Bimini
Bimini, the closest part of Bahamas to the United States, actually it is just fifty miles from the coast of Florida. The Bimini Islands are the tiniest group of Bahaminian islands, measuring just 7 miles long and half a mile wide. Bimini consists of three separate islands, the North Bimini, the South and the East Bimini. The major population center Alice town is located in the North Bimini. The other inhabited places are Bailey Town, Porgy Bay and to some extent Paradise Point; all being places of tourist attraction with minimal resident population.
History
Bimini began its shady existence with ship wreckers who plundered ships that bellied on the reefs. The prohibition era in the United States gave it the rum runners. The historians however believe that Bimini is the lost continent of Atlantis and the theory is corroborated by the mysterious stone formations. Whatever and whenever be the origin but these small islands are haven for game-fishing and extreme water sports enthusiasts.
Things to do
You can begin your exploration with the Alice Town, the commercial hub of Bimini. The single quiet road, the King’s Highway, has an assortment of shops selling home essentials, a dozen odd bars and similar number of restaurants. This laid back settlement takes on a wild hue during the angling tournaments and rightly so as the catches are one of the largest in the world. One can go to a few attractions like the Fountain of Youth, the Fresh Water wells and the Shark Mounds of east Bimini. The Shark Mounds have generated a lot of curiosity among historians as to who created such marvelous mounds in the middle of mangrove swamps. Then game fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving, well these are the main activities in Bimini.
How to Reach
Surprisingly this small remote corner of Bahamas has two Government run and one private airstrip. Flights from Florida and Nassau are available at regular interval. You can also use your own or hired power boat from Florida coast to reach here in about two to three hours.