San Salvador

San Salvador Island Bahamas is inarguably the most historically significant of all the Out Islands. Home to more monuments, ruins, shipwrecks and Christopher Columbus memorials than any other island, your visit here will be a memorable one.

Known locally as San Sal, San salvador Bahamas is an ideal destination for you to spend your Bahamas tour if you are a history enthusiast. The significance of this particular island is that it was the very first landfall of Columbus’ voyage to discover the New World. While there are many different theories about where on San Salvador Bahamas Columbus landed exactly, and the monuments to match, it is generally agreed among historians that the very first landfall was within the stretch of Long Bay.

San Salvador is not, however, all about history, there are a great number of current things to do here, ensuring that your Miami to San Salvador Bahamas tour is an entertaining and diverse event. With lively and colourful reefs in the surrounding waters, San Salvador Bahamas is known to be the very best island in the country for scuba diving. The best part about this is that the island itself is relatively quiet, which means that when you go on a scuba diving Bahamas tour, you will find that you discover this magical underwater world with small groups, allowing for a more immersive experience.

Discovering Bahamian culture and local traditions is also something that San Salvador prides itself in. With a number of small towns scattered across the island, each with their own personality, you will certainly find a Bahamas tour of San Salvador to be an interactive and educational experience. If you’re planning on spending some time on the island, then you will have a number of San Salvador Bahamas resorts to choose from. Club Med dominates the entire west coast of the island in Bonefish Bay. If you would like to learn more about Columbus San Salvador on your Bahamas tour, then spending a few nights here will give you more time to discover all that the island has to offer.

Christopher Columbus

The story of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to discover the New World is known throughout the globe. While we know his intention was to discover what we now know as the USA, he actually arrived in the Bahamas, not realizing that it was an entirely different location. The very first landfall on this voyage was on Columbus San Salvador island Bahamas on October 12th 1492, giving this island a unique historical significance.

In fact, Columbus gave the Bahamas their name, calling the islands “Baha Mar” which translates from Spanish to mean “shallow water”. This is probably the most significant impact that Columbus’ arrival had on the Bahamas, but monuments and memorials can be found throughout the archipelago telling the story of his voyage. Columbus San Salvador Bahamas is particularly full of these historical attractions, and you can find them dotted throughout the island.

If you are on a Bahamas tour of Columbus San Salvador Bahamas, then you can look out for the Chicago Herald Monument, which was erected in 1891 to commemorate Columbus’ landfall. If you visit Landfall Park in Long Bay you will find a white cross, which was set in place in 1956, suggesting that this was the exact spot of his arrival. The name of this park is in recognition of Columbus’ arrival. Although Long Bay’s name may seem to reference the length of the bay itself, it is actually named after the longboats that the sailors used to come ashore.

San Salvador: A Scuba Diver’s Dream

For anyone on a Miami to San Salvador Bahamas cruise or a day trip to Bahamas to explore the world beneath the waves, then Columbus San Salvador should be your very first stop. This island is inarguably the best place for scuba diving Bahamas, because of the magnificent reefs and marine life that surround its shores. Columbus San Salvador Bahamas has been voted the best scuba site in the country, and the 3rd best on earth. This means that if you are a scuba enthusiast, you need not look any further.

Fortunately there are a number of different dive sites to choose from, each requiring a different level of experience. Whether you’re a seasoned scuba diver, or you’re just a beginner, a visit to Columbus San Salvador Bahamas will cater to you. It’s not only marine life and vibrant coral reefs that you will find beneath the surface, you will even have the opportunity to explore some shipwrecks and caves.

Nothing beats swimming through the crystalline turquoise water alongside a majestic sea turtle in Columbus San Salvador Bahamas. Whether you’ve booked a trip from Miami to San Salvador or you’re on a longer journey, this experience is undoubtedly one of the best things to do on your Bahamas tour. If you’re not quite ready to dive beneath the surface, then you can still float on it and enjoy some world-renowned snorkelling here on Columbus San Salvador Bahamas.

