Great Guana Cay
Great Guana Cay
4.5
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One of the more undeveloped islands in the Bahamas, known for its Loyalist history and the friendliness of its inhabitants.
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4.5
95 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
19
Average
4
Poor
2
Terrible
0
KEM1963
2 contributions
June 2019 • Family
Well your date is after Hurricane so doubtful if it’s validity.
Island is not owned by cruise line at all. I have family that lives on island and owns their property! Imagine that.. not a cruise ship!. I have met a number of business owners and wow not a cruise ship! And if you are foolish to wait to leave on the last ferry of the day of course there will be a line! The ferry is the only way to get off the island unless you own your own boat. The ferry has frequent arrivals and departures all day long.
Locals are welcoming and helpful. The island is full of so much charm. The food there from the upscale restaurants to a waterside shack is incredible. And the beaches are surpassed by none!
I am so looking forward to their come back after Hurricane Dorian.. I love this island and the people there!
My own family home was destroyed during the hurricane but that won’t stop me from returning.
Island is not owned by cruise line at all. I have family that lives on island and owns their property! Imagine that.. not a cruise ship!. I have met a number of business owners and wow not a cruise ship! And if you are foolish to wait to leave on the last ferry of the day of course there will be a line! The ferry is the only way to get off the island unless you own your own boat. The ferry has frequent arrivals and departures all day long.
Locals are welcoming and helpful. The island is full of so much charm. The food there from the upscale restaurants to a waterside shack is incredible. And the beaches are surpassed by none!
I am so looking forward to their come back after Hurricane Dorian.. I love this island and the people there!
My own family home was destroyed during the hurricane but that won’t stop me from returning.
Written 3 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jake J
1 contribution
Apr 2022 • Family
Very clean white Beach, very few people on the beach and a lot of room to walk. Very few rocks at low tide and were able to walk for half a mile and either direction. View from Nipper's restaurant was awesome
Written 6 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kiscotraveler
US1 contribution
Great Guana Cay is a 7.5 mile long, narrow island with a beautiful, broad, white sand 5.5 mile-long Atlantic beach. It also has several smaller beaches on the calm Sea of Abaco. Within a minute walk on most parts of the island, you can watch the sun rise over the Atlantic in the morning and see it set over the Sea of Abaco at night.
Pluses: The beach is beautiful and the water is beautiful. You can snorkel right off the beach -- there are small reefs within easy swimming distance, and you can find conch and starfish close to shore. There is also a reef that stretches for many miles about 100 yards off shore. And within a 20-minute boat ride with Dive Guana, you can get to all sorts of excellent snorkeling and dive spots, including Fowl Cay, an underwater national park. Fantastic coral, and 100-foot visibility. You can also rent a boat from Dive Guana for $165 a day and check out nearby inhabited and deserted islands (we had planned to do this, but it was too windy). The island is for the most part very quiet, peaceful and safe. There are lots of coconut palms, pretty houses and a pretty harbor. There are no big hotels, casinos or discotheques. There are few cars -- almost everyone drives a golf cart. You can walk on the beach all day and see only a handful of people. The island draws some loutish daytrippers eager to drink at Nippers, but most visitors to the island tend to be interesting -- British and American writers, scientists, sailors, pilots -- and very friendly. Everyone speaks English and although the locals don't seem rich, there are no signs of poverty. There are many nice oceanfront houses for rent at very reasonable rates.
