In my pre-conceived image of the Bahamas, a 15-year-old teenage boy wasn’t part of the picture. I’d imagined a romantic paradise with white-sand beaches, azure waters, cocktails, Instagram selfies and hours spent whiling the day away on a sun lounger reading a book.
My teenager, while appreciative of natural beauty, gets bored after a few minutes on a sun lounger. And surely on a desert island, we’d spend too much time falling out while he defaulted to his phone and YouTube videos, proclaiming himself bored. How wrong could I have been!
During our six-day trip to the Caribbean idyll, my teenager Noah and I experienced the best that the Bahamas has to offer. And whether it was the slow-paced, natural beauty of the of family islands or the full-on, no holds barred excitement of a mega hotel like Atlantis Paradise Island, both mum and teen had adventures to make life-long memories. And while the Bahamas would undoubtedly be a stunning backdrop for a perfect honeymoon, it’s also the ideal spot for exciting, memorable and dare I say it educational family holidays – and Noah agrees.
Here’s our list of ten things you mustn’t miss for an incredible parent and teen break to this breath-taking Caribbean archipelago.
1) Join the A-list at the stunning The Other Side resort
Walking across airfield to our minuscule Pineapple Air propeller plane already made us feel like were VIPs heading to our own private jet. The journey produced a few white-knuckles, even among the most gung-ho teens, but when we caught sight of the longest white sand beaches we’d ever seen in our lives, we realised the journey to get to Eleuthera there was totally worth it.
The owner of The Other Side informed us that usually guests are delivered to the resort by boat – the winds when we were there meant we had to take the inland route, but it didn’t hamper the wonder we felt on arrival at the luxurious beach-side hut that serves as a check-in lounge to this island paradise where you feel like one of their A-list clientele.
The weather remained blustery for the duration of our trip, which meant there were things we couldn’t enjoy; snorkelling with the turtles that live under the jetty and free-to-use paddle boards were sadly off the menu. But there was still plenty of fun to be had at the resort.
A dip in the infinity pool; a workout under the palm tree outside the private gym; a game of chess in the bar as we enjoyed aperitifs and the most delicious meals served in the private dining room – a different menu each night and even freshly-made conch ceviche when a member of our party was lucky enough to find a live conch on a nearby beach.
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2) Paddle with pigs
I don’t want to oversell this by calling it ‘swimming with pigs’ because the truth is, the experience wasn’t quite what I’d imagined when we’d seen others’ reports of Bahamian pig adventures! The pigs we visited on Pig Island are not native to the Bahamas – one story is they live there as a boat they were being transported on many decades ago was shipwrecked, and just like Robinson Crusoe, the piggies not only survived, but thrived.
I’m not convinced they genuinely swim for fun. These (very cute) piggies live on the land and can be tempted out into the ocean by a captain with a large and noisily rattling tin of food. No sooner have they scoffed their treats, they’re back on land, so swimming with them isn’t quite possible.
That being said, paddling with the pigs is absolutely a thing, as is giving the baby ones a cuddle (only the ones you’re allowed to handle, if they’re too young you could injure them). And it’s a real treat. Not to mention the photos! These pics will definitely make your kid’s social media reel, and earn them a fair few kudos points.
3) Meet the stingrays and pose for the best Instagram pics
Another unforgettable sea life adventure was a close-encounter session with wild stingrays. This, and the pigs, came as part of our private charter boat Exotic Excursions 242, where skipper Sheldon was a wealth of knowledge and also knew just when to crank the music up to max as the dual motors burst into action, leaving the teenagers’ jaws on the floor!
After our full-throttle yacht journey, we came to rest at a huge sandbar in the middle of the ocean, upon which some clever influencer-attractor had erected two wooden swings, allowing yet more Insta-perfect snaps for the teens and the mums in our group. To get to the swings however, you had to paddle from the boat. And the moment you entered the water, the wild stingrays approached. I have to admit I was nervous at first, but followed our captain’s advice carefully: go slowly, no quick motions and let the stringrays come to you.
