Sunday: Nassau

Arriving in Nassau airport. You will be welcomed by a car and driver who will transport you to your hotel in Nassau. (Meals not included)

Overnight:

Compass Point

US$270 (£135) per night and up. Its 18 huts, two story cottages and cabanas are painted in vivid Junkanoo colors. This boutique hotel adjacent to Love Beach and near to the airport has a comfortable, creative feeling of natural wood and bright island colors.

Nassau Beach Hotel

US$137 (£69) per night. Deluxe ocean view. Nassau Beach Hotel is located on Cable Beach, 10 minutes from Nassau International Airport, near the casino and golf, and 5 minutes from downtown. The resort has 400 spacious ocean front rooms.

Coral Harbour Beach Villas

US$90-100 (£45-50) per night Just minutes away from Nassau International Airport, but a world away from the hectic streets of downtown Nassau, lies the tranquil ocean lined paradise that is Coral Harbour. This special place, hidden away on the south west of the island, brings a little piece of the Bahamas out islands to the capital, with its miles of unspoilt beach, peaceful mangroves and a myriad of tropical flora and fauna. Coral Harbour is a true escape from everyday life.

Monday: Nassau/Inagua

Your driver will pick you up at your hotel at 7:30am and take you to the airport for a 9:15am flight to Inagua, arriving in Inagua at 11:35am. You will be met at the airport by your Inaguan host and taken to your guesthouse or the educational center. After a light lunch, your island exploration will begin.

Take a guided walking tour around Matthew Town, the only town on the island. Learn about the history of the people of Inagua, discover some of the oldest buildings in the Bahamas and revel in the quiet tranquility of town life. While you take in the sites you might see or hear the Bahamas parrot that roosts in the trees around the town.

One of the highlights of Inagua is the population of 60,000 West Indian Flamingos that call the island their home. After touring Matthew Town, your guide will take you (in an air-conditioned private vehicle) to the salt flats that cover a large percentage of the island. Your expert naturalist will guide you around the island to explore the sites and view the plentiful variety of birds that live in or around the salt flats.

Overnight:

Tuesday: Inagua

Wake up to the dawn with an early morning drive to see the flamingo flocks, burrowing owls, and other birds as well as the wild donkeys as the sun rises over the Inagua lakes. Return to the guesthouse for breakfast. After breakfast take a short ride to one of the many deserted beaches on the island for some snorkeling in the crystal clear waters, or to just relax on the beach. If you feel in the mood take a stroll down the beach to look for shells or driftwood that line the white sand beaches of the island.

In the afternoon embark with four wheel drive vehicles and your expert guide into the interior of the island. From town you will experience several different environments that make the island unique, from salt flats to dry savannah and then to dwarf forests that line the windward side of the island. The trees on this side of the island may be as much as one hundred years old, yet none grow larger than 5-6 feet tall. In these different habitats you will find many different species of birds, reptiles and, if you are lucky you may see wild boar or the wild long horn cattle that live on the island.

Overnight:

Wednesday: Inagua

Relax and enjoy the calm island atmosphere, have the morning to explore the island a little more, take a walk on the beach or climb to the Great Inagua light Station, built in 1870. In the 19th Century the reefs off this island posed significant threats to ships passing near the island heading between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The numerous wrecks that are scattered along the reefs of Inagua attest to the danger that this island posed to ships in those days. Even today the lighthouse keeps its watchful light shining across the blue Inagua waters to warn ships of the Inagua reefs. The lighthouse offers spectacular views across the sea and over Matthew Town.

After lunch your expert guide will direct you to several choice locations for bird watching. As the evening draws near, enjoy cocktails on one of the island’s deserted beaches while watching the sun set over the turquoise blue water. Enjoy some local seafood delights in the evening with local residents who will tell you all about the island’s many stories.

Overnight:

Thursday: Inagua

Your guide will pick you up after an early breakfast and take you out to explore the island from the sea. The boat will afford you spectacular views of the island, its habitats and wildlife both on land and in the water. As well as bird watching you will have the opportunity to do some snorkeling to discover fish, turtles and other marine life as well as the possibility of seeing one of the shipwrecks that line the island’s shallow shores.

Overnight:

Friday: Inagua/Nassau

Start your day with an optional early morning bird drive to see the flamingo flocks and other birds one last time before you jump on the plane to Nassau. The flight leaves at 11:15 am and arrives in Nassau at 1:35pm. At the Nassau airport you will be welcomed by a car and driver who will transport you to your hotel. In the afternoon and evening you are free to explore Nassau or just relax at your hotel.

Overnight:

Saturday: Nassau