The Bahamas comprise of around 700 islands and islets stretching for 500 miles off the coast of Florida, with Cuba sitting to the South and the rest of the Caribbean to the South/Southeast.  Mostly flatlands with the highest point in the islands reaching a mere 63m above sea level, the islands have nevertheless been able to form a rich variety of flora, fauna and scenery, and it’s all utterly wonderful to take in. The beautiful islands have long been a luxury holiday spot for tourists from around the world, and the former British-run region is home to some of the world’s best resorts for lavish relaxation. Even though the Bahamas are well known as a popular tourist destination there is still more than enough unspoilt land to go around, and many of the islands haven’t even been noticed by visitors, never mind occupied. The way of life is slower, easier and generally better than one would get back home in the rat race, and though prices are sure to be quite high – in resort areas, at least – the Bahamas are a luxury that should be looked into.

The Bahamas were initially occupied by the Lucayans, of the Arawak Indian tribe, and were bumped into by Columbus whilst he was on his way to finding America in 1492. A Spanish settlement was set up on the islands and used as a ferrying point for their new found slaves, the Lucayans. Within 25 years, the entire native population was wiped out and the Spanish abandoned their port. Whilst on their way to other Spanish-owned countries many treasure galleons sank in Bahamian waters – this lured pirates to the region and the islands soon became a haven for all things piratey. It wasn’t until 1717 that the British formally colonised the islands as their own, with piracy outlawed and privateers patrolling the waters in the region, on the lookout for Blackbeard and his cronies, no less. The American Revolution saw more and more English Loyalists turning up on Bahamian soil, bringing with them their slaves. The abolishment of slavery in 1807 saw these imported slaves free, and a lot of British abandoned the islands, leaving their land to the former slaves – the British Navy also used the islands as a drop-off point for freed slaves that had been intercepted as they were being illegally transported. The Bahamas, with their new civilian majority, carried on life through farming, fishing and smuggling until the 19^th Century when the region saw a boom in tourism from wealthy Americans. This helped the economy stand on its own two feet a fair bit, but the real money came from smuggling illicit alcohol into the US during prohibition and this period saw the islands grow exponentially with hotels, restaurants and casinos abound. There was a brief downturn in popularity of the islands, but by the Second World War this wasn’t the case as American GIs came in their droves for R&R, and wealthy North Americans were lured in by the new governors of the islands, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (the Duke had been sent to the islands during WWII owing to his Nazi sympathising attitude). The upturn in fortunes of the islands continued, and by 1967 there was a new governing power – the Progressive Liberal Party, a black-lead party that finally took power from the white minority in the country. By 1973 the Bahamas were granted independence from Britain and a new nation – the Commonwealth of The Bahamas – was born. Reforms eventually started helping the economy and soon enough the Bahamas were a rich nation, though the government was mired by corruption allegations relating to drug trafficking. A drug crackdown in the early 90s by the US saw these allegations fall by the wayside, and recent history has seen the Bahamas an economically strong nation, with both tourism and offshore banking facilities provided on the islands pumping a lot into the economy – though drug trafficking does also still occur in the region.

The Bahamas are a haven for rich tourists looking to relax in splendour, and the luxury holiday spot has been popular for a long, long time. Potential off plan investors can look forward to an already-established market for buy-to-let properties or simply a wonderful location for a holiday or second home. Failing that, it would be a spectacular retirement location!

The standards of healthcare in the Bahamas are on a par with those of the US, with costs to match. Private health insurance is highly recommended.

Mobile phone coverage stretches across most of the country, though phones have to be registered with the BaTelCo network. Landlines are widely available in towns and cities and lines are of a good standard. Internet cafes are available.