Nassau, the lively capital of The Bahamas, presents a rich blend of history, culture, and stunning landscapes. With its luxurious resorts and historic sites, there’s something for every kind of traveler to appreciate.
Atlantis Paradise Island: A Luxurious Escape
At the top of many travelers’ lists is Atlantis Paradise Island, a vast resort famous for its luxury and top-notch amenities. Beyond its extravagant accommodations, Atlantis features the Marine Habitat, one of the largest open-air marine environments globally. Here
, guests can wander through “The Dig,” a winding aquarium that brings the myth of the lost city of Atlantis to life, showcasing over 20,000 deep reef and pelagic fish.
Queen’s Staircase: A Step Back in Time
Just a short walk from the busy port of Nassau is the historic Queen’s Staircase. Carved from solid limestone by enslaved individuals between 1793 and 1794, this 66-step staircase provided a direct path from Fort Fincastle to Nassau City. It was later named in honor of Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain for 64 years. Walking these steps offers a moving insight into the island’s colonial history and stands as a tribute to the resilience and skill of its creators.
Beaches: Finding Your Perfect Spot
Nassau’s main beaches are stunning but can get quite crowded, especially during peak tourist seasons. If you’re looking for a more peaceful beach experience, a quick trip to Paradise Island is definitely worth it. The beaches here are famous for their soft sands and clear waters, providing a more serene environment to enjoy the sun.
Downtown Nassau: A Blend of Culture and Commerce
Downtown Nassau, conveniently located near the port, is a vibrant area where the island’s rich history intertwines with modern attractions. The streets are filled with colorful colonial buildings that host a variety of local boutiques, souvenir shops, and restaurants. It’s common to see many tour guides offering different excursions, from historical tours to water activities. Connecting with a knowledgeable guide can give you a deeper understanding of the island’s culture and its hidden treasures.
Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre: A Hidden Gem
For those who love animals, the Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre is a must-see. Just a few minutes from downtown Nassau, this four-acre tropical garden is home to a range of native and exotic species. Many visitors are particularly captivated by the marching flamingos, where the national bird of The Bahamas puts on a synchronized display. The center also features other animals, such as peafowls, lory parrots, and African servals, providing a close-up wildlife experience surrounded by lush greenery.
Tips for Travelers
Timing: To steer clear of the largest crowds, try visiting popular attractions early in the day or on weekdays.
Local Cuisine: Be sure to try some Bahamian specialties. Downtown Nassau has a variety of restaurants where you can enjoy conch fritters, rock lobster, and other local dishes.
Transportation: While many attractions are within walking distance in downtown Nassau, renting a bicycle or scooter can be an enjoyable way to explore the area at your own pace.
Guatemala is one of my favourite countries. As it is cheap, lots of thing to see like Mayan ruin sites, waterfalls and volcanoes. Guatemala is properly one of the most touristy countries in central America which also means people there are in it for the money. Anyway, I still like it.
Visiting the hot spring waters was one of my unexpected highlights in Guatemala. To get there you need to go to Rio Dulce first. In Rio Dulce, I stayed in hotel Kangaroo, a river side hostel. It cost US$8 for a dorm bed. It is an Okay option. The owner will give you lots of useful advice. But on the other hand, he is running a business so expect to spend some money here. Expect to pay something on top, e.g. extra boat ride, kayaking, water and food when you are there. To save some money, buy some snacks and drinks in town before you go to the hostel.
No matter where you come from (Tikal, Lake Atitian or Lanquin). The shuttle bus should stop you at a parking lot which is near the riverfront. There is a restaurant called Sundog Cafe. If you want to stay in Hotel Kangaroo, you could ask the staff in Sundog cafe to call Hotel Kangaroo to pick you up. The boat ride for check in should be free.
By the way, if you have time, eat in Sundog cafe. The food there is very delicious, no matter the pizza or the sandwich. Much better than in the hostel. As once you arrive in the hostel you can really only eat in the hostel.