They really do come to you – head-butting you quite hard on the shins as you try to stay steady. But the experience is incredibly exhilarating and even the feeling of their jagged tail brushing against your calves isn’t as unnerving as it sounds. You’re in their world, and you feel privileged. What a world it is they live in!
4) Explore the pastel-hued beauty of Spanish Wells
Just a short ferry ride away is the picture-perfect island of Spanish Wells. The pastel-painted wooden-clad homes on the azure sea beneath sparkling palm trees really does take your breath away. Once on the Island, famously inhabited by Beyoncé, Johnny Depp and Shakira to name a few megastars, the preferred mode of transport is the golf buggy.
You can hire one at the hire shop right by the ferry stop, and from then on you really feel like the whole island is an exclusive beach resort. The beaches on this island literally take your breath away.
Another short ferry hop and you’re on Harbour Island, equally stunning and just as star-studded. We were whisked on another golf cart, to one of the Island’s oldest establishments, Pink Sands Hotel, set on a beach where not only do the sands sparkle, they sparkle pink! The resort is owned by music producer Chris Blackwell, and although they’re very tight lipped about their celeb clients, I’m reliably informed by a bit of my own research that spotting Julia Roberts or Kate Moss on the grounds would not be unexpected.
The resort has just opened private villas which the well-heeled can take over for a true home-from-home experience. The privacy of a personal dwelling alongside all the resort facilities and the pink sand beach is surely going to attract even more A-list clients.
5) Visit Eleuthera’s many tourist spots
With one day spent ferrying between the islands, and another enjoying wildlife encounters on our own chartered boat, the rest of Eleuthera’s gems were sped through rather quickly, but if you have a chance to stay longer than a couple of days on this gem of a family island, take it! Not only are the locals super-friendly, the scenery is just breath-taking.
The Glass Window Bridge was accessible by car only for us (no walking was permitted) due to the heavy winds which can make this narrow strip of rock – just 30 foot wide –treacherous. But even in strong weather, the incredible juxtaposition of calm, azure Bight of Eleuthera and the deep blue rough Atlantic Ocean, separated only by a slim road, is something to behold.
Other must-see pitstops include the Sapphire Blue Hole (only the teens had the guts to dive into the depths, which must be climbed out of via a rope ladder!), and Preacher’s Cave. This natural refuge for a group of Christian adventurers shipwrecked nearby, had an alter carved out of stone to enable the first religious ceremonies to be conducted – the alter stands today.
The teens enjoyed the ability to see the lush vegetation through a huge hole in the roof. And the nearby beach was somewhere we’ll definitely be returning to for a paradise swim when we come back one day.
6) Ride every water slide at the Atlantis Paradise Island
After our return white-knuckle Pineapple Air flight to Nassau, we made our way through the airport to the Atlantis check-in desk. This is glamour and swank at a whole other level. Whisked to our awaiting blacked-out transfer, our teens’ jaws were on the floor as we took the quick drive to the truly gigantic super-luxe resort, where Michael Jackson lived at some point in his life, and where megastars drop in to perform, gamble or just relax, with guaranteed regularity. This is Atlantis Paradise Island!
I haven’t stayed in a hotel like this since I was last in Las Vegas – indeed the oxygen-filled air of the casino and the larger than life fish tanks literally taking you into the land of the giant sea creatures, felt like something that could only exist in Sin City. But here, not only do you have the larger-than-life grandeur of a high roller’s fantasy, you also have the stunning natural beauty of the Bahamas on your doorstep.
Oh – and did I forget to mention, more water slides than you could ever imagine! We were worried an afternoon at the slides might mean an afternoon of queuing, but we were wrong. There was always a ride or two with a queue of just a few minutes. And the variety of rides (demon drops through shark tanks, to lazy rolling rivers) meant there was something for everyone. When the teens discover more energy than you ever knew possible, and prove difficult to drag away from the slides, I’d suggest a seat under a palm tree and a glass of sky juice (an alcoholic frozen nutmeg treat). Perfection!
