Planning a Trip

Getting There

Reaching Andros is not too difficult. Western Air (tel. 242/377-2222 in the U.S.; www.westernairbahamas.com) has twice-daily 15-minute flights from Nassau to the airport at Andros Town in Central Andros (tel. 242/368-2759). Airports are also at San Andros in the north (tel. 242/329-4000), at Mangrove Cay (tel. 242/369-0003), and at Congo Town in South Andros (tel. 242/369-2222 or 954/772-9808). Lynx Air International (tel. 888/596-9247; www.lynxair.com) flies from Fort Lauderdale to Congo Town three times per week.

Make sure you know where you're going in Andros. For example, if you land at Congo Town on South Andros and you've booked a hotel in Nicholl's Town, you'll find connections nearly impossible at times (involving both ferryboats and a rough haul across a bad highway).

Andros's few available taxis know when the planes from Nassau land and drive out to the airports, hoping to pick up business. Taxis are most often shared, and a typical fare from Andros Town Airport to Small Hope Bay Lodge is about US$30 (£15).

Many locals, along with a few adventurous visitors, use mail boats to get to Andros; the trip takes 5 to 7 hours across beautiful waters. North Andros is serviced by the MV Lisa J. II, which departs Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau heading for Morgan's Bluff, Mastic Point, and Nicholl's Town on Wednesday, returning to Nassau on Tuesday. The MV Captain Moxey departs Nassau on Monday, calling at Long Bay Cays, Kemps Bay, and The Bluff on South Andros; it heads back to Nassau on Wednesday. The MV Mangrove Cay Express departs Nassau Wednesday night for a 5 1/2-hour trip to Lisbon Creek, sailing back to Nassau on Monday afternoon. Finally, MV Lady D departs Nassau on Wednesday for Fresh Creek, stopping at Spaniard Creek, Blanket Sound, and Browne Sound. The trip takes 5 1/2 hours, and the return voyage to Nassau is on Sunday. For details about sailing and costs, contact the dock master at Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau (tel. 242/393-1064).

A far more luxurious way to go over the waters is aboard Sea Link or Sea Wind (tel. 242/323-2166; fax 242/393-7451; www.bahamasferries.com). The Sea Link carries 250 passengers, while the Sea Wind seats 180, with another 100 seats available on the open-air decks of both vessels. Depending on where you dock on Andros, trip time from Nassau to Fresh Creek takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. From Nassau to Driggs Hill, however, takes 2 1/2 hours.

Orientation

Chances are, your hotel will be in North Andros, in either Andros Town or Nicholl's Town. North Andros is the most developed of the three major Andros islands. Nicholl's Town is a colorful old settlement with some 600 people and several places serving local foods. Most visitors come to Nicholl's Town to buy supplies at its shopping complex. Directly to the south is Mastic Point, which was founded in 1781. If you ask around, you'll be shown to a couple of concrete-sided dives that serve up spareribs and Goombay music. North of Nicholl's Town is Morgan's Bluff, namesake of Sir Henry Morgan, a pirate later knighted by the British monarch. Andros Town, with its abandoned docks, is another village, about 47km (29 miles) south of Nicholl's Town. Most visitors come to Andros Town to stay at Small Hope Bay Lodge or to avail themselves of its facilities. The biggest retail industry, Androsia batik, is in the area, too. The scuba diving -- minutes away on the barrier reef -- is what lures most visitors to this tiny place; others come here just for the shelling. On the opposite side of the water is Coakley Town. If you're driving, before you get to Andros Town, you may want to stop to spend some restful hours on the beach at Staniard Creek, another old settlement that feels like it drifted over from the South Seas.

Moving south to the second major landmass, Central Andros is smaller than either North or South Andros. The least developed of the three, the island is studded with hundreds upon hundreds of palm trees. The Queen's Highway runs along the eastern coastline, but the only thing about this road that's regal is its name. In some 7km (4 1/3 miles), you can see practically the whole island. It's truly sleepy, and for that very reason, many people come here to get away from it all. You won't find much in the way of accommodations -- but you will find some (they're listed below).

The third and last major land area, South Andros, is the home of the wonderfully named Congo Town, where life proceeds at a snail's pace. The Queen's Highway, partially lined with pink-and-white conch shells, runs for about 40km (25 miles) or so. The island, as yet undiscovered, has some of the best beaches in The Bahamas, and you can enjoy them almost by yourself.

Another tiny island, undeveloped Mangrove Cay, is an escapist's dream, attracting naturalists and anglers, as well as a few divers. It's separated from Andros's northern and southern sections by bights. The settlements here got electricity and a paved road only in 1989. Mangrove Cay's best place for snorkeling and diving is Victoria Point Blue Hole (any local can point you there). Another village (don't blink as you pass through or you'll miss it) is Moxey Town, where you're likely to see fishermen unloading conch from fishing boats. Ferries, operated for free by the Bahamian government, ply back and forth over the waters separating Mangrove Cay from South Andros. At the end of the road in North Andros, private arrangements can be made to have a boat take you to Mangrove Cay.

Getting Around

Transportation can be a big problem on Andros. If you have to go somewhere, try to use one of the local taxis, though this can be a pricey undertaking.

The few rental cars available are in North Andros. These are scarce, owing to the high costs of shipping cars here. The weather also takes a great toll on the cars that are brought in (salty air erodes metal), so no U.S. car-rental agencies are represented. Your best bet is to ask at your hotel to see what's available.

Anyway, it's not really recommended that you drive on Andros because roads are mainly unpaved and in bad condition, and gas stations are hard to find. Outlets for car rentals come and go faster here than anybody can count. Renting a car is less formal, and less organized, than you might be used to.

The concierge at Andros's most upscale hotel, Kamaleme Cay, will arrange a cab or a rental car for you, but frankly, it's all word of mouth and terribly unlicensed and informal, with no options for purchase of additional insurance. Taxi drivers and owners of a handful of battered cars that can be rented will be at the airport in time for the landing of most major flights. You can negotiate a car rental on-site or -- perhaps more safely and conveniently -- you can hire one of the local taxis to take you around. Rates run between US$85 and US$100 (£43-£50) per day, plus gas. Be warned that signpostings and road conditions are horrible, but it's hard to get lost because the only road is the north-south, much-rutted thoroughfare known as Queen's Highway.

You may want to rent a bicycle, but you'll experience the same bad roads you would in a rental car. Guests of Small Hope Bay Lodge, Chickcharnie, and Mangrove Cay Inn can rent bikes at their hotels.

Visitor Information

The Ministry of Tourism is located in Andros Town (tel. 242/368-2286) and is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Fast Facts

Banks are rare on Andros. There's one, ScotiaBank (tel. 242/329-2700), in Nicholl's Town, with an ATM, open Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 3pm, and Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm.

The island's post office (tel. 242/329-2034) is in Nicholl's Town on North Andros. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 4:30pm. Hotel desk staffers will sell you Bahamian stamps. Make sure to mark cards and letters as airmail; otherwise, you'll return home before they do. Each little village on Andros has a store that serves as a post office.

Government-run medical clinics are at Nicholl's Town on North Andros (tel. 242/329-2055), at Mangrove Cay on Central Andros (tel. 242/369-0089), and at Kemp's Bay in South Andros (tel. 242/369-4849). To reach the police, call tel. 919 in North Andros, tel. 242/368-2626 in Central Andros, and tel. 242/369-4733 in South Andros.