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SOUTH ANDROS, BAHAMAS Here we are then, still in bed at 6 a.m., but easing into the day with uncharacteristic pleasure, propped up on big pillows. All eyes are on the sun as it slowly crests the horizon and casts its warm glow across the Caribbean, 10 metres or so beyond our open French doors. Life looks good. Good enough to actually make us get out of bed at this frightful hour and stroll along the beach – the deserted beach, which is apparently the only way they come here. Sparsely populated South Andros, the largest of the Bahamian islands, is separated from resort-laden New Providence and its neighbours not just by a 6,000-foot- deep channel, but also by an attitude. The Out Islands, as they’re known, are not very in. Even by Caribbean standards, Andros is somnolent. It might have the best bonefishing on earth, but you can’t get here by car from Nassau, and that makes all the difference. Even our hotel wasn’t built to accommodate tourists. Emerald Palms was a personal playground for the late Sir Lynden Pindling when he was Prime Minister and led the Bahamas to independence. After five years, it was passed to various investors, none of whom made a go of it until last year, when developer Michael Hartman stepped in. Indeed, improvements unfold each day during our stay. One morning a fleet of bicycles arrives. On another, a shipment of cafetières turns up. But one conspicuous thing can’t be fixed: The beach is missing much of its white sand, most of it transplanted by Hurricane Michelle six years ago. There is plenty for walking on, but the rocky shoreline provides no entry point to swim. We head for Kemps Bay instead where, after poaching papayas from beachside trees, we walk miles along the white sand beach and pause to swim whenever the heat gets to us. The only life forms we meet are a few vultures and a stray dog. (Me, I’d prefer a bartender or two.) The next day, we hop a water shuttle to Emerald Palms’ trendier sister property Tiamo, which – thanks to solar panels, nature concierges and the like – delivers every conceivable luxury without exceeding the carbon footprint of a mouse. They also make a fantastic punch. After a few glasses on the immaculately groomed beach, we head to a nearby blue hole – underwater caves whose fluctuations in water temperature draw in colourful sea life like a reef. And all is perfect until, as I empty seawater from my mask and snorkel, our guide pops up and yells, “Hey! James! Check out the shark behind you!” I don’t know who James is but figure that I never will – he’s obviously done for. Reaching down for my girlfriend, I bring her to the surface and sputter madly, “We have to get out of here!” She ignores me. Later, on the boat, the guide sits down beside me. “James,” he says. “How’d you like your first snorkel?” Thereafter, I stick to the punch. 5 More Reasons to Visit the Bahamas 1 Like South Andros, Eleuthera Island is undergoing a makeover, with a villa-hotel at Cotton Bay opening in mid-2008, cape-side villas at Powell Pointe and a spiffy new marina at Cape Eleuthera. 2 Just south of Emerald Palms beside a farmer’s plot, you’ll find a signless grocery stand with bananas, coconut milk and green tomatoes. It’s worth a stop, because farm-fresh produce isn’t easy to come by in these parts. 3 Tiamo’s pleasures aren’t limited to guests of the resort. For a fee, beach, snorkelling excursions, restaurant and bar are yours for the day. 4 At Ezrena’s Eatery, the owner will cook freshly caught fish like snapper with a day’s notice – catch permitting. The six-stool bar is a charming spot for a beer. À l’Ezrena’s Eatery, 5 In Kemps Bay, look for the Andros Beach Club, a modest dive rental run by a highly acclimatized American named Jesse Leopold. On Saturdays, he often throws beachside parties.
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