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Here are some of the most common misconceptions about these sunny islands. So the next time someone starts talking about wanting to go mountain climbing in The Bahamas, you can set him straight.
Columbus definitely landed at San Salvador
Historians aren't certain whether Columbus's three Spanish ships actually landed on San Salvador (which used to be called Watling's Island until the Bahamian legislature changed it in 1926). The Italian seafarer left no marker to indicate his landfall. Some geographers claim that the landfall occurred on one of the cays of Turks and Caicos; another site in the running is Cat Island. Artifacts of European origin, dating anywhere from 1490 to 1560, were found on San Salvador in 1983. But in a meticulously researched article, National Geographic published evidence in 1986 that the landfall occurred at Samana Cay, some 104km (65 miles) to the southeast of San Salvador.
The question will probably never be resolved. All we know is that at 2 a.m. on the moonlit night of October 12, 1492, Columbus and his men landed somewhere in the southern Bahamas and woke up some sleepy Lucayans who called them "men from Heaven." In time, when the Spanish killed or sold the Native Americans into slavery, the seafarers may have been more aptly called "men from Hell."
The Bahamas are one island
The Bahamas aren't one island — in fact, this archipelago is made up of more than 700 islands, from large landmasses to sandbars. People inhabit only about 30 of the islands, and just a handful of islands actually have hotels.
The Bahamas are in the Caribbean
Sure, it begins with a B, just like Barbados and Bonaire, but The Bahamas (like Bermuda) are in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea. The Bahamas are close enough that the weather most often feels like the West Indies. Scattered across some 100,000 sq. miles of ocean, the islands of the once-British Bahamas have their own special flavor. However, they share a West Indian heritage with their Caribbean neighbors. Therefore, you do find some similarities in architecture, food, music, dance, and the accents of the people.
Beach weather is a given
The weather is not always warm enough for the beach. The Bahamas do cool off to often springlike temperatures around late December to March. Those months are much better for playing golf and tennis than for swimming and sunbathing. The weather can change quickly during this time of year, moving in a flash from beach days to cool days, and then back again.
The islands are mountainous
In the low-lying islands, mountains are more like molehills. The highest point in all The Bahamas — on sleepy Cat Island — is just 206 feet. Unlike the often-majestic volcanic islands of the Caribbean, these Atlantic isles were created by coral reefs, which make for phenomenal scuba diving and snorkeling, starting in unusually shallow waters.
Palm trees are all over the place
Except around resorts and residential developments, where people planted palms, most of the trees you see are long-needled casuarina pines. Palms line some beaches, but wispy-looking evergreens (which lean in the direction of the prevailing wind) border the majority of beaches.
For casinos and hot nightlife, pick any island
If you want to gamble into the wee hours or dance 'til the sun comes up, you need to choose the island(s) you visit carefully. Head to Nassau, Cable Beach, or Paradise Island (all on or attached to the island of New Providence), or to Freeport or Lucaya (on Grand Bahama Island). The rest of the islands don't have casinos, and what little nightlife they do have is liveliest on weekends.
All Bahamians are of African descent
On some islands, you find lots of locals with blue eyes and white skin. For example, almost everyone is of European ancestry on Spanish Wells, off the island of Eleuthera, as well as on Man-O-War Cay and Guana Cay, both in the Abacos. Most of these residents are direct descendants of some of The Bahamas' earliest settlers: the Eleutherian Adventurers. Arriving in Spanish Wells in the mid-1600s, these settlers came from Britain in search of religious freedom. In the late 1700s, after the Revolutionary War ended in America, Loyalists (Euro-Americans who sided with the British Crown) also fled to both Eleuthera and the Abacos.
Islanders resent tourists
Bahamians are some of the most personable folks around — that is, as long as visitors treat them with respect. For example, if you need to ask someone for directions, say "Hello" first, and don't assume that every local you see works at the resort, store, or restaurant that you're visiting. Strike up a conversation with a resident, and you're sure to come away with a tip about a popular nightspot or a little-known beach. You may even end up with a new friend.
Reggae music is the local sound
Although you certainly hear reggae music in The Bahamas, it was born in Jamaica, not in these islands. You also hear plenty of calypso (originally from Trinidad), plus lots of American pop, R&B, and rock. But along with all those imports, The Bahamas have their own sound. Traditionally played with cowbells, goatskin drums, whistles, and trumpets, fast-paced Junkanoo music is at the heart of the colorful carnival-like festival held on Boxing Day (Dec 26) and New Year's Day.
You may also hear the sounds of Goombay (a pared-down version of Junkanoo that's generally played without the elaborate festival costumes). Particularly in the Out Islands, some nightspots still have old-fashioned rake and scrapes, where bands turn things like washboards, saws, and barrels into instruments.
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