Sandy Point

While scuba diving may be some of the most fun you can have in Columbus San Salvador, travelling from Miami to San Salvador Bahamas will also bring you right into a sightseer’s dreamland. Sandy Point Bahamas on San Salvador is among the top places in the Bahamas Out Islands to enjoy this scenic activity. The interesting thing about the name Sandy Point is that you will find a settlement with the same name on almost every Bahamian island.

To island hop Bahamas, especially when flying to Bahamas from Florida is an exceptional experience wherever you go. However, Columbus San Salvador is one of the very best destinations due to its incredible diversity in things to do. From Sandy Point beach fishing, to Sandy Point and Grotto Beaches, you will find that this small settlement has a lot to offer. If you’re hoping to enjoy a quiet beach day, then Grotto Beach is for you. This delightfully isolated beach is perfect for a romantic stroll. Sandy Point Beach, on the other hand, is an ever changing landscape that draws in people from around the world. During Bahamian Summer, the waves wash loads of the sand to the west, leaving behind 7ft pools in their wake. When Winter comes around, the sand is washed back across to the east, filling in the holes.

A visit to Sandy Point Bahamas is not all about the scenery or the Sandy Point beach fishing. You will also have the chance to visit Watling’s Castle. Despite the name, this is in fact the ruins of a Loyalist Plantation house named after George Watling. A visit to Watling’s Castle will allow you to explore the kitchen, slave quarters, barns and boundary walls of the three-storey building. You can also visit Lookout Tower, which has been restored amongst the rest of the ruins, and works as an excellent viewpoint to look at French Bay.

Dixon Hill Lighthouse

If the thrill of climbing Watling’s Castle’s Lookout Tower leaves you wanting more, then your very next stop should be Dixon Hill Lighthouse. The construction of this lighthouse began in 1856 and was completed 31 years later in 1887.

On your trip from Miami to San Salvador Dixon Lighthouse, you will also find the graves of John Dixon and his wife, who owned the plantation grounds on which the lighthouse was built. For anyone who’s interested in the fascinating mechanisms of the past, this lighthouse is a great attraction for you. It is one of the few remaining lighthouses in the world that needs to be manually operated.

If, however, you would prefer to climb the tower to simply enjoy the view, then you will be met with a panoramic scene of the surrounding island and sparkling ocean. Flying to Bahamas from Florida, and making the trip from Miami to San Salvador for an exciting Bahamas tour will bring you to a range of incredible places such as this. The very best way to explore and discover the Bahamas is with Bahamas Air Tours, where you will have the chance to island hop Bahamas from the spectacular vantage point of a plane.

Fortune Hill

Another fascinating historical attraction comes in the form of the Fortune Hill plantation ruins. If you are travelling from Miami to San Salvador then you should be prepared for all the exciting historical destinations on the island. It’s always so interesting to visit these attractions and gain a window into the Bahamas of the past. What sets this destination apart from so many others is that the ruins of the main building, known as the Great House, are still standing. Architecture enthusiasts will enjoy Fortune Hill because it is a testament to the unflinching resilience of the British colonial architecture.

Flying Miami to San Salvador with Bahamas Air Tours will certainly bring you to a number of memorable destinations. However, some of these have an unhappy past. A visit to Fortune Hill will allow you to visit the ruins of the slave quarters, indicating the dark time in the Bahamas’ past when slaves were transported from africa to work in the cotton plantations of the Bahamas.

The Great Lake Preserve

While many people travel from Miami to San Salvador to explore the glorious Bahamian ocean, San Salvador is also known as “The Land Of Lakes”. This means that there is a diverse range of water-related attractions to visit, both coastal and inland. One of the best places to learn more about these lakes is at the Great Lake Preserve which can be found at the heart of the island.

The interesting thing about the great lake is that it stretches the entire length of the island, and each of Christopher Columbus San Salvador’s main settlements can be found on its shores. In fact, before the roads were developed on the island, this lake was the main means of transport for the locals to travel between settlements. This transportation option has since been transformed into a unique tour. You can book a tour to explore a number of different settlements, travelling across the Great Lake as you do.

