And The Adventure Begins With a Breath Taking View From a Plane Window

Ever since childhood I dreamed a dream of white sandy beaches, waters as clear as glass, and of palm trees with real coconuts. I imagined myself on my own deserted paradise, with nothing but me, a hammock, a cool drink, and tons of sunshine.

It took me close to 20 years to finally reach such a destination, and finally...finally I found my paradise, and my paradise? Well let's just say it was all delivered on Grand Bahama Island.

I booked our flight in June of 2008, and up until the day of our flight I worried so many worries. Mostly though I am sure the worries I dealt with were that of anyone who would be taking their very first trip.

My first concern was; was I expecting too much? Would the sand really be as white as websites and brochures offered? Would waters truly be crystal clear? Would I really be surrounded by palm trees? Or would everything be just as it is here in New York. Dark murky waters, sand- but more of a yellowish tint? Palm trees, only planted and not naturally grown?

I worried...would I really find paradise on Grand Bahama Island?

The flight was around 6 hours long, of course we traveled economy, and had a change in the Carolina's. The flight though offered a glimpse of the Bahamas as we grew closer. I could tell we were nearly there when the dark waters we had seen down below for so long, turned into a near glowing turquoise rainbow, with beautiful hues of green, blue, aquamarine, and every other hue of blue one could imagine. I knew just from the view down below, that paradise was soon to be discovered.

All of my worries were set aside, the moment I looked out that window.

Palm Trees with Coconuts!!!!

The moment we stepped off the plane I felt as if we were in a whole new world. Freeport Airport was small, and there were no terminals, we simply stepped off of the plane and into the airports parking lot! This is something that I only thought was done in scenes in Hollywood movies!
After stepping off the plane the heat hit me. It was not a drenching blow of heat, it was a dry clean scent, like nothing I had ever smelled before come from air.
I took my first look at Grand Bahama Island, and I wanted to take in every last scent, and sight. Immediately in the distance I noticed not just a few palm trees, but thousands of them. A tropical jungle if you will.
I knew I was not just on Grand Bahama Island, I was some place special, some place I never ever in my life thought I would be. I felt like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz- only I didn't want to go home.
I was in paradise...now all I needed was to find the water and see for myself if it was crystal clear.
From the small airport we took our cab to Viva Wyndham, an all inclusive resort on the island.
The cab ride itself was an adventure. It took 20 minutes to get to our destination. Our cabbie driver pulled up at the airport in a large taxi van. The van had no seat belts and in New York no way would it ever pass inspection. As uncomfortable as the ride was, it was part of the adventure. Like I said. You are not in Kansas anymore. In Grand Bahama Island many of the roads are covered in bumps, holes, and sand. The ride was indeed bumpy, but the scenery around us impeccable.
On the way we did happen to see a few homes that were in total disarray. They had been destroyed by a hurricane a few years back, and some were still in repair. Others that looked vacant actually had people living in them. Nonetheless, everything was as I had imagined. Beautiful. Palm trees as far as I could see, and phone lines were actually made of large palm trees. No large glorified cylinder shaped poles with lamps like you would find in New York. On Grand Bahama Island everything is simple, making it all the more natural, and all the more beautiful.
Before pulling up to our hotel, I managed to count 3 enormous crabs crossing the street. An image forever marked in my memory, never to be forgotten.

Grand Bahama Island Sea Gull

Where I am from seagulls are big, white and gray. On Grand Bahama Island the gulls take on a much smaller and prettier apperance. As you can see, they are more of a dark gray, and white, than a light gray like here in the USA.

Cute huh?

My, What a View!!!

Once the taxi dropped us off at our hotel, I wondered if it would be a dark dank little box of a hotel.

My worries though all slipped away the moment we pulled up. We had an employee grab our bags and take them into the main lobby where we checked in.

I could not see water yet, but I could feel it, and I honestly could not wait to be checked in, and given our water view room.

Once we were given our room, I was a little hesitant, because I still did not see water. The nice man who carried our luggage went over to the large balcony sliding doors, and pulled away the curtains to reveal our dream like water view.

There before me, no less than 50 feet away stood a gigantic beach! White powdery sand? Check! Turquoise blue waters? Check! Palm trees? Check, check, check!!!

Our view was spectacular, and even though we were jet lag, we hit the beach up immediately, with our underwater camera in hand, and our scuba gear; we were ready to see what Grand Bahama had to offer; under water!

*Our view, day and night photos- above.