Minuses: There is nothing to do if you do not like the beach or if the weather is lousy -- no museums, libraries, movie theatres, cute boutiques. (When we were there for two weeks in March, the weather was very windy and the Atlantic was messy; we also had three days of heavy rain.) There is also no health clinic -- you have to take a 40-minute ferry ride to Marsh Harbor to see a doctor. Most U.S. cell phones don't work, and most houses don't have phones -- they have marine radios. There is wifi here and there, but no internet cafe. There is satellite TV almost everywhere, but no newspapers. Water comes from rainwater cisterns, and needs to be conserved, which means marine baths and limited toilet-flushing. There were a few blackouts while we were there, including one that lasted more than 11 hours. The locals are not exactly hostile, but many also are not particularly friendly to visitors -- they have the native warmth of the New Englanders they are descended from (some, however, are wonderful and very helpful, so overall I suppose they are like humans anywhere).The island is insular and not particularly diverse -- the vast majority of locals and visitors are white straight Bahamians and Americans, mostly in their 40s-60s. Most of the stores and eateries are in the center of the island, near the harborside "settlement," which is a bit rundown and can be noisy from golf carts during the day and music from the bars at night. However, if you don't stay in the settlement, you probably need to rent a golf cart for $45/day. Most disappointingly, the north end and south end of the island are both under development and gated off from visitors and locals. The north end is in the early stages of a horrible mega-development known as Baker's Bay, which has the locals in a tizzy. The developers have, among other sins, bought the island's best Sea of Abaco beach, and made it impossible to reach by land. A good part of the south end is owned by Orchid Bay. It can be explored on foot, but not golf cart. Kind of a drag on a small island -- leaves you with just the middle three miles or so, unless you trespass or kayak onto the other territory, which we did quite a bit.
The island has 2 beachside bar-restaurants (Nippers and Grabbers) that blast awful music until about 2 am, 1 nice restaurant in an upscale marina (Orchid Bay), 1 bakery that makes good bread, breakfast and sandwiches (at a glacial pace), and 1 harborside tiki hut bar run by a delightful elderly military vet named Jerry who makes one meal a night (Pirate Cove). Everything is expensive -- burgers and fries run $12, and grilled fish and vegetables are $25. A load of laundry is $14. There is one grocery store, one drug store and one liquor store -- all outrageously expensive and scantily stocked. We brought a suitcase with oatmeal, pasta, tuna, crackers and trail mix and a cooler bag with cold cuts, cheese, pork tenderloin and chicken cutlets - saved us a fortune.
We also checked out Man-O-War and Elbow Cays, nearby Abaco islands. Man-O-War is smaller, picturesque and very quiet - it's a dry island. The beach isn't as nice as Guana's, but the island is quaint and has been a boat-building center for 200 years. The big excitement every day is when a woman named Miss Lola comes around in her golf cart with her fresh-baked cinnamon buns. Elbow is absolutely charming -- adorable houses, more restaurants, and some nice little shops. It is more developed and somewhat more expensive, but the locals are friendlier and the beach is lovely. We didn't get to Green Turtle Cay (you have to fly into a different airport and take a different ferry), but that's supposed to be very nice too -- as charming as Elbow, but maybe a bit less developed. Guana has a paradoxical reputation for both being the most remote island and for drawing the most partyers (we found them easy to avoid). It also has the nicest, longest beach in the Abacos -- some say one of the best in the Bahamas.
Overall: If you're from the US and like to swim, snorkel and sunbathe, Guana is a fine place to go to decompress, without exactly feeling like you're in a foreign country. It feels a bit like an especially remote and slightly peculiar Florida Key. From all accounts, early May -- before bug season but after wind season -- is the best time to go.
Pluses: The beach is beautiful and the water is beautiful. You can snorkel right off the beach -- there are small reefs within easy swimming distance, and you can find conch and starfish close to shore. There is also a reef that stretches for many miles about 100 yards off shore. And within a 20-minute boat ride with Dive Guana, you can get to all sorts of excellent snorkeling and dive spots, including Fowl Cay, an underwater national park. Fantastic coral, and 100-foot visibility. You can also rent a boat from Dive Guana for $165 a day and check out nearby inhabited and deserted islands (we had planned to do this, but it was too windy). The island is for the most part very quiet, peaceful and safe. There are lots of coconut palms, pretty houses and a pretty harbor. There are no big hotels, casinos or discotheques. There are few cars -- almost everyone drives a golf cart. You can walk on the beach all day and see only a handful of people. The island draws some loutish daytrippers eager to drink at Nippers, but most visitors to the island tend to be interesting -- British and American writers, scientists, sailors, pilots -- and very friendly. Everyone speaks English and although the locals don't seem rich, there are no signs of poverty. There are many nice oceanfront houses for rent at very reasonable rates.
