Virtually untouched by tourism, the 3200 residents of LONG ISLAND live in a dozen or so small fishing settlements along a seventy-mile strip, a narrow sliver of land rarely more than two miles wide, separating Grand Bahama Bank from the Atlantic Ocean. Running along the spine of the island, the central road connecting its villages - The Queen's Highway - only became passable when it was resurfaced in 1991, the same year electricity and telephones arrived.

 

A varied landscape of steep rocky cliffs, sheltered coves filled with turquoise water, idyllic green pastures with grazing goats, and historic churches in quaint seaside villages, Long Beach offers eye-catching sightseeing, whether by car or bicycle. Along with its unspoiled rustic beauty, the island's key attractions are its excellent diving and snorkelling , superb fishing throughout the year, and many pristine beaches . These include the striking white sands that stretch for three miles along Cape Santa Maria at the north end of the island; Guana Cay with its terrific snorkelling, further south; and secluded Lowes Beach on the Atlantic side near the southern end.

Although most locals continue to make their living from fishing, the small burg of Mangrove Bush , at the southern end of the island, is home to a number of artisans constructing wooden boats - a longstanding tradition in the area. The Long Island Sailing Regatta , held in Salt Pond in mid-May for the past 35 years, is one of the main social events in the Out Islands.

Further along, two essential sights not to be missed include Hamilton's Cave , near the village of Cartwrights , a collection of underground chambers filled with colourful stalactites, stalagmites and pictographs, and the Columbus Monument , atop a rocky bluff at the northern tip of the island, offering a stunning panorama of the craggy terrain and white-sand fringes that Columbus first surveyed on his two-week Bahamian tour in 1492.