Active Pursuits

Along with sampling Green Turtle Cay's aquatic diversions, you can visit a museum and wander the streets of New Plymouth, the historic waterfront village.

About a 10-minute walk from Bluff House and 5 minutes from the Green Turtle Club, Coco Bay is one of the most beautiful crescents in The Bahamas. Shaded by casuarina pine trees and lapped by lazy waves, this long beach is often empty. The rougher Ocean Beach, about a 10-minute stroll from either Bluff House or the Green Turtle Club, is another stunner. Frothy waves thrash the stark white sand, set off by the intense blue of the Atlantic.

You can take a boat trip to one of the nearby uninhabited islands that are ringed with even more pristine beaches. On Manjack Cay, for example, the expanse of sugar-white sand seems to go on forever, and the shallow, clear water is a brilliant shade of turquoise. There's no regular service from the ferry dock; negotiate with one of the local boatmen. The staff at your hotel will be helpful in this regard.

With one of the world's largest barrier reefs, the Abacos offers some of The Bahamas' most varied and least crowded (also known as best) snorkeling and diving sites. You can get an eyeful at reefs starting in depths of just 1.5m (5 ft.) and ranging to 18m (59 ft.) and more. Like sheets on a clothesline, sprawling schools of fish billow by coral caverns, huge tube and barrel sponges, and fields of elk and staghorn coral. Sea turtles and large groupers are common sights. In fact, the waters are so clear that you can often see farther than 30m (98 ft.).

Scuba divers can poke around the wreck of the San Jacinto. At this American steamship that was built in 1847 and sank 2 decades ago, you can feed the resident bright-green moray eel. Rates run about $140 (£74) for a scuba resort course, $500 (£265) for full certification, $60 (£32) for a one-tank dive, and $80 (£42) for a two-tank dive.

If you like small groups and big fun, try Brendal's Dive Center (tel. 242/365-4411; www.brendal.com) at the Green Turtle Club Marina. Whether you're an experienced diver or snorkeler or you're just getting your feet wet, the personal attention makes the difference here. Originally from Acklins, a small Bahamian island to the south, Brendal has more than 2 decades of underwater experience. A special treat for snorkelers is the wild dolphin encounter trip ($75/£40 per person), which includes stops at undisturbed islands. This company also rents kayaks ($10/£5.30 per hour for singles, $12/£6.35 per hour for doubles, or $190/£101 a week for the single, $250/£133 for the double). You can also hook up with this activity at Green Turtle Divers (tel. 242/365-4271), which has a full-service dive shop right at the hotel. Both divers and snorkelers get a 15% discount if registered at the hotel.

Call Lincoln Jones at tel. 242/365-4223, and he'll arrange a snorkeling adventure for you -- probably on some deserted beach that only he knows about. Prices are to be negotiated, of course, but a lunch of fresh conch or lobster is a fine addition to any day.

If you've had enough of sitting on the beach and relaxing, you can explore the ocean. From boat rentals to fishing expeditions, Green Turtle Cay offers an array of things to do.

Based at the Green Turtle Club marina, Brendal's Dive Center (tel. 242/365-4411) can take you on a group sunset cruise (complete with rum punch) on an 8.8m (29-ft.) sailboat for $60 (£32) per person (up to eight passengers). To see the coral without getting wet, Brendal's hosts glass-bottom boat trips for $50 (£27) per person.

Contact Donny's Boat Rentals (tel. 242/365-4119) in Black Sound for speedboats. This company rents Whalers and Makos (types of motorboats) starting at $70 (£37) a day for a 4.2m (14-ft.) boat. Or try Reef Rentals (tel. 242/365-4145), directly across from the ferry dock in New Plymouth. This fleet includes a sleek motorboat made on Man-O-War Cay, the nearby island long known for its excellent boat building. Rentals start at $265 (£140) for 3 days for a 5.7m (19-ft.) Wellcraft.

Reserving a boat when you make your hotel and airline reservations is a good idea, particularly during the busy spring and summer.

Fishermen from all over the world visit Green Turtle Cay, seeking yellowfin, dolphin (not the mammal), and big game wahoo, among other catches. If you want to go deep-sea fishing, check with the two cousins in the Sawyer family. Referrals are usually made through the Green Turtle Club (tel. 242/365-4070), or you can call directly at tel. 242/365-2461.

The annual Green Turtle Club Fishing Tournament (tel. 800/688-4752 or 242/365-4271) was on hold at press time, but call for information to see whether it's on when you're visiting in May. There's a tennis court at Bluff House (tel. 242/365-4247), where guests play free.