The Hostel owner is from Australia. his name is Gary who comes and talks to you and give you advice of what you could do around Rio Dulce. For me, the first day, I was kayaking with 3 other Czech Republic travellers to the castle nearby. The second day, I went with of group of multi national travellers ( Dutch, England, US, Canadian ) to Finca El Paraiso and El Boqueron Canyon.
The second day morning at 8.30am, we took the boat from the hostel to the town. The boat ride at 8.30am is free. At other times, the hostel will charge you 20Q per person. We first stop in a supermarket to get some food and drink for our day. Then we got on to a mini bus, we told the driver where we want to go (Finca El Paraiso). The ride cost 15 Q and took us 45~60 min.
When we were nearly there, there is also a road side stop called Aqua Caliente ( Hot Water). The mini bus drops us off at a cafe. From there it is a 5 minute trek to the waterfall. The woman in the cafe stopped us and asked us to pay an entry fee 10 Q per person. But later we find out she is a scam. She wrote us a piece of paper and pretend this is a ticket. After we pay the ENTRY FEE to the woman, we walk through the trek. So be careful please!
After 5 minutes walk, we meet a REAL person who we should pay for. And once he find out the women take money, he cycle back to the cafe and talk to the woman. And we just go to the waterfall without paying extra.
On the way to the waterfall, I could smell the hot spring. If you been to the hot spring then you know what I mean. After a short walk, we arrive at the hot spring waterfall.
Here is the Hot Spring waterfall. Water is hot. I cant describe how amazing it is in words. May be the photos could tell you you more. I loved it!
You could climb up and jump to the water, in one point the water is 3~5 meters deep. Of course I wont do that.
You could also go to upstream to get some mud to put on your face and body. I did not climb up, but one of the gusy in our group took some mud back for us. So I could put them on to my face. It was similar to when I was in the Dead Sea.
In the mean time, we have our snacks there. We spend around 2 hours relaxing in the hot spring waterfall. At around 1.30pm, we head to our 2nd spot of the day El Boqueron Canyon.
When we left, I saw the REAL ticket man who sat near the cafe. I think he is trying to ensure the woman in the cafe doesn’t charge other tourists. So beware if you go to Finca El Paraiso, do not pay to the woman in the cafe. She is a scam.
I love this Hot Spring waterfall so much. First time I have ever been a waterfall with hot water. The best part of this trip is, you do not need to go with the tour, you can go there easily yourself with public transport and spend as much as time you want. The last mini bus back to town is around 4.30pm. If you ever have a chance come to Rio Dulce. Don’t ever miss this waterfall! You will love it!!
After my time backpacking through Belize, here is my review of the caves at Actun Tunichil Muknal, Belize. This was an excellent day out.
Ready for the cave tour in Belize!
Recently my boyfriend and I were in Belize and lucky enough to go to a very unique and special Cave. A cave complex that was once used by Mayan for sacrificial rituals, Actun Tunichil Muknal. Which is near Belmopan, Capital City of Belize. We based ourselves in the excellent El Rey Hotel and headed out on tour with Hun Chi ik Tours.
Tour company Hun Chi’ik Tours
To make things clear for you, here are some simple facts about the cave tour.
You need a guide to lead you into the cave and only around 20 guides in the country are allowed to take tourists into the Cave
No cameras allowed, this is due to some stupid tourist (!) who dropped the camera and broke a skull a few years ago. Which is a bit sad as I do not have much photos of the tour and you know how much a Hong Kong girl loves photos!
You will get wet and need to swim a bit. As the cave is along the river. This is not deep and you can don a life jacket if you don’t feel confident (Well I have my life jacket on)!
The cost for the whole day out can be around US$150 to US$170 : to break that up – Tour price US$100, park Entree fee US$15, Private transport between Belmopan and Teakettle (US$40) , Tip to the guide US$10 (Optional and base on the budget). You can save money by going in a group and asking for discount or by not getting private transport – we took the chicken bus which was only a few dollars from Belmopan to Teakettle.
