Side Trips

If you've walked around George Town and now want to see more of Great Exuma Island, you'll need either a taxi or a rental car to drive Queen's Highway, which runs the length of the island and is still referred to as the "slave route."

Forty-five kilometers (28 miles) north of George Town, Rolleville is named after Lord Rolle, a British plantation owner and, in his time, the chief employer on the island. This village is still inhabited by descendants of his freed slaves, as his will left them the land, which is never sold but instead passed from one generation to the next.

As you travel north along the highway, you'll see ruins of plantations. This land is called "generation estates," and the major ones are Steventon, Mount Thompson, and Ramsey. You'll pass other settlements such as Mosstown (which has working farms), the Forest, Farmer's Hill, and Roker's Point. Steventon is the last settlement before you reach Rolleville, which is the largest of the plantation estates. There are several beautiful beaches along the way, especially the ones at Tarr Bay and Jimmie Hill.

If you head south from George Town, you'll pass Flamingo Bay and Pirate's Point. In the 18th century, Captain Kidd is said to have anchored at Kidd Cay. You, however, can stay at the Regatta Point. Flamingo Bay, the site of a hotel and villa development, begins just 1km (2/3 mile) from George Town. It's a favorite rendezvous of bonefishers and the yachting set.