Alexandra Wilby
Uncover the Bahamas with Royal Towers and Aqua Shores. From swimming pigs, desert island seashores and resorts match for royalty – why the gorgeous Bahamas ought to be subsequent in your journey bucket checklist
Skimming throughout the aquamarine ocean beneath the beating solar of the Caribbean, reggae music blasting out of the velocity boat’s audio system and sipping an ice chilly drink with the wind whipping in my sea-salty hair, it was tough to think about a greater strategy to spend a Friday. I used to be within the Bahamas, spending a number of nights on the well-known Atlantis resort on Paradise Island – however at this time, we had been on a long-awaited luxurious tour to see the well-known swimming pigs of Exuma Cays.
The swimming pigs of the Bahamas are a delight to behold
The pigs had been the fourth merchandise on the jam-packed itinerary, which had begun with a go to to Allen’s Cay, house to lots of of Bahamian rock iguanas. “Seize a chunk of lettuce earlier than you get off!” shouted our jovial captain, from tour firm Aqua Shores, handing out the inexperienced vegetable to everybody in our group as we climbed down the ladder of the boat into ankle-deep, crystal-clear water simply off the seashore – which was teeming with iguanas so far as the attention may see.
SEE: The Beauty Products 5 Editors Won’t Travel Without
MORE: Kate Middleton’s 7 essentials for travelling like a royal
My daughter, who had by no means seen such a giant lizard earlier than, was enraptured as she rigorously held out the lettuce and allowed the reptile to munch on the top of it. Twenty minutes later, lettuce provides depleted and telephones stuffed with surprisingly cute photographs (the iguanas had been beautiful!), we climbed again aboard the boat – and our subsequent cease was Pablo Escobar’s sunken medicine airplane, which lies absolutely submerged within the shallows off the shore of Norman’s Cay (the place famously they’d – or reasonably, didn’t have in the long run, Fyre Pageant). We didn’t disembark (although on some excursions you may snorkel the positioning which might have been superb had I not had a toddler with me) and after a couple of minutes bobbing across the sunken plane, we had been on the transfer once more.
EXCLUSIVE: Millie Mackintosh shares hacks for travelling with young children – and mistakes to avoid
The seashores are so peaceable
“That is Johnny Depp’s non-public island!” The crew out of the blue introduced, eliciting gasps and “oohs” from the passengers as we sped previous a big and lovely slice of paradise with its personal lovely Bounty advert-style seashore. We additionally noticed islands owned by Tyler Perry, the Bacardi household and Louis Vuitton en path to our subsequent cease, Compass Cay Marina, the place we had probability to swim with and pet – sure, pet! – wild reef sharks.
Everybody will benefit from the crystal clear waters
From there we took a brief hop throughout the azure waters to Large Main Cay aka Pig Seaside – the place three intrepid hogs swam out to greet our boat as we approached. It felt like an actual ‘pinch me’ second; I’d seen so many photographs of those swimming pigs and now right here we had been, assembly them (from a distance – they’re huge and just a little bit scary for us city-dwellers!) in actual life.
It was essentially the most unforgettable day of an unforgettable journey, which ended with us swimming off essentially the most picture-perfect sand bar, making an attempt desperately to imprint the scene earlier than us in our minds earlier than leaving.
You will not need to depart the heavenly resort
We’d been eager to get out of the resort and expertise extra of this lovely nation, however for those who’re extra of a fly and flop sort, there’s really no want to go away the Atlantis resort in any respect. It’s so enormous you possibly can keep for a fortnight and nonetheless not get probability to check out all of the totally different actions and sights on provide, and it’s the proper place to go to maintain your kids entertained whilst you loosen up.
The Atlantis Paradise Property is a sight to behold
What to do
The 141-acre water park on website right here is world-famous for a purpose. For older youngsters and thrill-seekers there’s the Aquaventure park, which is break up into varied zones. The Energy Tower, which boasts rides together with The Surge, The Abyss, the place the bottom actually drops away beneath you right into a near-vertical 50ft drop, and The Falls.
You could be courageous sufficient to strive the near-vertical waterslide
SHOP: 12 of the best rash swimsuits to wear to the beach this summer
MORE: This Instagram mum’s airport hack for parents flying with children is genius
We weren’t fairly courageous sufficient for any of that, however we did love The Serpent on the Mayan Pyramid, a journey you soak up an inflatable ring both alone or as a pair, which, after twisting and turning within the darkness of the pyramid, emerges into the shark tank. Floating alongside in a tube as sharks and fish swim round you is kind of the expertise!
