The Bahamas Out Islands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx7YL7rh9Wo&hl=en

The Bahamas Out Islands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx7YL7rh9Wo&hl=en

Miss Universe Contestants visit Exuma

Bonefishing in Exuma

From bonefishbjorn

The Exuma Cays

If you’re looking for a true escape—a vacation where you’re more likely to see giant starfish, wild iguanas, swimming pigs, dolphins, and sharks than other people—visit the Exuma Cays in the Bahamas. The archipelago stretches about 80 miles northwest from Great Exuma, the chain’s main island and activity hub, relatively speaking.

You’ll want to spend a couple days boating and floating through the 365 cays (one for every day of the year, as the locals say), most uninhabited, some owned by celebrities. But I recently spent one day hitting as many islands as I could. If a trip to the Exumas isn’t in your future, slap on some sunscreen, blend up a pina colada, and join me in some (virtual) island hopping.

1. The Journey Begins

We started our adventure in Barraterre, on Great Exuma’s northern shore. Pat Smith of Four C’s Adventures (242/464-1720, www.exumawatertours.com) was our trusty captain and guide. Born and raised in the Exumas, he definitely knew the best spots to show us. A full day expedition with Four C’s starts at $700, and the boat seats up to 12 people.

Can you believe the color of that water? You’ll notice how much the shade shimmies from sea green to sapphire in the rest of the photos. It’s the prettiest water I’ve ever seen.

2. The Starfish Reserve

Our first stop came before we hit the first island. Locals call the water surrounding the first few cays the Starfish Reserve, where tons of starfish dot the ocean floor. I had never seen them so big! As long as you don’t keep them out of the water for too long, it’s okay to pick them up. And the water is extremely shallow, so it’s easy to find them.

3. Conch Shell Diving

A little ways past the Starfish Reserve, our guide dove in the water and had no problem coming up with several conch shells. He later used them to make us some tasty conch salad, the Bahamas’ version of ceviche. Besides the raw conch, which you pull out from the shell, the dish includes chopped onions and peppers, lime and orange juices, and whatever spices you want to throw in. Watch the video to see how our guide created this tasty dish for us, fresh from the ocean floor.

4. Little Galliot Cay Sandbar

It was so exhilarating to step on a footprint-less stretch of sand and make the first mark. Visit in the morning during low tide for the most sand. I’d love to spend a few hours hanging out here with a good book—complete solitude!

5. Little Farmer’s Cay

If you’re looking for a little civilization, stop off at Little Farmer’s Cay. It’s the first inhabited cay in the chain, about 40 minutes (18 miles) from Great Exuma. The island has a restaurant and a small grocery store where locals gather to play dominos. But don’t expect too big of a party; just 70 people live on the island.

6. Staniel Cay

Staniel Cay is the activity hub in the cays, and a favorite destination of yachters. That’s thanks to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, the only full service marina in the cays. Shack up in one of the cotton candy-colored cottages, some perched on stilts right in the water. The club’s restaurant is the place to be for lunch, dinner, and nightlife. An airstrip, grocery store, and a few shops round out the island’s offerings.

7. Thunderball Grotto

Just across the water from the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is Thunderball Grotto, a marine cave that snorkelers (at low tide) and experienced scuba divers can explore. It definitely was a bit of work paddling inside, and then once in I felt somewhat claustrophobic, but it was worth it! Now I can say I snorkeled inside a cave. The grotto was featured in the James Bond films Thunderball and Never Say Never Again.

8. Big Major’s Cay

Swine flu is so 2009. Take a dip with swimming pigs at Big Major’s Cay. These guys aren’t shy; as you pull up to the island they’ll dive right in and swim out to greet you. Don’t forget to bring some scraps!

9. Compass Cay

Compass Cay is the perfect deserted island boater’s paradise. Tie up your boat, grab a cold Kalik beer out of the fridge, and hang out on the dock with boaters from around the world. Don’t let the big guys swimming below scare you; they’re harmless nurse sharks. (Check out that conch salad video for a visual!)

10. Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park

Spanning 22 miles, the protected Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, the first park of its kind in the world, boasts some of the best snorkeling and diving in the country. Since its waters have essentially never been fished, it’s like seeing what the ocean looked like before humanity. For landlubbers there are hiking trails and birding sites.

