Culture & History

Island
Hopper
GUIDES

A Visit to the Pirates of Nassau Museum for History Lovers

In late 2025, underwater archaeologists identified the first Golden Age pirate shipwrecks ever found in Nassau Harbor—three vessels out of six total wreck sites, including one that may be the legendary Fancy, the 46-gun frigate captured by pirate Henry Avery in 1696. These discoveries, documented by National Geographic, have reignited interest in Nassau’s pirate history. For anyone fascinated by the Golden Age of Piracy, there’s no better place to start than the Pirates of Nassau Museum. This article covers what history lovers can expect from a visit to the museum, the real history behind Nassau’s pirate past, and the

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Inside Fort Charlotte the Bahamas Largest Colonial Fortress

The first cannon blast echoes across the Nassau skyline, and for a second, it’s easy to imagine redcoats scrambling along the ramparts. Fort Charlotte is the largest of the Nassau forts, covering 100 acres, and it remains one of the best preserved colonial fortifications in the Bahamas. This guide covers what to see inside the fortress, how the reenactments work, and practical tips for visiting with family. Fort Charlotte is the largest of the Nassau forts, covering 100 acres — one of the best preserved colonial fortifications in the Bahamas. Emily’s Take Fort Charlotte offers a solid half-day outing

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How to Try Coconut Husking and Palm Weaving on a Beach Day

You’re sitting on a stretch of sand, waves rolling in, and you’ve got a coconut in one hand and a palm frond in the other. Coconut husking takes about 5–10 minutes, and a basic palm weave can be finished in 10–20 minutes. This article walks through how to try both on a laid-back beach day, with tips on gear, safety, and what to watch out for. It’s a low-cost, hands-on way to create something simple and pass the time by the sea. Coconut husking takes about 5–10 minutes; a basic palm weave can be finished in 10–20 minutes. Emily’s

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Salt Raking by Hand a Dying Bahamian Trade Worth Understanding

The southernmost island in the Bahamas, Inagua, has produced salt for centuries — a trade so valuable it was once called “white gold” that built the Bahamian economy and attracted European colonizers (Native Stew). Today, salt raking by hand is a dying craft, and understanding its history offers a rare window into the islands’ past. This article covers the tradition of salt raking on Inagua, the process behind it, the challenges it faces, and how you can respectfully learn about it if you visit. Salt raking on Inagua produces “white gold” that built the Bahamas and attracted European colonizers.

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A Guide to Visiting a Working Bahamian Salt Pond

Salt Pond, a settlement of fewer than one hundred residents on Long Island’s eastern shore, takes its name from the shallow pans that once supported a thriving salt industry. The ponds are still there, edged by white crust and frequented by wading birds, and they offer a rare window into a trade that shaped the Bahamas for centuries. This guide covers what to expect when you visit the historic salt ponds, the annual regatta that brings the community to life, and the practical details that make an out-island trip work for families and solo travellers alike. Historic salt ponds,

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Touring Blackbeard’s Tower and Nassau’s Real Pirate History

Just off the coast of Nassau, under the shark-patrolled waters of the harbour, six shipwrecks have been discovered—three of them directly linked to the golden age of piracy. The most dramatic find is a charred wooden hull, likely the remains of the Fancy, the flagship of Henry Avery, who in 1695 looted gold, silver, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds worth more than £85 million in today’s money. For anyone curious about the real story behind the pirate legends, this article breaks down the new discoveries, what they tell us about Blackbeard and Calico Jack Rackham, and how you can engage

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Bahamian Beekeepers Are Turning Wildflowers Into Liquid Gold

On a hike across Long Island half a dozen years ago, Charles Burrows got stung. Not by a bee — by the idea of keeping them. Now 64, Burrows runs Charlie Bee Farms, producing raw organic honey from the wildflowers that bloom across the Bahamian scrubland. The global honey market was valued at roughly $500 million in 2017 and is projected to reach around $910 million by 2025. This article takes you inside the tradition — where to find Bahamian wildflower honey, how to buy it straight from a beekeeper, and what makes it different from the processed jars

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How to Try Traditional Bahamian Palm Thatching

On a drive through the Exumas, I counted six thatched roofs before we reached the next settlement — a reminder that this traditional craft is still very much alive in the Bahamas. Palm thatching has been passed down through generations of Bahamian builders, and while modern materials have replaced it in many places, you can still find skilled thatchers at work on the outer islands. This article covers what palm thatching is, how the process works, and where you can see it done — whether you’re a curious traveller or someone who might want to try their hand at

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A Guide to Visiting a Bahamian Boat Building Workshop

I watched a shipwright on Man-O-War Cay run his hand along a mahogany stem — not measuring, just feeling — then nod and reach for his adze. That moment, more than any finished hull, is what a boat-building workshop visit gives you: a glimpse into a craft that has shaped Bahamian islands for centuries. By the late 1700s, Bahamian-made boats had reached a standard of “superior quality,” used for everything from inter-island communication to carrying cargo to North America and the West Indies. This guide covers what to expect at a working boatyard on the Abaco Cays, how visits

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Exploring Little Exuma’s Salt Pond Ruins on Foot

You can see the Tuscan-style Salt Beacon from the road in Williams Town, a 30-foot pillar that looks like it belongs on a Mediterranean hillside rather than a Bahamian outpost. The plaque at the base explains the beacon was built in the late 18th or early 19th century during the Loyalist Era, when salt was big business in the Caribbean. The Great Salina salt pond next to it reportedly produced 300,000 bushels of salt per year — about 10,000 tons. That’s a lot of salt for a quiet island. This article covers a self-guided walk from Williams Town past

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