Experience The Serpent on the Mayan Pyramid
The River Rapids had been enjoyable, too. There are many swimming pools (11, for those who’re counting) and also you’ll by no means be caught looking for a solar lounger, but when sea swimming is extra your factor then the property is surrounded by 5 miles of gorgeous, white-sand seashores.
Chill out within the Mayan Temple Pool
One factor we made positive to check out was the Mermaid Journey, which my seven-year-old daughter remains to be speaking about lengthy after our return from paradise island. It’s for youngsters solely (which gave us grown ups probability to get pleasure from a Bahama Mama cocktail or two on the swim up bar at The Coral pool whereas we waited for her!) and is superb, providing youngsters the possibility to swim with an actual reside mermaid (who says “Shello” as a substitute of “good day”, my daughter tells me) and have a photograph taken along with her.
An actual mermaid journey
Mermaid crafting can also be on the agenda, and snacks, after which everybody leaves with a mermaid bag, a toy mermaid and the piece of artwork they’ve created throughout their time there. “The mermaid was type and I’ll keep in mind it endlessly!” mentioned my daughter after I requested her for a quote for this text.
Kids can come head to head with a mermaid
The opposite factor we needed to take a look at was the Junkanoo Parade, which takes place each Friday night on the resort and provides vacation makers a glimpse at this conventional Bahamian carnival, which historically takes place each New Yr’s Eve. The colorful, high-energy efficiency shakes and shimmies its manner by the Marina at 9pm, then within the On line casino at 10pm, and is properly value making time for to get an perception into the native tradition.
Benefit from the Junkanoo Parade
We headed out into Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, too – there are many taxis which will be organized by workers and it’s solely a ten minute drive – and we shopped for conventional crafts on the well-known Straw Market, which was properly value a go to.
DISCOVER: 9 family travel mistakes that are costing you money this summer
MORE: Best travel gadgets you never knew you needed for your next holiday
The place to eat
There are 21 eating places and 19 bars and lounges at Atlantis, so that you received’t be going hungry. Prime of our precedence checklist was to strive conventional Bahamian delicacies, and we weren’t disillusioned by the feast laid on at Frankie Goes Bananas within the Marina Village. To the sounds of the reside band enjoying exterior we loved conch fritters, rice and peas, fish tacos, jerk rooster with guava (superb) and fried plantain, washed down with native beer, earlier than heading again to our room and stopping within the varied jewelry outlets en route. The Marina is properly value a go to in itself, only for the procuring and the possibility to glimpse rows of luxurious yachts. Dinner at Olives, one of many resort’s fantastic eating eating places, was additionally scrumptious. The air-conditioned eaterie is located within the on line casino, however we requested an outside desk and the workers had been more than pleased to conform, that means we had one other view of these spectacular yachts whereas eating on our Mediterranean delicacies.
The sweetness is within the element
We’d additionally advocate Fish by José Andrés, undoubtedly essentially the most romantic and ‘grown up’ expertise we got here throughout throughout our time at Atlantis, and giving us the possibility to take a look at The Cove space of the resort, which is the place the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stayed throughout their go to in March 2022, within the £19,000-a-night penthouse suite.
RELATED: Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton’s £19k-a-night suite in the Bahamas
READ: Kate Middleton and Prince William’s holiday body language explained
The Prince and Princess of Wales completely loved their time within the Bahamas
For lunch there are many choices however we beloved the open-air Lagoon Bar and Grill a lot we returned day after day for the Tropical Inexperienced Salad (with mango, coconut, pineapple, sunflower seeds and crimson onion, yum!) and the superb flatbread pizzas. The breakfast buffet at Poseidon’s Menu is essentially the most in depth breakfast buffet I’ve ever visited; it’s fairly dear however you may undoubtedly get your fill, and once more, for those who go for an outside desk you may watch the sharks gliding previous as you eat.
The lodging We stayed within the family-friendly Royal Towers, that are themed across the mythology of the misplaced metropolis of Atlantis and have a full-blown aquarium within the enormous foyer space. Our two-bedroom suite, with a balcony boasting views of the entire resort and the Caribbean sea, was unimaginable – spacious, all of the mod cons and with essentially the most monumental, cozy beds. Effectively – if this resort is nice sufficient for Kate and William, it’s adequate for us, too!
Rooms within the Royal Towers begin from £305 per night time. Go to www.atlantisbahamas.com for extra data.
For extra data and to e book an Aqua Shores journey tour to see the well-known Exuma swimming pigs go to www.aquashoresbahamas.com
