The Bahamas are a grouping of tropical islands off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. This formerly British owned territory became an independent country functioning as a democracy as of 1973. Since then, the Bahamas have been thriving on their own as a major exporter of goods relative to their small size of about 5000 square miles. The Bahamas export their 2 billion dollars worth of refined petroleum and crustaceans mainly to Poland and the United States. On the other hand, the Bahamas also have to import many cars and cargo ships as they are too small to produce those kinds of products on their own.
Composing of more than 700 islands, there are tons of exciting things to do that are exclusive to the Bahamas like visiting one of the hundreds of local restaurants, snorkeling, or swimming with the wild pigs, dolphins, and iguanas. The Bahamas are best known for their crystal clear teal waters and the endless variety of tropical reefs and marine life that live below them.
The Bahamas are home to the Andros Barrier Reef, the third largest barrier reef on Earth. This 190 mile long organism ranges in depth from 8 feet near the shore line to 6000 feet further out. The Andros reef is double the size of Rhode Island under the sea. But instead of one million people inhabiting it, 500+ different species of marine life roam its waters instead. With the variety of ocean life inhabiting the reef, the Andros is a very popular snorkel destination for tourists. Some may even be lucky enough to see a blue marlin, the national fish of the Bahamas and also a very vulnerable species. These fish can get up to 5 meters long, 2000 pounds, and reach up to 60 m.p.h. in the ocean. Imagine seeing one of those cross paths with you while swimming! Another amazing thing to do in the Bahamas is visit one of the only beaches in the world with pink sand!
This beautiful 3 mile long beach is located on Harbor Island, an east positioned Bahamian island. The sand gets its pink hue from the many broken coral pieces, shells, and calcium carbonate materials left behind by the foraminifera. Foraminiferans are tiny, single-celled organisms with red and pink shells that live in coral reefs, thus, making the sand appear to be pink.
In conclusion, I highly recommend choosing the Bahamas for your next vacation spot because of its uniqueness and beauty. It is very peaceful, warm, and sunny wherever you are on the islands. Whether looking for a place to relax or a place to explore one of a kind experiences, the Bahamas are a perfect place to be.
Works Cited
Morrow, Kylie. “Top 50 Things to Do in The Bahamas: Sandals.” Hello Paradise – The Official Sandals Resorts Travel & Lifestyle Blog, Hello Paradise – The Official Sandals Resorts Travel & Lifestyle Blog, 22 Apr. 2020, www.sandals.com/blog/things-to-do-in-the-bahamas/.
Brathwaite, Shimon. “An Introduction to the Andros Barrier Reef in the Bahamas.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 16 Mar. 2017, theculturetrip.com/caribbean/articles/an-introduction-to-the-andros-barrier-reef-in-the-bahamas/.
Morrow, Kylie. “20 Amazing Things The Bahamas Is Known For: SANDALS.” Hello Paradise – The Official Sandals Resorts Travel & Lifestyle Blog, Hello Paradise – The Official Sandals Resorts Travel & Lifestyle Blog, 21 Feb. 2020, www.sandals.com/blog/things-the-bahamas-is-known-for/.
Vacations, YMT. “Why Is The Sand Pink?…And Other Facts About Bermuda’s Beaches.” Travel Blog, blog.ymtvacations.com/sand-pink-facts-bermuda-beaches#:~:text=Off%20the%20shore%20of%20Bermuda,mixture%20washes%20onto%20the%20beach.