Active Pursuits

Beaches

Stocking Island, which lies in Elizabeth Harbour, faces the town across the bay, less than 1.6km (1 mile) away. This long, thin barrier island has some of the most gorgeous beaches in The Bahamas. Snorkelers and scuba divers come here to explore the blue holes, and it is also ringed with undersea caves and coral gardens. Boat trips leave daily from Elizabeth Harbour heading for Stocking Island at 10am and 1pm. The cost is $8 (£4.25) per person round-trip. However, guests of Club Peace & Plenty ride free.

If you'd like to go shelling, walk the beach that runs along the Atlantic side of Stocking Island.

The island has its own activities center run by Exuma Scuba Adventures (tel. 242/336-2893). Stocking Island used to be a private enclave for guests at Club Peace & Plenty, but now all visitors use it. Visibility is great in these waters, and there are many rainbow-hued fish to see. For a 3-hour trip, snorkeling, including all equipment, costs $65 (£34). A one-tank dive goes for $75 (£40), going up to $125 (£66) for a two-tank dive.

Yachting types and others visiting the island like to drop in at Kenneth Bowe's Chat & Chill (no phone), a laid-back place that somehow manages to be both upmarket and a kind of local dive. Many of the dishes such as fresh fish are grilled over an open fire, and the Sunday pig roasts are an island event. The conch burgers are the best in the Exumas. But the seasonings? They're a secret.

Boating

Landlocked Lake Victoria covers about .8 hectares (2 acres) in the heart of George Town. It has a narrow exit to the harbor and functions as a diving-and-boating headquarters.

If you come to the Exumas aboard your own boat, Exuma Docking Services, Main Street, George Town (tel. 242/336-2578), has slips for 52 boats, with water and electricity hookups. You can also stock up on supplies here, get fuel, and do laundry.

Through the Starfish Activity Center (tel. 242/336-3033; www.kayakbahamas.com), you can rent Hobie Waves, high-performance sailboats that are easy to use. These stable, lightweight-yet-durable, 4.5m (15-ft.) catamarans are ideal for families, as they are simple to maneuver. Sailboat rentals, including Hobie Waves, cost $60 (£32) per half-day or $325 (£172) weekly. One-hour sailboat lessons cost $60 (£32) for one to three participants.

If motor boats are more your speed, Minns Water Sports (tel. 242/336-3483 or 242/336-2604), based out of George Town, rents boats ranging from 4.5 to 6.6m (15-22 ft.) for $85 to $195 (£45-£1030) per day. Exuma Dive Center (tel. 242/336-2390), where boat rentals start at $80 (£42) per day, also offers more economical rates when you keep a boat for a week or longer. With your boat, you can set out to sail the most stunning waters in The Bahamas, rivaled only by the Abacos. The best territory for recreational boating is the government-protected Exumas Cays Land and Sea Park, stretching south from Wax Cay to Conch Cay, with magnificent sea gardens and coral reefs.

Fishing

Many visitors come to the Exumas just to go bonefishing. Arrangements for outings can be made at Club Peace & Plenty, Queen's Highway (tel. 800/525-2210 or 242/336-2551), or at Peace & Plenty Bonefish Lodge, Queen's Highway (tel. 242/345-5555). The Exumas offer miles of wadeable flats (shallow bodies of water), where trained guides will accompany you. Fly-fishing instruction and equipment are also offered.

Golf

The Four Seasons Resort Emerald Bay Golf Club, Emerald Bay (tel. 242/366-6800 or 358-4185), is one of the great oceanfront courses in either The Bahamas or the Caribbean. The Greg Norman design features six oceanfront holes. The par-72 course stretches a challenging 7,001 yards, yet was laid out to accommodate golfers of various skill levels. The course uses environmentally friendly seashore paspalum grass and finishes on a rocky peninsula with a panoramic view of the sea. There's also a pro shop. Greens fees are a steep $95 to $145 (£50-£77) for 18 holes ($145-$175/£77-£93) for nonguests), and reservations are required.

Kayaking

You can best appreciate some of the Exumas' most dramatic scenery from the peaceful perch of a sea kayak. In fact, many areas -- including mangrove lakes, rivers, manta ray gathering spots, and bonefish flats -- are too shallow for other boats to enter. Don't worry if you haven't hit the gym lately. Anyone in at least average physical condition -- from children to seniors -- can kayak with a smile. The Starfish Activity Center (tel. 242/336-3033) rents sit-on-top kayaks for singles and doubles. Singles are $30 (£16) per half-day, $45 (£24) a day, and $160 (£85) a week. Doubles run $45 (£24) per half-day, $55 (£29) a day, and $180 (£95) a week.

For more adventure, book one of Starfish's guided kayak trips, which are offered daily. You don't have to spend the whole time paddling your kayak. During half- and full-day excursions, lunch and beverages are served, and the price covers all gear, including snorkeling equipment. You may find yourself watching a blizzard of fish swarm a shipwreck, searching for sand dollars on a deserted beach, snorkeling into a sea cave, or finding out about bush medicine while you hike along a nature trail. Guided trips begin at $35 (£19) an hour for adults and $25 (£13) for children.

Another good outfitter is Ecosummer Expeditions (tel. 800/465-8884). Ecosummer is especially skilled in exploring Exuma Cays National Land and Sea Park (tel. 242/357-8344), a government-protected natural preserve with excellent wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Scuba Diving

Surrounding the Exumas, fields of massive coral heads, eerie blue holes, and exciting walls covered with marine life attract scuba divers. Many excellent reefs are just 20 or 25 minutes away from the George Town area, so long boat rides don't cut into your underwater time.

For scuba divers, the great attraction here is the Exuma Cays National Land and Sea Park, which is 35km (22 miles) long and 13km (8 miles) wide. It draws scuba divers to its 453 sq. km (177 sq. miles) of sea gardens, with their magnificent coral reefs, flora, and fauna. The park, which was inaugurated in 1958, lies some 35km (22 miles) northeast of Staniel Cay. Call your hotel to ask whether it offers a hotel/dive package, or try Exuma Scuba Adventures (tel. 242/336-2893) at Peace & Plenty Beach Inn for information about scuba-diving excursions. A one-tank morning boat dive goes for $75 (£40); a two-tank dive costs $125 (£66). You can also take an afternoon one-tank boat dive for $65 (£34) or a one-tank night dive for $65 (£34). A reef boat trip for snorkeling costs $25 (£13).

Snorkeling

The best bet for snorkeling is found in the magnificent waters off the coast of Stocking Island . Boat trips from George Town depart for the island twice a day. You can also rent snorkeling equipment for $10 (£5.30) a day at Minns Water Sports in George Town (tel. 242/336-3483).

If you want to snorkel around some of the Exumas' most well-preserved reefs, call Exuma Scuba Adventures (tel. 242/336-2893; www.dive-exuma.com). Its 3-hour-plus excursions cost $65 (£34) per adult, $30 (£16) for children under 12.