Gold Rock Beach

Framed Coral Reef Print, Get It Here


Gold Rock Beach Postcards, Get Them Here




Gold Rock Beach Pin, Get Them Here

A List Of Wonderful Grand Bahama Island Activites, Tours, and Excursions.

I am busily preparing all sorts of excursions for my second upcoming trip to Grand Bahama Island.

Last year (2008) we were prepared, but we did not get to do as many excursions as we would have liked to.

When I get back this year in September, I will review every and all excursion we had the time to participate in.

For those of you who are new to the island though, I found quite a few tours, and excursions that may peak your interest.

The first is ExoticAdventures (click to be taken to site)

What is so neat about this site is the fact that you can schedule for one of the example tours, or you can create your own.

I personally want to visit surrounding cays, and will likely be making arrangements with this company as the vacation draws nearer.

Visit the site for more information!

Grand Bahama Nature Tours is another tour company that has quite a few interesting tours that you will want to possibly book. They include kayak tours to Peterson Cay, Bike Riding Tours, Bird Watching, Jeep Safari, Snorkeling, and much much more!!!

Click to be Taken to their site.

Superior Watersports features numerous tours on land, or on the sea. There is sure to be something that will tickle your traveling fancy!

They feature party cruises, island tours, and a very cool semi submarine tour! Click to be taken to their site, to read more about available tours, and contact information.

Fantasia Tours is another site you will definitely want to check out. They feature all sorts of excursions. Click to be taken to site.

Xanadu Undersea Adventures is a site you will want to check out for some superb diving excursions! Click to be taken to their site to learn more.

Smiling Pat's is another site you should check out. They offer unique excursions. A particular pleaser is a tour to Sandy Cay, which is known as Gilligan's Island. There are many other excursions that run daily, so check it out. Click here to be taken to their site.

Unexso is a site you should check out as well. They've got open ocean dolphin dives, private dolphin encounters, dolphin swims, and other diving opportunities. How about diving with some sharks! Click to see their list of activities, and prices.

Pinetree Stables offers horseback riding through dreamlike trails, and flawless turquoise waters. Click to learn more.

H. Forbes Charter Service offers a ton of guided tours that you should look into. Click to view their site, and tours.

EcoVentures will take you on an awesome air boat ride through Grand Bahama Island. Click to view their many different air boat tours.

When I get back, I will have reviews on a few of the places, and how the tours were.

Watch For This Beauty As Well

The Cone snail is usually found in Australia, but the Sharptail Eel is normally found in Panama, and we still spotted one.

I wanted to fill you in on this species because if you do happen to stumble upon it, leave it be. The pretty colors are a tempting shell to want to keep, but best leave it be.


Please read the following article on Wikipedia.

Sea of Warning! Do Not Step On The Coral, Do Not Touch Certain Fish, and Watch Where You Put Your Feet!!!

Although it is highly unlikely you will come across any dangers while swimming the lush sea of Grand Bahama Island, there is always a factor at hand.
One being you are out of your element, and two being that you don't know what to avoid in these foreign seas.

Now you don't have to go paddling around like a scardey cat, but there are a few species of fish and coral I wanted to mention to you before you just flop into the water.

While we stood at the resort on Viva Wyndham we saw a lot of stupid careless acts going on by some of the other guests.

The first thing was that some bad swimmers would drop their bare feet onto the corals for a rest!

Not only is this inconsiderate of the LIVE corals, but it is also very, very stupid and could potentially land you a nice long visit to the hospital, and in some rare cases death (depending on what you step on).

There are a few highly poisonous fish and some corals that could cause a sting to the skin that could last up to two weeks if brushed against!

The first of course is fire coral.



The second fish to watch out for is the lion fish. See photo. They won't come out to attack you or anything, but if you brush up against them they could cause sever swelling. Their venom does not usually cause death, but should be avoided.



Can you see the deadly fish in this photo below?! This is the guy to truly watch out for, because he will camouflage to match his surrounding so well that you may even miss him when looking down at the sea floor through your mask.
The Stone fish is deadly, and could cause death depending on how deep it's barbs penetrate into your skin!



See how he just matches his surroundings? Almost invisible!

Next we have of course the Barracuda which generally looks motionless in water. I spotted this beauty, took some photos and backed off. Although attacks are rare, its still best to keep a close eye on one if you stumble upon it. They can lunge straight at you like a bullet and tear flesh. In some countries it is more feared than sharks.



