by Julie Moore Bantin

Created on: March 20, 2010   Last Updated: February 18, 2011

Take a tropical getaway vacation this summer . A vacation is a time to relax and forget about work for awhile. A time to sit back and let go. For some of us, a fun vacation might mean Vegas or Atlantic City where the excitement never stops. Maybe you like the wild outdoors and choose to rough it for awhile.  You could look into a dude ranch or even go backpacking through Yosemite.  But why not choose  a tropical retreat.  Do you want a bustling resort where everything is planned out for you or do you want something a little more romantic?

If you are looking for a real get away vacation, try Great Exuma Bahamas.  The island is very low key, with several good small hotels and also a new resort on the northern part of the island. Whether you want a quiet little room or want a little more action, you can find it here.

Georgetown is the main town and there you will find a straw market where locals sell their handmade wares and offer other services such as hair braiding.  You will find the prices at the straw market to be reasonable and the quality of the items to be very good. There are also several other small shops in downtown Georgetown where you will find postcards and other trinkets to take home with you.

You can take a boat across Exuma Sound to Stocking Island and see all sorts of things there.  You can stay on the calmer Exuma Sound side where the water is so clear that you can actually see starfish walking right along with you as you wade through the beautiful blue water.  On the other side of Stocking Island, the Atlantic Ocean offers another wonderful place for you to explore.  If you brought a sturdy pair of shoes with you, you could hike to the top of the hill to the salt tower and see a wonderful view of the hurricane holes where boats hide during rough weather.  On the other hand, you could always just lay back on a lounge chair and enjoy the wonderful view and the warm tropical breeze.

There is so much to do on Great Exuma you will not get bored easily. You could try bone fishing or even snorkeling  while on the island. There are several places  that a guide will be glad to show you.  You also don't want to miss seeing where the Tropic of Cancer crosses through the island.  Pretty Molly Bay is another must see.  There are several guided tours that you can take during your stay.  The locals will be more than happy to show you around, or you can rent a car or scooter and explore for yourself.  Just be sure that you stay on the correct side of the road as they follow British rules for driving. 

So if you want to just get away from it all and don't want to deal with all the noise and crowds, Great Exuma is a wonderful place to  forget your troubles for awhile and truly get away.

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