11. Shroud Cay

If you boat around to the back of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, you can climb up to one of its highest points. To do so, you need to wade through shoulder deep water and climb up a rocky path, but the 360 view is so worth it!

12. Norman’s Cay

Another great stop-off point for that 5-o’clock-somewhere cocktail and good Bahamian cooking, Norman’s Cay’s one restaurant, MacDuff’s, has a Margaritaville feel. If you’d like to spend the night, two guesthouses face the ocean (242/357-8846, www.ncbcmacduffs.com). In the 1970s and 80s, the island was the private domain of Colombian drug smuggler Carlos Lehder.

13. Drug Plane

This plane, crashed off Norman’s Cay in the early 80s, was supposedly part of Carlos Lehder’s operations. Although I didn’t get in the water, the snorkeling here is said to be great, since the water is so shallow.

14. Saddle Back Sandbar

Does anyone ever get sick of secluded sandbars? Saddle Back was another beaut, and guess what? Not a single soul in sight. Keep your eyes peeled for sand dollars.

15. Allan’s Cay

For this stop all you’ll need are grapes and a stick. Sounds like a strange order, but Allan’s Cay, at the tippytop of the Exumas chain, boasts hundreds of wild iguanas. They’re not scaredy iguanas; just pop a grape on your stick and they’ll come crawling out for a snack.

Getting Here

Direct flights are available from Miami or Fort Lauderdale and take about 1.5 hours. Prices start around $350 in high season (Christmas–April). Exuma International Airport is about nine miles outside of Georgetown, the island’s capital.

Where to Stay

If you’d like to spend a few days on Great Exuma (which I highly recommend) before your island hopping adventure, these hotels are our Fodor’s Choices in various price ranges.

Augusta Bay. The perfect balance of luxury and laid-back, without the megaresort feel, this 16-room resort on 300 feet of narrow beach is a mile west of George Town. Under new ownership, rooms underwent a $2 million renovation in 2008. French doors open onto private patios or balconies that overlook the pool and a beautiful white sand beach. Starting at $275/night in high season. (full review)

Club Peace and Plenty. This pink, two-story hotel is in the heart of the George Town “action.” Rooms have private balconies overlooking the pool or ocean; this will become your favorite place to have breakfast. There’s no on-property beach, but its Beach Club on Stocking Island is a five-minute ferry shuttle away (free for guests). In high season the hotel is known for its Friday-night parties on the pool patio, where Lermon “Doc” Rolle has held court at the poolside bar since the ’70s. Starting at $180/night in high season. (full review)

Grand Isle Resort and Spa. This luxury resort picks up where its neighbor, the former Four Seasons, left off. The five-year-old, 78-villa complex boasts a spa (the only one on the island), an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, and a poolside patio restaurant. A secluded patch of Emerald Bay Beach is right off the pool, and guests can use kayaks and snorkel equipment. Rooms are elaborate, and vary from one-bedroom garden-view villas to four-bedroom penthouses. All have fully loaded kitchens, private patios, washers and dryers, and come with your own golf cart. Starting at $460/night in high season. (full review)

This article copied from Fodors

Notice to Property Owners in Bahamas

Notice to Owners/Operators

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OWNERS/OPERATORS OF RENTAL HOMES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS

EFFECTS OF AMENDMENTS TO THE HOTELS ACT, THE REAL PROPERTY TAX ACT AND THE INTERNATIONAL PERSONS LANDHOLDING ACT

Recent amendments to the Hotels Act, Ch. 288, effective July 13, 2009 and August 5, 2009, have introduced the new definition of “owner-occupied rental home” and, along with recent amendments to the Real Property Tax Act, Ch. 375 and the International Persons Landholding Act, Ch. 140, owners are being afforded a number of benefits and incentives.

Under the Hotels  Act and Real Property Tax Act and International Persons Landholding Act, respectively, owner-occupied rental home and owner-occupied property are defined as “property occupied by a person who being the owner in fee simple or a mortgagor in possession, occupies and resides in such property exclusively as a dwelling house on a permanent or seasonal basis”.

Owners wishing to benefit from these amendments must apply for a licence to operate their premises by completing an Application for Licence to Operate under the provisions of the Hotels Act.