San Salvador Rock Iguana

If you choose to travel from Miami to San Salvador Bahamas then you will come across the Bahamian Rock Iguana on your Bahamas tour. Not only are these Iguana’s only found on 3 islands in the Bahamas, but they are also a critically endangered species, which means that viewing them in their natural habitat is an exceptionally unique experience. Flying to Bahamas from Florida and embarking on a Bahamas Island Hopping tour will introduce you to an array of exciting and exotic animals.

The endangered classification of this species led to the founding of the Gerace Research Center in 1971. This station occupies an old Navy base and strives for the preservation of marine and land animals alike. A lot of their focus is given to the Bahamian Rock Iguana, and steps are being taken to help boost population of this prehistoric lizard.

A trip from Miami to San Salvador will give you a chance to visit the public viewing area for these fascinating iguanas. It is here that you will be able to view them in their natural habitat and learn more about this species. Bahamas Island Hopping is the perfect way to discover these interesting attractions, even if you only book a Bahamas day trip from Miami to San Salvador, you will still be sure to have a comprehensive and exciting Bahamas tour.

Cockburn Town

Pronounced Koburn Town, Cockburn can be found on the island’s west coast and is the capital of San Salvador Bahamas. It is also the largest settlement, which means that it has a plethora of activities and attractions in and around it for your Bahamas tour. This town is also home to the San Salvador Airport where you can book all your Bahamas air charters. The entrance of Cockburn Town is distinctive because of the majestic almond tree that stands there. This is one of the most popular places for locals to visit and an excellent stop for you to immerse yourself in the Bahamian culture on your Bahamas tour.

Another Christopher Columbus attraction can be found within Cockburn Town’s limits. Though it may only have been built in 1992 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of the Bahamas, it was in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ landfall on San Salvador. It was also dedicated to the first religious service which was held in San Salvador by a Roman Catholic Priest known as Father Chrysostom Schreiner. This service took place on January 25 1891, and Father Schreiner passed away 37 years later.

Bonefish Bay

If you are hoping to enjoy some high-speed San Salvador Bahamas fishing, then be sure to visit Bonefish Bay during your Bahamas tour. These lightning-fast streaks of silver flit through the shallows, making each cast, each strike and each catch an absolutely thrilling event. San Salvador Bahamas fishing doesn’t get much better than if you do it in Bonefish Bay. If you really are a fishing enthusiast and you want to spend as much time as possible here, then your choice of San Salvador Bahamas resorts is quite a simple one. The entire west coast of San Salvador is taken up by Club Med Bahamas accommodation.

Of all the San Salvador Bahamas Resorts, Bahamas Club Med Columbus Isle is among the very best. Excellent service combined with beachside accommodation and some of the world’s most picturesque tropical views puts Club Med Bahamas high on the list of places to stay. The best part about the size of this island is that if you book a Bahamas air charter to San Salvador Airport, or you arrive in Cockburn Town on a Bahamas cruise, you will be minutes away from Bonefish Bay and the exceptional accommodation there.

Graham’s Harbour

There is nothing quite like travelling to a new destination and exploring the local scene. With everything from cuisine, to culture and traditions, a visit to Graham’s harbour is the perfect place to have an authentic Bahamian experience. If your stomach is growling for some seafood, then be sure to visit the local Fish Fry. Here you can try some of the local delicacies, including a wide range of fish and the most popular meat: conch. This white, chewy meat can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from deep-fried, to tossed in a citrus salad, to conch fritters, your tastebuds will be tantalized.

San Salvador Airport; Getting Here

Flying to San Salvador Bahamas Airport means that you are embarking on the tour of a lifetime. Fortunately, it is an international airport, which means that you can fly from Miami to San Salvador airport direct. If you’re booking a day trip to Bahamas with Bahamas Air Tours for an exciting Island Hopping Bahamas experience, then San Salvador is a great place to start.

Select images courtesy of the Bahamas Ministry Of Tourism.

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