Five kilometers (3 miles) off the east coast of Great Abaco, Green Turtle Cay is the jewel of the archipelago, a little island with an uneven coastline, deep bays, sounds, and good beaches, one of which stretches for 1,080m (3,542 ft.). You can roam through green forests, gentle hills, and secluded inlets. The island is 5.5km (3 1/2 miles) long and 1km (2/3 mile) across, lying some 274km (170 miles) due east of Palm Beach, Florida.
Water depths seldom exceed 4.5 to 6m (15-20 ft.) inside the string of cays that trace the outer edge of the Bahama Bank. Coral gardens teem with colorful sea life, making for fabulous snorkeling. Shelling on the lovely beaches and offshore sandbars is among the finest in The Bahamas. If you have a boat, you can explore such deserted islands as Fiddle Cay to the north, and No Name Cay and Pelican Cay to the south of Green Turtle Cay.
New Plymouth, at the southern tip of the cay, is an 18th-century settlement that has the flavor of an old New England sailing port. Much of the original masonry was made from lime that was produced when conch shells were broken up, burned, and sifted for cement (records say that the alkali content was so high that it would burn the hands of the masons who used it). Clapboard houses with gingerbread trim line the narrow streets of the little town, which once had a population of 1,800 people, now shrunk to 400. Green Turtle Cay became known for the skill of its shipbuilders, although the industry, like many others in the area, failed after slaves were totally emancipated in The Bahamas in 1838.
Parliament is the village's main street, and you can walk its length in just 10 minutes, passing only by a few clucking hens. Many of the houses have front porches, where locals sit in the evening enjoying the breezes.
