WHERE TO NEXT? Bahamas!
Destination: The Bahamas
Travel Buddy: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, also known as JetSetSarah, is a travel writer, on-screen host and self-described “Carivangelist,” who goes to the beach and beyond to share the culture, lifestyle and personalities of the Caribbean with the world. Based in Miami, she’s also “jetsetter in chief” at JetSetSarah.com, where her passions - travel, style and fitness - meet.
Who is this destination best suited for? If you’re a beach lover, get your bum to the Bahamas! The sugary white sand and Windex-blue water in the archipelago of 700 islands has to be seen to be believed – and even then, it feels like a dream!
When is best to go? As soon as you can! Although it can be “cool” (in the 60s F) during the winter months, the weather in the Bahamas is sunny year-round. And after a challenging pandemic year, these tourism-dependent islands really need your business.
What Beach Bums piece to pack? I adore the flirty ruffles and retro vibe of the High Tide bikini and I can imagine myself sashaying along any Caribbean beach in it!
Tell us about an unforgettable experience? I’m lucky to have had a lot of them! Hiking to the top of St. Lucia’s Gros Piton; climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge; playing masduring Trinidad Carnival … I could go on and on.
Top 3 hang outs/activities: I love Exuma Water Sports’ day tour, during which you swim with pigs (really); snorkel in Thunderball Cave; and pet nurse sharks at Compass Cay. Otherwise, I’m happy just to sit in the surf and sip a frosty Kalik, the islands’ beer.
The best restaurant: On Stocking Island, Chat ‘n’ Chill serves the BEST conch salad, prepped to order from conch that was in the water just minutes earlier. It doesn’t get any fresher or more delicious!
The best beach: I think the Bahamas’ best strands are in the Out Islands, beyond the main island of New Providence (where the capital, Nassau, is located). On Harbour Island, Pink Sands Beach is a three-mile sweep of – you guessed it – pink sand. I also love Tahiti Beach, a stunning sandbar near Elbow Cay.
What souvenir to get? I believe in shopping local, and I can sniff out a “shopportunity” anywhere in the world. In the Bahamas, I buy batik Androsia fabric, traditionally hand-made on the Out Island of Andros. Straw baskets, hats and home accessories, handcrafted from plaited Palmetto fronds, are great takeaways, too.
If you like the Bahamas, you will probably also like French Polynesia, where tiny white-sand, palm-fringed islands called motus remind me so much of the Out Islands.
Always in my luggage: My iPhone 12 Pro Max, my Takeya water bottle, and my customized Anya Hindmarch passport case.
Top 3 destinations: In the Caribbean: Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Bequia (of course!) Globally: Tokyo, New York City and Sydney.
Reading/listening to in your sun lounge? When I’m on the beach, simply lying with my eyes closed and ears open to the incessant ebb and flow of the waves is entertainment enough for me.
Life hacks to feel confident in a swimsuit: Trust me, NO ONE is noticing the body “flaws” you think are so obvious! What they will notice is your smile, your sunny disposition and your super-cute suit. Focus on those things and feel like the belle of the beach.
Morning dip or night swim? A refreshing dip after a sunrise beach run sounds like heaven to me.
Life motto: Love yourself before expecting others to love you back.
Next on your bucket list? Part of my ancestry is West African and I’m eager to visit Ghana, Nigeria and Benin to see if I feel a connection. I’d also love to do a winter train trip on the Rocky Mountaineer.