harbor. The atmosphere is a truly tropical type of laid-back cool. The food is excellent, and offerings range from morning breakfast foods to delicious curry chicken to roast lamb to pan fried grouper. The dinner menu changes daily, but diners can always be assured that something tempting will be there. Sam’s Place is open daily from 8am to 9pm and is right on Main Street.

Coconut Cove serves Italian and Mediterranean cuisines, in addition to some Bahamian dishes, from its location in the Coconut Cove Hotel in George Town. The appetizer list includes such things as seafood salads, linguini marinara, onion soup, jalape o peppers, breaded mozzarella sticks, and breaded calamari with oregano and parsley sauce. The dinner menu rests heavily upon seafood, with some of the more remarkable dishes being prepared with stone crabs or crayfish. Steaks and pizzas are also served. The prices are definitely fair at the Coconut Cove, and the days and hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, from 6pm to 9pm. Reservations are necessary to ensure a table.

Fisherman’s Inn is yet another unique dining experience on this island. Hidden far away in the countryside, this restaurant is about an hours drive from the capital. Reservations are essential, as that’s a long way to travel without being sure that there will be anything left to serve you and the hours of operation tend to be a bit unpredictable. The menu is made up of hearty traditional and authentic local fare and the food is absolutely excellent, well worth the drive. Credit cards are not accepted, so it is important to remember to bring cash. In the most general sense, the restaurant is open every day from 7am to midnight.

There are some very special eating establishments in this part of the Bahamas. If at all possible, you should try to visit each one mentioned above. Those will be culinary experiences that you’ll remember for a long time to come.