Although I enjoyed dabbling with luxury at Atlantis, my budget slated me for the affordable Paradise Island Harbor Resort.  This was my first “all-inclusive”, a label heretofore taboo to my adventuring tastes.  The hotel is situated on the waterfront with a view of the harbor and marina.  Each morning, over an extensive buffet breakfast which included fresh fruit and juice, grits and cereals, and omelets made to order, I watched the boats head out to other Bahamian islands with snorkelers, divers, and booze cruisers. The themed evening buffets at the Captain’s Table were piquant and varied:  Jamaican food, Mexican night, Asian dinner, and Texas barbeque in that many days.  The chef, trained in New York, was topnotch and interested in guest opinions.  I was able to use the free-form pool, swim up to Wahoo’s Pool Bar and Grille for my Bahama Mama or a “Pucker Up” mega-rum drink, and swim away.

You can also order the ever-present conch fritters, burgers, and light fare and never miss a ray of sun!  This family hotel offers daily activities for both kids and adults.  I missed the limbo dance/fire show, but trios or solo artists playing island and pop music kept the beat nightly in the large lobby.  Those who didn’t dance could lounge in Spinnakers, the lobby pub.  The English couple played dominos here every night and I improved my ‘English” on the pool cue.  The many children seemed content to disappear into the supervised kids’ club and emerged happy.  The hotel staff were courteous and available for morning exercise or evening movies poolside and tennis lessons on the court.  For restful moments, I could stretch out on a hammock by the small beach and soak my sun-deprived New England skin.  The new guests from Scotland asked me how far the nearest large beach is…they were coming from -2 degree weather!  I tell them about Cabbage, a ten-minute walk away to the other side of this narrow isle.  Once you’ve crossed the roadways, dotted with small plazas of shops, you’ll observe signage, a broad sandy path to Cabbage Beach, miles of pristine, public white sand stretching toward Atlantis in one direction and infinity (seemingly) in another.  I can do my beach walk until I arrive at the "private…security will escort you out" signs.

There is little difference in the real estate bordering the public and private sectors: size and distance from the coconut punch/bead/jet ski ride purveyors are the most noticeable. The swimming here is fantastic turquoise bliss; just watch out for the undertow.  Cabbage is one of the still-accessible, expansive, and relatively ‘pure’ beaches here.  The ‘mainland’ beaches have been affected by development.  The touted snorkeling at Love Beach is impossible because the area is now privatized.  The stretch at Cable Beach is dominated by guests of the resorts on the strip and vendors hawking hand-hewn trinkets and souvenirs. (You can do well here if you don’t respond to the flurry of vendors, take time to look and to barter. I did find a beautiful, roomy straw tote and a pair of shell earrings for $20 U.S.)   But Cabbage is what all the vista photos which lured you here have promised.  Planning to arrive mid-afternoon ensures more privacy and a glorious sunset.

Bahamian Hand Prints is definitely worth an excursion into town.  Although the shop is Paradise-chic, it is on the Nassau side of the bridge. (Bear left as you leave Paradise Island and look for the Outback Steakhouse which fronts the print store.) Still, you need to have money to spend on this distinctive line which is exported throughout the globe.   The clothing and handbags, produced in the traditional way, sport delicate reminders of island life--flora, fauna, boat scenes, the flamingo—in muted oceanic colors. Your clerk is also an artisan, so feel free to ask questions about the process which happens at the rear of the storefront.  Don’t forget to browse through the fabric rack --I found 2.5 yards of orchid print on closeout for a humble price!  You might also consider taking home delicacies from the Rum Cake Factory.  This bakery is downtown on Bay Street within walking distance of the Paradise Island bridges.  The original and flavored cakes are made with Don Lorenzo Rum and local spices.  There are even mini-cakes to sample, but they won’t suffice.  These cakes aresss truly scrumptious!

When you venture off-Paradise, circumvent the hordes of cruise ship tourists downtown and follow West Bay Street to the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo, and Conservation Center. The 5.5 acres creates a home for 300 animals, birds, and reptiles. Many of them are endangered, so this intimate glimpse is special. The threatened Caribbean flamingo is not only thriving here, but also march in a daily show, led by the man in a flamingo hat who has devoted years to their training. That spectacle, along with the Lorry parrot feeding, is an interactive experience sure to amuse. I was surprised upon entering the sheep-and-goat petting pen without purchasing the handful of food. I had no quarters for the vending machine, yet ventured forth to pet the lamb. He moved away, but a bold goat advanced to nibble on my tropical-hued skirt! What a brush with nature! ...and where else can you see a Vietnamese pig lying down at the feet of Bahamian parrots?

If you're hungry, head back down the hill to check out the famous Fish Fry across the way on West Bay St. The numerous shacks offer all manner of daily catch and popular conch dishes served up by locals. Your chances of rubbing elbows with stevedores and fisher folk while catching gossip are as good as the conch fritters:  the shacks are on the lip of a busy maritime industrial area.  If you feel adventurous after ‘refueling’, leave the Fish Fry and follow the shore a short distance north to the Bat Caves.  You might not want to enter these inhabited dens, but you can snap your photo sitting resplendent in the sun on a throne made entirely of shells. You can also follow West Bay in the opposite direction back toward town.  The Straw Market, also an amalgam of stalls, adjacent to downtown offers many affordable handcrafted items, art, botanical soaps. You can even have your hair-braided while enjoying a native musical ensemble!