This is why I truly recommend just keeping your feet afloat while in the waters. Don't stop for a rest on any corals, stones, and if you find a sandy patch to rest on, truly check it out before just stomping down.

I really wanted address people with small children who swam in shallow areas of the waters. I saw many swimmers with no masks on stepping in the shallow waters without knowing what was below them! Yikes! The stone fish I caught on camera was only 4 feet out, so perhaps you should think before you sink! The swimmers happily went about stomping on the sea bed, meanwhile Mr. Stone Fish was no more than a few feet away from them. Thankfully I kept nearby and warned them of the fish. Unfortunately when cultures collide, people took my warnings with a grain of salt and were rude when I tried advising them. ((Shrugs))

So... those of you who actually WANT to educate yourselves before jumping in! Kudos to you-Safety first! You'd be shocked by how many idiots you will encounter whom step nonchalantly on the sea bed, not even aware of the potential dangers a few steps away!

Anyhow, I thought this statue was simply adorable, so had to share with you

Many Thanks

To Bahamas.com for linking my blog to their incredible site, it's an honor. The song you hear playing is dedicated to them, and all of the wonderful locals who made my trip to their gorgeous island so memorable. I'll see you again this September.

Some Memorabilia To Remember Your Bahamas Trip By

After getting home, we wished we bought more things while on the island. Although we did walk away with many magical memories, and beautiful photos, we wished we had gotten more than just keychains. After getting home I became obsessed with adding a marine like charm to our bathroom. Here is a few items you may want to consider...

Let's Focus On Some Reef Life Of Grand Bahama Island

Besides the gorgeous marine life, the reefs on Grand Bahama Island are as equally stunning. Here are a few of my all time favorite underwater reefs.

Don't step on this stuff!!! It's fire coral, and can land you into the hospital!

Although this photo is not of a reef, I wanted to share it, because whenever I look at it, it puts me in a good mood. For those wondering, it's a photo I took while underwater. The lens apparently was half in the water, and half out.

Grand Bahama Island, The Sting Rays Are Amazing!!!!

We saw beautiful stingrays every single time we went snorkeling. This stingray I spotted only once and was very unique compared to other Rays in the area. Just look at his shape and colors! He was stunning!


This stingray looked like he was ready for battle, I backed up pretty quickly as the stance was intimidating. Haha.

He scampered away pretty quickly though.

Starfish Are Everywhere Grand Bahama Island; But I Found Their Secret Hiding Spot

I came across all sorts of beautiful marine life while lazily snorkeling around the waters at our resort (Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach), however the more time I spent in the water, the more I realized that these starfish seemed to enjoy hiding more left in the water.

They pretty much avoided the middle swimming area, and hid left to the swimmers marked off sections. If you follow the marked off rope on the left side you will come across all sorts of beautiful colored starfish!

I saw ones that looked green, with odd markings. Ones that were enormous and a gorgeous orange color, and others that seemed to look like they were painted with dark red paints.

Take a look at some of the beautiful starfish we came across while snorkeling just 2-4 feet out in the water.

---This fella looked like he was painted for war

---This giant flesh starfish was one of my favorites, with a flawless orange and tan coloring to it

---This fella just seemed to be in the right place, at the right time for a stunning photo opportunity

---Another Beautiful Starfish

---One of my Favorite Shots

You Will Want To Bring The Olympus Stylus 1030SW To Grand Bahama Island as Well!!!! Here's Why...

This huge fish was caught on camera just as the sun was going down. Larger fish seem to visit the reef when night falls.


You want a camera to take perfect underwater photos on Grand Bahama Island don't you? I knew I did when I booked my trip. However everything I came across was either priced in the $800.00 range, needed batteries, or couldn't go down further than 10 feet.

When I came across the Olympus 1030SW, I was more than excited because this camera could travel down to depths up to 30 feet, did not require an expensive waterproof chamber, and it was pretty indestructible.

Read my review on the Olympus 1030SW, look at my photos, all of them were taken with this camera!

A few months ago I began planning a trip to the Bahamas. Before going though I wanted to make sure I had absolutely everything I would need for such a vacations.

Some thing, I didn't quite need, but I sure as hell am glad I purchased them.

One item that I considered more of a luxury item, actually became the one thing I was so glad I didn't do without.

The Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera.

This beast of a camera will not only take photos on land, but you can also tote it along in the water with you, without having to worry about destroying the camera.

I wanted it for just that. To take pictures of coral reef, and tropical fish.

