Grand Bahamas Island

Grand Bahama Island, just one of the 700 islands that comprise the Bahamas, is home to Freeport. This northernmost island in the chain, is approximately 60 miles southeast of the coast of Florida. Freeport is very Americanized, and very much like its neighbour, Florida. You will find stretches of white powdery sand, resorts lining the coastline, casinos and expensive yachts bobbing in the harbour.

There are two main areas for shopping in Freeport. The 10 acre International Bazaar and adjacent straw market are located in downtown Freeport. The Bazaar, with over 100 shops, is divided into themed sections representing different parts of the world, where you can purchase everything from African handicrafts to Swiss watches.

The island is ringed by reefs so there are also some quality dive spots. The best beaches to spend a day are Xanadu Beach and neighboring Lucayan Beach, right in front of Port Lucaya. Eco-tourism has also become an important aspect of the Grand Bahama experience. The Lucayan National Park is famous for its underwater limestone caves and the Rand Memorial Nature Center has over 100 acres of winding trails from which to explore the natural flora and fauna of this area.

Things to See and Do

* Xanadu Beach and Lucayan Beach
* International Bazaar
* Lucayan National Park
* Rand Memorial Nature Center

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - Bahamian Dollar B$(BSD; )
Language - English
Land Area - 13, 939 sq km
Population - 310,000
Electricity - 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT minus five hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 1 - 242

Port Location - Freeport Harbor, primarily a port area for cargo vessels, is located on the west central part of the island. It is a 10 minute taxi cab ride to get to the Port Lucaya area.

Transport Links - There are international airports at Nassau, Freeport and Exuma which offer flights to the US, London and Singapore. Charter services, ferries and the mail boat are available from Nassau to the outer islands.

Bus services, taxis and rental cars are available in Nassau and Freeport. Taxis are the main form of transport for tourists on the smaller islands.