The Abacos is a boomerang-shaped archipelago that includes Great Abaco Island and a series of cays in the northern part of the Bahamas, embraced on one side by the Sea of Abaco and on the other by the Atlantic Ocean. A tropical paradise with crystal clear waters, exotic underwater life, delicate coral reefs and powdery white sands, these islands beckon visitors to enjoy the stress-free life of the ruggedly beautiful and mysterious Out Islands. Marsh Harbour (on Great Abaco Island) has the main airport servicing the area as well as ferry service to the outlying cays. It's the third largest city in the Bahamas and offers a bustling marina district with plenty of resorts, shops, restaurants and water-related activities. Great Abaco is home to the Abaco Beach Resort, located on 52 beautifully landscaped acres, and also Treasure Cay Resort and Marina with one of the top-ranked beaches in the world. Elbow Cay, one of the smaller islands closest to Marsh Harbour, boasts the settlement of Hope Town and the Hope Town Lighthouse, one of the most recognizable and photographed landmarks of the Bahamas. It's a red and white striped tower with a lamp still run by kerosene and a hand-wound brass mechanism. Hope Town also features the Hope Town Harbour Lodge as well as Harbour's Edge and Cap'n Jacks, two notable restaurants serving outstanding Bahamian cuisine and featuring live Bahamian music. To the north of Elbow Cay stand the Man-O-War and Great Guana Cays. Man-O-War is known for its boat-building heritage, including the shop of the Alburys, an original settling family; Great Guana Cay is famous for Nipper's Beach Bar and Grill, a lively watering hole with a two-story swimming pool and weekly pig roast. Further north, three miles off the coast of Great Abaco, stands Green Turtle Cay with the settlement of New Plymouth. Here, amongst brightly colored clapboard houses, you'll find the Albert Lowe Museum, which relates the history of the area, and the Loyalist Memorial Sculpture Garden, replete with 24 busts of famous Bahamians. The Bluff Beach House Hotel is perched atop the highest point on Green Turtle Cay and offers great views as well as fine dining and upscale lodging. The Green Turtle Club and Marina is also here, with its elegant Clubhouse Restaurant and more casual Turtle Bar and Grill, perfect for late afternoon cocktails. Visit this cay's Rooster's Rest Pub & Restaurant to hear one of the area's most popular bands, The Gully Roosters, performing live. Throughout The Abacos, you'll find plenty of opportunities for scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating or simply whiling the hours away relaxing in a hammock, sipping on a tropical frozen drink and listening to the sound of the water gently lapping at the seashore.