I never in a million years thought the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera would have taken such beautiful photos, and at such a rate of speed.

The camera has all sorts of different functions that take no guesswork. Functions include snow & beach settings, underwater, underwater macro, portrait, night scene, candle light, fireworks, behind glass, and so many more easy to adjust settings.

The Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera features 10.1 mega pixels, so each and every picture you snap with the camera is flawless.

I bet you are wondering how well it works though right?

Well it took phenomenal land photos, and I was able to take photos of children blowing out birthday cake candles, without the annoying yellow squiggly lines that my old camera left behind. I also never missed a shot with the shutter settings. Basically all I had to do was hold down a button and it would take a snap shot at lightning speed rates. It continues to take shots till I lift my finger. I love this feature because I never miss a moment.

Land photos look fantastic.

Sea photos are even more beautiful.

I was able to snap shots of tropical fish, and corral reef without an issue whatsoever.

In pools however I get a very deep blue saturation hue, which can be adjusted using the Olympus Master software that comes with the camera.

Mainly though, I picked the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera because it offered the best features for the price range I was looking to spend.

I ended up picking it up at Circuit City for $342.99 after using a promotional code I had found online.

The Li Battery is fully rechargeable, and does a full recharge in about 2 hours. The first charge took longer though.

One of the main reason I choose the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera over other underwater cameras was based off of the fact that the battery was rechargeable. Other cameras required 4 AA batteries which I knew would be very annoying, and very expensive... not only that it would add unnecessary weight.

If you take a gander at my slide show, you will see just how beautiful the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera really is.

I'm sure you can find better, but that is only if you are looking to spend $500 or more. The Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Shock and Waterproof Digital Camera in my opinion will take just as good a shot as those high end money gobbling underwater cameras.

What Dive Mask Should You Bring?

The Mask You Should Bring With You For Perfect Viewing While Diving or Snorkeling Grand Bahama Island!
As I may have mentioned in previous posts, a mask to snorkel with is 100% necessary if you are going to be on Grand Bahama Island. If you leave these equipment behind, you may be charged a rental fee on resorts, so if you plan on being in the water bring your own mask.

I went absolutely crazy trying to figure out which mask would be best for me; which mask would offer the best view without fogging up, or without causing strain on my face.

In the past I simply went with whatever I could find at Walmart, however if you are traveling to experience Grand Bahama's waters as they are intended to be viewed than you are like me, and you want the best of the best.

You can get the best of the best for just $42.00.

It's called the Tilos Excel Frameless Mask, and what makes this mask so phenomenal compared to other dive/snorkel masks is that it is frameless. Basically there is no large plastic head piece which causes extra weight and strain on the face and head. Besides just that though is the low low dip in the tempered glass plate. This low leveled pane allows you to see all the way down to the bottom of the sea without having to tilt your head down causing strain.

Now new masks have a tendency to fog, however if you order this mask you should definitely give it a toothpaste rinse, followed up by a scrubbing with baby shampoo. Repeat this daily for up to a week, this will ensure that your mask does not fog while in the water.

It is my advice that you also bring a travel sized bottle of baby shampoo in case you need to do rinses while snorkeling. It really wont be necessary so long as you do the toothpaste and shampoo rinses while still home. Trust me, you do not want a fogging mask while snorkeling the beautiful reefs in Bahamas, and ALL masks fog no matter what they write on the package. Do the rinses though, and you will have a fog free time in the Bahamas.

Anyhow, with that said, definitely consider the Tilos EXCEL.

Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach; A Review of The Hotel/Resort We Stood At

When booking our trip to Grand Bahama Island, I was so nervous to book a hotel because I did not know what hotel would be best for us.
After searching around endlessly, and changing my mind every other minute, I finally decided that Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach would be the best resort for our needs.

Not only did this resort boast about a beautiful reef just a few feet from shore, but it was also all inclusive; which meant drinks, food, taxes, and booze were all included in the price.

Although I knew nothing about the island at the time, I took my chances with the resort; and let me tell you...we were not disappointed.

We booked for late September, early October so the price was exceptionally low for the off season months. The total came to $798 per person in 2008 for a 5 night stay.

On arrival I fell in love. I had such low expectations because over at TripAdvisor many were complaining about how horrible the resort was.

I was immediately drawn to the tropical mini garden they had going on at the entrance of the building.

