Bahamas - The Recap

At the end of any vacation I always reflect on the experience and ask myself one question. That question is would I return. After a week on the island of Grand Bahama I would say no. That isn't to say that I had a terrible time but it wasn't an amazing experience either or a spectacular enough place that I would sacrifice exploring someplace new to return.

Let's talk about the great things about the island. At only 50 Miles from the eastern coast of the US it is a short plane ride.  Our total flying time was a little over three hours which makes it an appealing destination for a quick getaway.  Snorkeling and scuba diving here was a great experience and gave us an opportunity to explore the abundant marine life just off the beautiful sandy beaches.  We had an exceptional time at Caribbean Divers located at the Bell Channel Inn. That experience was definitely the highlight of our visit and will be remembered for years to come. 

On the flip side there are more negatives to discuss. While it is no surprise that island life dictates a slower pace then I am accustomed to living in the North East what frustrated me most was the ambivalence of workers performing their duties to take care of customers that angered me. From the moment we arrive at the airport I wasted 45 minutes signing out my rental car because the employee was busy on her personal phone talking to someone about her plans for later in the day then taking care of the customers lined up at her counter.  It is also worth mentioning that after waiting so long to get my premium rental I was presented with a Nissan March that had seen better days. We named it the "little shitbox". 

At the resort I was greeted with employees equally uninterested in servicing the needs of their arriving guests and instead we're only interested in selling me a timeshare or other services then actually checking me in for the stay I had already paid for. 

Equally disappointing was the room which at a quick glance was decent but it became clear that the housekeeping hadn't and don't do a particularly good job keeping the rooms in tip top shape. Maintenance was definitely lacking and everything from the rooms, pool, beach, and restaurants showed a lack of detail upkeep and an ambivalence of staff to make a effort to give guest a great experience. 

It wasn't just the resort staff that was rude many of the islanders we meet were equally discourteous to us while visiting. Some were more then welcoming and took obvious pride but they were few and far between. I could go on and on with the numerous examples of rude and unwelcoming behavior we witnessed but I think you get the point. 

More shocking then the poor attitudes we encountered was the abject poverty that was visible everywhere you went. We saw numerous abandoned houses and resorts like the Princess Resort and Casino but many retail businesses were also shuttered.  The once busy International Bazaar was now all but abandoned with only two shops still open. While a few businesses seemed to be thriving they added to the despair of the society like the Bahamian brewery. While employing many we saw beer bottles everywhere we went and learned that discarded smashed bottles were the culprit behind the islands forest fires. 

All of these negative factors outweigh the beautiful beaches and colorful coral reefs that surround the island. I believe it is only a matter of time before the incredible amounts of litter we saw on land polute the water that surrounds the island.  What was one truly a Grand Bahamian Island is no longer that grand.