Most islanders live at the unattractively named Deadman's Cay. Other settlements have equally colorful names: Newfound Harbour, Burnt Ground, Indian Head Point, and, at the island's northern tip, Cape Santa Maria, generally believed to be where Columbus landed and from where he looked on the Exumas (islands that he did not visit). Our favorite name, however, is Hard Bargain, located 16km (10 miles) south of Clarence Town. No one seems to know how this place (now a shrimp-breeding farm) got its name.

Two underground sites that can be visited on Deadman's Cay are Dunmore's Caves and Deadman's Cay Cave. You'll need to hire a local guide to explore these. Dunmore's Caves are believed to have been inhabited by Lucayans and later to have served as a hideaway for buccaneers. The cave at Deadman's Cay, one of two that lead to the ocean, has never been fully explored. There are two designs that were chiseled into the cavern wall by long-ago islanders.

Try to visit Clarence Town, 16km (10 miles) south of Deadman's Cay along the eastern coastline. It was here that Father Jerome, the priest who became known as the islands' "father confessor," built two churches before his death in 1956: St. Paul's, an Anglican house of worship, and St. Peter's, a Roman Catholic church. The "hermit" of Cat Island (you can visit his Hermitage there) was interested in Gothic architecture. He must also have been somewhat ecumenical because he started his ministry as an Anglican but embraced Roman Catholicism along the way.

Many ruins recall the days when local plantation owners figured their wealth in slaves and cotton. The remains of Dunmore's Plantation, at Deadman's Cay, stand on a hill surrounded by the sea on three sides. There are six gateposts (four outer and two inner), as well as a house with two fireplaces and wall drawings of ships. At the base of the ruins is evidence that a mill wheel was once used here. The property was part of the estate of Lord Dunmore, for whom Dunmore Town on Harbour Island was named.

In the village of Gray's stand the ruins of Gray's Plantation, where you'll see the remnants of at least three houses, one with two chimneys. One was very large, while the other seems to have been a one-story structure with a cellar.

Adderley's Plantation, off Cape Santa Maria, originally occupied all the land now known as Stella Maris. The ruins at this cotton plantation comprise three structures that are partially intact but roofless.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.