My travel bucket list seems to always be growing. It seems that the more items I tick off, the more I freshly add. The Bahamas has always been on my bucket list, but given its proximity to the United States (and its expense to travel to from Australia), it has always been a “soon…but not quite yet” bucket list item for me. When we were deciding where in the world we wanted to travel to for a week-long getaway later this year, we threw around many places. Being the middle of winter here at home, we wanted somewhere warm.

Looking at the bucket list we had created together, as well as our own individual bucket lists consecutively, it was clear that tropical destinations were on the cards. After much deliberation, we decided on the Bahamas. After our week at the beginning of our time in Bali in April spent island hopping the Nusa Islands had turned out to be such a dream, we wanted a destination that could and would offer a similar experience. The Bahamas had fun, it had sun, and it had diving and adventure…what more could we ask for, for a week’s vacation?

Usually, we just take our work with us and work from wherever we happen to be, but we wanted a week off, without work, to recharge and refresh. I was so excited…finally, this was a bucket list tick we were going to tick off. Plus, it had the famous blue holes, which was something we both really wanted to do (what a bonus).

Hiking and beaches in Eleuthera 

We had the option to travel to different resorts by boat or plane, depending where in the Bahamas we wanted to go and in what timeframe we wanted to get there in. With just a week to explore before heading back home, we chose to island hop, spending a few days in each location. One of the highlights (and perhaps one of the most unexpected favourites in the Bahamas) was the hiking we did.

Hard to pull ourselves away from the crystal-clear waters, we wanted to be active as well. Eleuthera is home to the Leon Levy Native Plant Reserve, and it boasts stunning hiking trails with the country’s largest collections of flora and fauna. This effort to protect the natural beauty and wonder of the Bahamas did not go unnoticed or unappreciated, and it has made us put the Bahamas back on the list for round two.

Finally diving the blue holes of Andros

All over the world, there are boundless examples of natural beauty and incredible experience. This is true in all the nooks and crannies of the planet, but is there ever anything as alien, as mesmerising, as exploring the vast expanses and stunning blues of the ocean? If there is any underwater experience as incredible to witness, and yet unbelievable to behold, it is the blue holes of Andros.

It was unbelievable to be there, incredible to experience, and unforgettably magical. The blue holes should be on everyone’s bucket list…I honestly could not do them justice with words, or even pictures and footage. You need to experience them for yourself. Whether it was diving and snorkelling under the surface, or kayaking, sailing and kiteboarding across the flawless sheen of the water, this spot was a must.

Nurse sharks and swimming pigs in the Exumas 

I cannot stress enough how much we love getting up close and personal (in respective ways, of course) with wildlife when we travel. When we decided on the Bahamas, I was adamant that we go to the Exumas to swim with the nurse sharks and the swimming pigs. This was incredible. Just go, and do it for yourself.