So the day began and we needed to meet our tour guide at 9am in the town called Teakettle. Meeting place is outside a Chinese grocery store (felt at home) which is a green building. There is also a road sign nearby mentioning directions to the ATM cave. From there , it is around 7 miles from the park.
To Teakettle, we could either get private transport or take a local bus from bus station. As we love to budget, we picked local bus. The bus cost 2 Belize dollar per person. It takes 20minutes for the bus ride. The bus normally run every 15 minutes. But it was a holiday that day, so we waited almost an hour 🙁
Bus to ATM
We told the driver and bus assistant we were going to ATM cave and wanted to get off by Chinese grocery store. Our guide was there already when we arrived, his name is Gliss. We jumped into his car and he drove us to the park. It took around 25 minutes to get to the entrance.
Driving in Gliss’s car to ATM
We had to pay for the park fee, which is US$15 per person. Then we leave our personal stuff locked in the car, including our wallets – don’t take too mich cash out with you… Gliss has prepared all the gear for us which included Helmet and headlight. For me, I specially requested the life jacket :).
Ticket for ATM – 15 US Dollars
Once we were ready, we left the carpark and walked along the trail. We had to cross the river 3 times, the water is not particularly clean and clear 🙁 . It takes about 45mintues for this trail before arriving at the entry of the Cave. We left our drinking water in the rest area and enter into the cave.
The day we went is a holiday, so there were not many tours. Otherwise, there can be long queues. To enter the cave which started up with a short swim, I had my life jacket on, so I am more than happy to do that swim – it’s a bit cold at the start! We turn our headlights on and our adventure starts in earnest. After a short swim, it was continuously walking through the water. Most of the time the water level is around waist high. The water is very clear and fresh. There is some climbing inside the cave too, but not difficult. There are loads of fish too!
Cave entrance
On the walk/swim, we see the lime stone formations, as well as crystal. To protect them, Gliss kept reminds us not to touch it. After some walking, we reached the a place that was used by Mayans for sacrificial rituals (as least that’s what our guide told me and how Jonny my boyfriend helped explain it to me). There were some pots and skulls. The cave is very huge, we only could walk some part of it. We spend around 2 hours inside the cave in total.
Stalagmites and stalagtites
My highlight was the swimming part and admiring all the cool stalagmites and stalagmites in the cave. The only sad part is that cameras are now banned so I dont have any photos of me in there. But also because of no photos, this gave me more time to admire and enjoy the cave instead of keep taking photo on the way : )
When we head back to the carpark, we quickly take a cold shower and get changed. (There are shower facilities in the park). Since we needed to walk into the river, our shoes are totally wet too. But we are smart enougth to bring the flip flops with us. So if anyone plans to take this tour, make sure to bring a spare shirt, short , shoes or flip flops to change after you finish the tour. After this, we were ready for our lunch. Gliss brought us ham , tomato, cheese, tortilla, cucumber and some spicy sauce for our lunch.!We just put the ingredients that we like, wrapped them with tortilla and eat. Simple but satisfaction.
After lunch Gliss drove us back to the Chinese grocery store where we met in the morning. We said thanks and goodbye to him and wait for the bus back to Belmopan.
However, we were waiting for an hour, no bus arrived (due to the holiday) . No one knew when the bus will come or even if it will at all. We decide to try hitch hiking for the first time since Iraq or Armenia. Luckily, the second car we hail stops right away. The driver is a Taiwanese gentleman which his nephew!! He told me that he saw us before when we were waiting for the bus. He just returned home after buying cattle from another town. The cattle is in another truck. He dropped us in Belmopan at the bus station and we walk back to our hotel.
It is really a fun day, we both enjoyed it a lot. Thank for Hun Chi’ik Tour. It is a great day out and well recommended. My boyfriend wrote a load of other articles on this too – backpacking in Belmopan and touring Actun Tunichil Muknal.
Thanks to Ray Wiecha of The World According to Weech for the use of his photos in this article, you can read Ray’s stuff on that link. Ray toured ATM before the camera ban.
