Attractions

At North Bimini's southern tip, ramshackle Alice Town is all that many visitors ever see of the islands, since it's where the major hotels are. You can see the whole town in an hour or two.

As you're exploring the island, you may want to stop off at the Bimini Straw Market, next door to the Bahamas Customs Building, where you'll usually find two dozen vendors. Strike up a conversation with some islanders, and perhaps pick up a souvenir or two.

If you're curious, drop into the little Bimini Museum, on King's Highway (tel. 242/347-3038), a sort of grab bag of mementos left behind by visiting celebrities. The museum owns the 1964 immigration card of Martin Luther King, Jr., a domino set left by frequent visitor Adam Clayton Powell (the former New York congressman), and Ernest Hemingway's fishing log and vintage fishing films. Also on exhibit are island artifacts such as rum kegs. The location, in a two-story 1920s house, is a 4-minute walk from the seaplane ramp. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 9pm, Sunday from noon to 9pm. Admission is US$2, but elementary-school-age children get in for free.

Queen's Highway runs up North Bimini's western side, and as you head north along it, you'll see that it's lined with beautiful beachfront. King's Highway runs through Alice Town and continues north. It's bordered by houses painted gold, lime, buttercup yellow, and a pink that gleams in the bright sunshine.

At some point, you may notice the ruins of Bimini's first hotel, Bimini Bay Rod & Gun Club, sitting unfinished on its own beach. Built in the early 1920s, it flourished until a hurricane wiped it out later that decade. It was never rebuilt, though developers once made an attempt.

To explore South Bimini, hire a taxi for about US$5 per person to see the island's limited attractions, which, at least to our knowledge, do not include Ponce de León's legendary Fountain of Youth. There's not a lot to see, but you're likely to hear tall tales worth the cab fare. You can also stop off at some lovely, uncrowded beaches.