7) Swim with dolphins at Blue Lagoon
A day stop for cruises, Blue Lagoon is a natural water inlet with a stunning beach, opportunities for local Bahamian cuisine and – most importantly for my teen – a chance to swim with dolphins. This adventure really did knock Noah’s socks off. Our dolphin trainer was a superstar, teaching the kids how to interact with the beautiful mammals and inspiring them to become marine biologists.
And swimming with these gentle giants, being pushed along on a surfboard by one and having a cuddle and kiss for the camera, creates memories and photos that will keep us smiling for a lifetime.
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8) Get to know local life in downtown Nassau
The Blue Lagoon team have created another adventure for visitors who would like to get to know more about the history of the Bahamas, and the experience of exploring downtown Nassau with our enthusiastic local tour guides was a real treat. The colonial architecture was absolutely stunning and tales of the making of the city were surprisingly engaging for the teenagers.
Equally fascinating were our tour guide's tales of modern life in the Bahamas, their account of racial equality on these islands, only broken once teenagers leave their island paradise (many go to Florida, just 30 minutes flight away, for university) and discover not everywhere is quite as progressive and harmonious as their homeland.
Our cultural immersion continued the next day with a trip to the Educulture’s Junkanoo Museum and a meeting with the irrepressible Arlene Nash who regaled us with tales of festival rivalry and showed us first-hand the energy and focus that goes into creating an entire costume out of paper each year.
Having a chance to create some real-life Junkanoo music (think cowbells, drums and a trumpet!) had us all up and dancing, feeling like a little drop of Bahamian blood was flowing through our veins.
The Graycliff Hotel, located in downtown and a million miles away from the glitz and glamour of Atlantis, showcased perfectly the splendor of an old-fashioned colonial mansion. The gardens were pristine and the pool literally stopped me in my tracks. I filed it away as the perfect romantic retreat when I return one day, not surrounded by teenagers!
A quick chocolate-making class at the attached chocolate factory was a hit with us all and the almost unlimited taste-testing a delightful treat!
9) Get to know the locals over dinner
One thing that bothers me when I travel is a feeling that I’m not experiencing local life, especially when I’m lucky enough to stay in 5-star resorts and enjoy the kind of luxury I don’t usually experience at home. Travelling with kids brings this concern even more to the fore –we might have earned the right to a week or two of reality-suspension, but I don’t want my kids taking this for granted, and missing out on the opportunity to experience other cultures, the real-life experiences that travelling on more of a budget creates.
The Bahamas tourist board has come up with a solution – and honestly our evening spent having dinner with a local Bahamian family and their friends and colleagues was a highlight, not just for me, but for all the teens, who got to know contemporaries their own age (and were even invited to an all night party…..no, I didn’t let him go!).
The People-to-People program is quite unique: at no cost to the tourist, the tourism office pairs you with a host family who will introduce you to their lives, over dinner, over a game of tennis – if that’s your thing – or however else you are most likely to bond. On the evening we enjoyed our ‘cocktails and conversations’ evening, our group of three journalists were introduced to a group of Bahamian writers and broadcasters by our host, Henry Lightbourne and his wife Pauline, who served the most delectable dinner in his garden.
It was an unforgettable evening and such a rare a precious opportunity to really relax and get to know a group of hospitable locals, and understand their way of life.
10) Indulge in some celeb-loved dining spots at Atlantis
There’s enough to do in Atlantis to never leave, honestly. We dove in fish tanks, fed baby stingrays, lounged in the lagoon, surfed on the ocean waves and then topped the day off by dining in the most spectacular luxury at both Paranza (an Italian love letter by Chef Michael White) and Bimini Road for local delicacies. We played pickleball under the palm trees, basketball in the heat of the afternoon sun, hit the gym, and quaffed sundowners at cocktail bars.
I had wondered if the scale of Atlantis would overwhelm me but it didn’t at all. And my concern that there might not be much to do on our paradise island holiday was made utterly laughable after spending a few hours at Atlantis!
