In this episode we are super excited to talk about our recent trip to the Bahamas! Not only because we liked the sun, sand, and warm clear waters (duh…), but how we were able to enjoy a full two week stay while saving money. Accommodations, food and excursions can get really expensive, but there are ways to have a great vacation without blowing your budget. We also share some of the highlights for us of the island, what we ate and some things we brought along that turned out to be really cool.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below right on your computer! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we talked about in the episode. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player below.
Prefer reading? Use the PODCAST TRANSCRIPT! Click here to open in a new window and read.
Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Our Caribbean Vacation
Get ready for photos! The promised selfie on the beach:
And the podcast by the ocean fail set-up:
Though the sunset was sure pretty, wasn’t it?
And here’s the screened porch area of the Airbnb we stayed in:
If our experience sounds good to you, then I would recommend this listing (close to beach, fun island vibe, but not 5-star by any means…), especially because the host takes the “super” in Airbnb’s “Superhost” designation to a whole new level.
Here is the listing on Airbnb. And if you’re new to Airbnb, you can use this referral link to get $40 off a booking of $75 or more!
The Bahamas Activities
Above is an example of the quiet local beaches we frequented (vs. the resort beach areas). This was Goodman Bay, just before the Cable Beach tourist area. It’s lovely, peaceful, and you’re not bothered by anyone except the occasional person who walks by and says “hi.”
This is Queen’s Staircase, which is an easy walk from downtown, and leads to a small old fort that has history and some nice views (the fort cost $3 but the staircase is free).
Downtown Nassau was cute with its older buildings painted bright colors. You can see the huge cruise ships docked and when they were in port, it was really crowded. And when they were gone, it wasn’t.
But for me, the trip was all about the water that I remembered from a trip to the Caribbean when I was in college. Isn’t it amazing? Clear, warm, and wonderful. We spent hours swimming, snorkeling, and just reading on the beach so we could look at the beauty surrounding us.
I also appreciated (which I didn’t mention in the podcast) that the temperature was pretty much the same all day long so when you got up you could put your skirt and tank top on and know you’d wear it all day. Except when you changed into your swim suit, that is!
Let’s just say this is WAY different from western Oregon (and most places in the states, I’d guess…).
Here’s a link to the Bahamas visitor official site where you can see more activities and offerings.
What’s Cooking
Brian trying the local beer (he thought it was good). This was a restaurant in The Fish Fry, which is an area just west of downtown that holds a LOT of restaurants. They all seem to serve about the same things, but the ambience of them are different.
We ate at three, I think, and the one pictured above, Frankie’s Gone Bananas, was the one we liked the best.
Here is just one pile of conch (pronounced “conk”) shells you see around the island. This was behind some restaurants in The Fish Fry where almost every place sold conch salads, fritters, chowder, and fried conch. So, yeah, a lot of conch.
No pictures of our salads and egg scrambles we ate, but I’m sure you can use your imagination there, ha!
This is Really Cool!
Brian’s: Long-Sleeved Rashguard that saved his back from sunburn. (I also used a rashguard that I talked about here that I love, especially because it zips up!)
Jami’s: The versatile Sarong! The sarong pictured above is similar to my sarong in length and fringe edge and since I love it, I tried to find one just like it in case you wanted one, too.
Programming Note: We announced we’re taking a summer break! We’ll be back in September with more stories, farmhouse updates and how the garden turned out, so be sure to subscribe to be notified when the newest episode drops.
Thanks for listening! If you like this podcast, you can really help us out by telling your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us a review – that’s how other’s will find us too.
And if you’d like to ask a question or leave an idea for future podcasts you can call (541) 658-0215 to leave a voicemail and we’ll talk about it on the air!
For more from An Oregon Cottage, follow on Instagram @AnOregonCottage, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe to the AOC newsletter.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this post will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
hjc says
This podcast was fabulous! It was like walking down memory lane because I (along with my family in various iterations) have been to the Bahamas five times on mission trips in the last ten or so years. It was so fun listening to your impressions and I kept thinking, “I wonder if they’ll talk about _____,” and then you would! (i.e., peas and rice, conch, snorkeling, empty beaches, etc.). We stayed on the island of Eleuthera, which has little to no tourism and we would do work projects and VBS for the local kids. Eleuthera is a long, skinny island, and at the high school where we stayed, you could stand on the hill and see ocean on either side of you. There’s also a place called the Glass Bridge where you can see the Caribbean on one side and the Atlantic on the other. The Caribbean is it’s usual clear, calm turquoise and the Atlantic is dark and very agitated. So interesting! I’m glad you guys enjoyed your vacation! Thanks for bringing up all kinds of memories for me (and the desire to head back soon!). The other thing I thought you might mention is the Bahamians beautiful English, which always sounded like a foreign language to me for the first few days until I could get used to the cadence again. And the kids (I don’t know if you got to meet any) talked SO FAST! Wow! Anyway, thanks for sharing and I will miss hearing my “friends” over the summer, but look forward to catching up again in September!
-Heidi:-)
Jami says
Oh, I’m so glad this hit home for you, Heidi! What lovely memories. And yes, the kids we did see talked so fast and with such an island slang that I couldn’t understand them. 🙂
I had read about the Glass Bridge and hoped to get there since it sounded amazing, but it was a bit far for us. We did see that island on the inhabited island list – how fun to be able to see water all around you on that high point. I think I might get stir crazy if I lived there, though, ha!
hjc says
I thought it might bother me even just staying there (I’ve never wanted to be on a boat out in the ocean where I couldn’t see land!), but it wasn’t bad at all. You just kind of focus inland (inward) and it quickly becomes the new normal. Now I don’t know if I’d feel that way during hurricane season, but we’ll never know, as I don’t plan to visit during that time! :-).
Jami says
🙂