After taking in the outside entrance of the Viva Wyndham, I then walked inside through the opened wooden doors where I was greeted by a doorman who took my luggage and left it in the middle of the floor till we were assigned a room.

While waiting for the front desk to assign us key cards the doorman then handed us a nice cool Bahama Mamma as a greeting drink. He had a large sincere smile on his face, and even though he must have been sweating his rear end off in the suit he had to wear, he never broke his smile.

Once we got our key cards, and were given our resort bracelet's, the doorman then took our luggage and showed us to our room.

We took a slow stroll around the walkways of the resort while on our way where the doorman told us where we could find the restaurant's, pool, dive shop, and other activity centers located in the resort.

We walked past the bar which was also the home of a pool table, a ping pong table, a fools ball table, and a large outdoor chess set.

(Photo of pool area)

Immediately my eyes were drawn to a large trapeze that was located on the resort! The thing was huge, and although I was deathly afraid of heights, there was no way I was going home without at least trying it out...(or at least watching my boyfriend try it out. Hehe!)

The pool was gigantic, and located in the pool area there was a nice large stone jacuzzi which was located up a small set of stairs. The jacuzzi was surrounded with all sorts of large tropical plants making the area seem like a nice private cut off little cove. It was simply stunning.

Lounge chairs are lined around the pool as well. You can walk from the pool area out to the beach if you'd like. The views are gorgeous.

On the way to the room I also spotted a bunch of curly tailed lizards and gecko's. The area also was home to some gorgeous tropical flowers, and a large tree that grew some sort of interesting looking fruit.

After strolling through the resort and getting a feel for the place, we were taken to our room. My heart sunk because I thought they had made a huge mistake. I paid extra for an ocean view room.

However the doorman raced ahead of me, and pulled away the curtains.

And there it was...

(Views from our balcony second level room)

The dream vacation I had dreamt since childhood. Outside of our sliding glass door balcony stood an ocean so beautiful, so captivating...so glorious, that I had to pinch myself. This had to be a dream, this could not be real!

Yet there it was, no dream, no illusion. The white powdery sands were there, the palm trees with actual coconuts, all there, the tiki umbrellas, all there, the lounge chairs, the sun, a sky of blue like I'd never seen before. Even the clouds seemed fuller and fluffier here. Brighter and more beautiful than where I am from.













I didn't focus much on the room. I could care less about the room. I could literately be standing in a flooded room and I could care less...so long as this beach were here for the taking I could care less about anything.

For those interested in the actual resort though, our room was a second level ocean view. In the room there were two comfortable queen sized beds, a lamp, central air conditioning that worked like a charm, a TV set, dresser, full sized bathroom, a desk, wall plugs, a coffee pot, a mini fridge, a safe, a large nightstand, a phone, and of course a bible in a draw!

Everything that we would need for the week was provided. I couldn't have been happier.

Food is served in 3 different restaurant's. The Junkanoo, The Bamboo, and La Trattoria. The Bamboo serves Oriental foods, while La Trattoria serves Italian.

The Junkanoo was my all time favorite place to eat. It is large, and set up in a salad bar type theme.

The food was changed up every day with cuisine themes to go along with them. Italian food, oriental, etc etc... deserts were always plentiful and delicious, and breakfast at the Junkanoo was my absolute favorite. Just thinking about the egg omelets the cook whipped up every morning makes me drool.

Everything from scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages, and bacon were all served every morning. Normally I am not a breakfast person, but the delights I had to chose from every morning enticed me to get up earlier to enjoy them.

The 2 other restaurant's need reservations. In order to make reservations you simply go up to the resorts front desk, where you chose a time, and are given a reservation slip.

Although it was fun, I found having to do reservations a bit annoying. The food at these restaurant's were good, the menus were interesting and plentiful, but I actually enjoyed the Jukanoo best.

There is another snack bar located on the right hand side of the beach where you can walk up and order fries, burgers, soda, chicken nuggets and so on. The food here was delicious, and served fresh right in front of us.

Late at night if you were feeling hungry and the restaurant's were closed you could walk over to the very far right of the resort and order yourself a pizza. The pizza was awesome, and another favorite of ours.

Remember all of the food is included. We did however leave tips which I know the employees appreciated.

The only minor set back when it came to the resort was that if you were not a Wyndham By Request member they did not fill your fridge with drinks. You had to walk down to the on site deli to buy your own. I found this annoying because I was a member, however seeing that I did not book directly with the hotel (I used Travelocity) I could not be rewarded drinks in the fridge daily.

