Frommer's Favorite Experiences

Listening to the sounds of Goombay. At some local joint, you can enjoy an intoxicating beat and such island favorites as Andros-born Elon Moxey's "Catch the Crab" and K.B.'s "Civil Servants" (a satire of the sometimes pervasive governmental bureaucracy in The Bahamas). Deeply ingrained in the Bahamian musical psyche is a song that eventually became a huge international hit, "Funky Nassau." Older, more nostalgic tunes include "Goin' Down Burma Road," "Get Involved," and "John B. Sail."

Riding in a horse-drawn surrey. If you'd like to see Nassau as the Duke of Windsor did when he was governor, consider this archaic but charming form of transportation. It's elegant, romantic, and nostalgic. Surreys await passengers at Rawson Square, in the exact center of Nassau.

Taking a glass-bottom boat ride. Right in the middle of Nassau's harbor, numerous boats wait to take you through the colorful sea gardens off New Providence Island. In the teeming reefs, you'll meet all sorts of sea creatures that inhabit this underwater wonderland.

Spending a day on Blue Lagoon Island. It's like an old Hollywood fantasy of a tropical island. Located off Paradise Island's eastern end, Blue Lagoon Island boasts seven sandy beaches. Boats from the ferryboat docks will take you there and back.