OFF THE BEATEN PATH

WE’VE ALL HEARD OF NEW PROVIDENCE’S TOURIST-RICH ATLANTIS RESORT ON PARADISE ISLAND. AND IT’S LIKELY WE’VE ALL MADE THIS POPULAR STOP TO CHECK IN AND REFUEL ON THE WAY TO OTHER DESTINATIONS SUCH AS THE EXUMAS OR SAN SALVADOR AT SOME POINT, NO DOUBT SAMPLING A GOOMBAY SMASH OR BUSHWHACKER OR TWO IN TRANSIT. CHANCES ARE, IF YOU’VE CHECKED BOTH THESE BOXES, THEN YOU’VE PROBABLY ALSO TRIED SOME TRADITIONAL BAHAMIAN CRACKED CONCH OR CONCH SALAD, BUT THAT’S NOT ALL THIS BEAUTIFUL CHAIN OF ISLANDS HAS TO OFFER.

The Bahamas aren’t just a collection of lively marinas and restaurant-style local seafood. For those who are interested in traversing the road less traveled with a need to explore an almost endless array of picture-perfect anchorages, untouched beaches, and world-class diving and fishing, you might want to set a course through the islands that are seldom frequented to experience some of the most diverse areas on the planet: This is the beauty of the southern Bahamas.

CONCEPTION ISLAND

Often regarded as the most beautiful island in the Bahamas, Conception and its surrounding waters include almost 30,000 acres of nature preserve known as Conception Island National Park. Located between Cat Island to the north and Rum Cay to the south, the island itself has only about 2,000 acres of actual landmass.

On August 10, 1964, the Bahamas National Trust named this island as protected, but in 2011, the park was extended to protect