Some of the drinks sold in the deli though are very interesting indeed!!

The activities you can do right on the beach include snorkeling, wind surfing, and kayaking. You can rent a wave runner for an additional fee.

We brought our own snorkel gear. I recommend anyone going to ANY hotel or resort on Grand Bahama Island do the same. Some places charge a rental fee. If you have your own gear you skip the fee!

We skipped on wind surfing, but we did take a kayak out for about an hour to just paddle along the shores. It was wonderful; there is no other way to put it.

Snorkeling was fantastic. There were many, many clusters of reefs located just a few feet from shore of the resort. The reefs are teaming with life. Fish in every shape, size, and color could be found here.

The larger reef is marked off by a white floating barrel buoy, making it easy to find.

If you go outside of the roped off swim/snorkel area keep to the left and don't go all too deep because a wave runner may pass through. I would recommend bringing a small floating buoy flag and attach it to your body so it floats above while you swim. You can buy these buoy flags online. They are brightly colored and read 'diver below'. Although it will likely not be an issue, it's best to be safe than sorry right?

To the left there are many clusters of reefs that house different tropical fish that the reefs at the Wyndham don't have. These fish are more solitary and like hiding. They can all be found though to the left!!! Don't miss it!

If you really are in for a long snorkel tour of your own, if you continue snorkeling or walk the beach to the far left you will come across a snack bar on the beach where you can purchase Bahamian lobster, fried conch, and other foods that the resort does not have. The food here is cheap, delicious and fresh! I highly recommend you take the walk, or snorkel down to enjoy some delicious Bahamian food. I only with I could remember the name of it!!!

Anyway, back to the resort.

The beach is simply lovely at the Wyndham. There are blue lounge chairs all nicely lined up in rows at the shore. The chairs though are spaced as to where you have plenty of privacy. Some lounge chairs are placed under coconut trees for natural shading, others come with tiki umbrellas, and some are placed right out in the sun for serious bathers.

Getting a chair was never an issue. We woke up at around 9am everyday, and never had a problem getting a plot of our own. We could leave our sandals, towels, and smokes all on the loungers and no one dared tough our belongings. We however went on the off season months, so crowds were never ever an issue! The place was pretty much all ours with the exception of a few others, the place was relaxing, quite, and very private. Just a wonderful place to kick back and rejuvenate the soul.

There are also plenty of activities to take part in at the resort. There was a dance show one night while we were there.












There is a kiddie club for kids, a dive shop where you can book diving and snorkeling excursions.

If you don't know the island all that well, you can ask the front desk for help on booking excursions outside of the resort. They will provide you with a binder that is loaded with all sorts of excursions outside of the resort to enjoy.

Transportation:

Transportation waits right outside 247. If you need to take a cab somewhere outside of the resort, you don't have to worry at all about the cab arriving late. There is usually one waiting there at all times, and you will not wait long periods of time for one to pull up to the resort.

We had one female cabbie that was an absoulte doll. Not only did she stop off at a canal for us to take photos, she took photos of us! She also filled us in on some not to miss locations. We ended up calling her for every cab ride we needed because we both fell in love with her larger than life bubbly personality.

Seriously if you just take the time to get to know the locals, you'll go home missing them. They have a lot of infomration to share on the island, the lifestyles, and the places not to be missed!

One cabbie even invited us along to a fish fry that was happening that evening. Unfortunatley it was out last day on the island so we couldn't attend.

Cleanliness of Resort:

Not once did we ever experince anything negative in regards to cleanliness that I had read on some 1 star rated reviews on TripAdvisor (about the place being dirty)!

The resort was always clean, and our room was cleaned throughly everyday. We tracked sand into our room everyday, and when we got back to the room at around 7pm, no traces of sand were present, beds were always made up neatly, and the bathroom would be cleaned daily.

We did experinced a few issues while staying our full 5 days. During one of the days they forgot to give us new coffee packets. It annoyed me, but I was able to walk down to the Junkanoo and pick up some that are always located there.

Expectaions:

The Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort was spectacular all in all. I could not have wished for a better place to stay at while on the island, and it's a resort I highly recommend. It is a low key place, with a smooth atmosphere, a friendly staff, and it was just an all around great time. If you are used to all out pampering though this place just may not be for you. This resort is for people looking to stay in a gorgeous resort without all of the yuppiefied commerical amnmeties. This resort does not charge a lot, all is included, and frankly I don't think we could have done better!