BENEFITS OF THESE AMENDMENTS

(i)              Real Property Taxes on licensed owner-occupied rental homes will be calculated as follows:   

(a)            the first $250,000 of the market value of the property shall be exempt;

(b)            properties exceeding $250,000 but are not in excess of $500,000 will be taxed at a rate of ¾% per annum of the market value, as compared to the commercial rate of 1%

(c)             properties exceeding $500,000 but are not in excess of $5 million will be taxed at a rate of 1% per annum of the market value, as compared to the commercial rate of 2%

(d)            properties exceeding $5 million will be taxed at a rate of ¼ % per annum of the market value, as compared to the commercial rate of 2%

(ii)            The Real Property Tax Act amendment also provides for the waiver of surcharges under certain circumstances in relation to licensed owner-occupied property:

(a)             any surcharge which has accumulated with respect to owner-occupied property of up to $250,000 shall be waived

(b)             the surcharge shall be waived in relation to owner-occupied property which exceeds $250,000, if the outstanding real property tax is paid on or before December 31, 2009.

Revival of Surcharge

The amendment provides for the revival of surcharge and, if after December 31, 2009 any real property tax remains outstanding in respect of:

(a)   owner -occupied property with a market value of up to $250,000

(b)   owner-occupied property which excess of $250,000

(c)    other property,

then the owner of such property, shall be liable to pay a new surcharge of 5%
of such tax per annum.

REQUIREMENTS TO ACCESS THESE BENEFITS

1. Owners of owner-occupied rental homes wishing to take advantage of the reduced real property taxes must provide the Chief Valuation Officer, Business Licence/Valuation Unit, Ministry of Finance, P. O. Box N-13, Frederick Street, Nassau, Bahamas, tel: 242-325-1171;   fax: 242-328-8003; e-mail: busrptadministration@bahamas.gov.bs with the Assessment Number of their property on or before October 15, 2009. Where the property is owned by a company, in order to be re-classified as residential, the beneficial owner shall submit to the Chief Valuation Officer an affirmation stating that such property is occupied by the beneficial owner exclusively as a dwelling house on a permanent or seasonal basis, which can be downloaded on-line at www.tourismtoday.com/prelim/oorh. Real property tax billings issued in October 2009 will reflect any change in the status of owner-occupied rental homes provided the information is submitted on or before October 15, 2009 to the Valuation Department.
2. In addition, owner-occupied rental homes must operate under a licence obtained from the Chief Licensing Officer, Hotels Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism,  Nassau, P. O. Box N-3701, Nassau, Bahamas, tel: 242-356-5216; fax: 242-356-5904; e-mail: mmosshepburn@bahamas.com, or, in the case of Grand Bahama Island and the Out/Family Islands, the Local Government Administrator’s Office in the relevant District. 

Application forms, along with the Form 1C, may be downloaded on-line at www.tourismtoday.com/ prelim/oorh, or collected from the Hotel Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism, Nassau, or the relevant Local Government Administrator’s Office.

3. All licensed operators/owners of owner-occupied rental homes shall collect a hotel guest tax of six percent (6 %) of the total room rate for the period during which each guest is provided with sleeping accommodation at such owner-occupied home of one or more bedrooms.  Such tax shall take immediate effect and shall, by law, be paid by the 15^th of each month thereafter.
4. The hotel guest tax so collected by the operator (or designated property manager/ management company/caretaker) must be paid to the Chief Licensing Officer, Hotels Licensing Department, P. O. Box N-3701, Nassau Court, Nassau, Bahamas, or relevant Administrator’s Office on Grand Bahama or the Out/Family Islands, along with a completed Monthly Return of Hotel Guest Tax form (Form X), which may be downloaded on-line at www.tourismtoday.com/prelim/oorh, no later than the fifteenth of the month next following the month to which the return relates.  Payments are to be made payable to the Bahamas Public Treasury.Additionally, amendments to The International Persons Landholding Act:

i)      require that fees payable under the provisions of the Act by non-Bahamians, instead of being paid to the Secretary to the Board, be paid directly to the Public Treasury and the Secretary to the Board be provided evidence that payment was made to the Treasury.

ii)     has replaced “single family dwelling” with “owner-occupied property”.