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Hope Town: Fun in the Abacos Sun

Hope Town, located on the island of Elbow Cay, is the perfect place for basing your Bahamas vacation. Life in Hope Town beats to a different drummer. No cars are allowed on the narrow streets. The only vehicles seen are bicycles and the occasional golf cart. Hope Town is part of the Abaco Islands, located 75 miles north of Nassau, the northern most of the Bahamian Islands. This islands run together in a dogleg shape that stretch over 120 miles in the Atlantic. A day's itinerary can include scuba diving, sailing, snorkeling, parasailing, kayaking, fishing, beach combing, or just laying claim to a piece of white sand and working on your tan.

Ponce de Leon sailed through the Abaco Islands in 1513 in search of the Fountain of Youth. Known as "The Sailing Capital of the World", yachting is the number one activity, drawing sailors from all over the world during the annual Regatta Time in early July, a raucous mixture of sailboat races and cocktail parties. Marinas at West End, Marsh Harbour, or Walker's Cay have plenty of boats for hire to take visitors on excursions to the surrounding islands.

If sailing is king in Abaco, then diving is the crown prince. Like all of the Bahamian Islands, Abaco is chock full of reef dives, wall dives, wrecks, and caves that will challenge all skill levels. An interesting dive is known locally as The Pillars for the pillar coral that is exclusive to the area. In addition to the rare coral, the reef has a thriving population of trigger fish that make for great photo ops. Another popular dive is the Wreck of the San Jacinto, the first U.S. steamship built for ocean travel, which sank in 1865. Parts of the hull are still visible, and the wreck is teeming with sea life, including groupers and moray eels. For some adrenaline pumping fun, try your hand at Walker's Cay Shark Dive, where divers feed a school of sharks, some approaching 10 feet in length. Sly barracudas have been known to join in the fray from time to time.

Hope Town, like all of the Bahamas, is a beach lover's paradise. Tahiti Beach on Elbow Cay is an uncrowded Atlantic beach with a wide swath of sand. If you like a beach with the activities of a tourist beachfront community, set your compass for Ocean Beach on Treasure Cay. Waterskiing, windsurfing, seaside restaurants, beach bars, and local entertainment will be at your fingertips.

The marinas around Hope Town are special favorites of fishermen. Deep-sea and bone fishing, a type of fly fishing, are very popular in the islands. Walker's Cay, Marsh Harbour, Treasure Cay and Green Turtle Cay attract anglers for summer tournaments. Record catches of marlin, sailfish and tuna have been recorded here. Many qualified guides know the reefs and underwater rises that create shallow-water havens for huge numbers of fish.

Hope Town, Abacos is a great location for your Bahamas vacation, delivering bountiful sunshine, white sand beaches, watersports of all description, great food, and beautiful Atlantic sunsets.