Minuses: There is nothing to do if you do not like the beach or if the weather is lousy -- no museums, libraries, movie theatres, cute boutiques. (When we were there for two weeks in March, the weather was very windy and the Atlantic was messy; we also had three days of heavy rain.) There is also no health clinic -- you have to take a 40-minute ferry ride to Marsh Harbor to see a doctor. Most U.S. cell phones don't work, and most houses don't have phones -- they have marine radios. There is wifi here and there, but no internet cafe. There is satellite TV almost everywhere, but no newspapers. Water comes from rainwater cisterns, and needs to be conserved, which means marine baths and limited toilet-flushing. There were a few blackouts while we were there, including one that lasted more than 11 hours. The locals are not exactly hostile, but many also are not particularly friendly to visitors -- they have the native warmth of the New Englanders they are descended from (some, however, are wonderful and very helpful, so overall I suppose they are like humans anywhere).The island is insular and not particularly diverse -- the vast majority of locals and visitors are white straight Bahamians and Americans, mostly in their 40s-60s. Most of the stores and eateries are in the center of the island, near the harborside "settlement," which is a bit rundown and can be noisy from golf carts during the day and music from the bars at night. However, if you don't stay in the settlement, you probably need to rent a golf cart for $45/day. Most disappointingly, the north end and south end of the island are both under development and gated off from visitors and locals. The north end is in the early stages of a horrible mega-development known as Baker's Bay, which has the locals in a tizzy. The developers have, among other sins, bought the island's best Sea of Abaco beach, and made it impossible to reach by land. A good part of the south end is owned by Orchid Bay. It can be explored on foot, but not golf cart. Kind of a drag on a small island -- leaves you with just the middle three miles or so, unless you trespass or kayak onto the other territory, which we did quite a bit.
The island has 2 beachside bar-restaurants (Nippers and Grabbers) that blast awful music until about 2 am, 1 nice restaurant in an upscale marina (Orchid Bay), 1 bakery that makes good bread, breakfast and sandwiches (at a glacial pace), and 1 harborside tiki hut bar run by a delightful elderly military vet named Jerry who makes one meal a night (Pirate Cove). Everything is expensive -- burgers and fries run $12, and grilled fish and vegetables are $25. A load of laundry is $14. There is one grocery store, one drug store and one liquor store -- all outrageously expensive and scantily stocked. We brought a suitcase with oatmeal, pasta, tuna, crackers and trail mix and a cooler bag with cold cuts, cheese, pork tenderloin and chicken cutlets - saved us a fortune.
We also checked out Man-O-War and Elbow Cays, nearby Abaco islands. Man-O-War is smaller, picturesque and very quiet - it's a dry island. The beach isn't as nice as Guana's, but the island is quaint and has been a boat-building center for 200 years. The big excitement every day is when a woman named Miss Lola comes around in her golf cart with her fresh-baked cinnamon buns. Elbow is absolutely charming -- adorable houses, more restaurants, and some nice little shops. It is more developed and somewhat more expensive, but the locals are friendlier and the beach is lovely. We didn't get to Green Turtle Cay (you have to fly into a different airport and take a different ferry), but that's supposed to be very nice too -- as charming as Elbow, but maybe a bit less developed. Guana has a paradoxical reputation for both being the most remote island and for drawing the most partyers (we found them easy to avoid). It also has the nicest, longest beach in the Abacos -- some say one of the best in the Bahamas.
Overall: If you're from the US and like to swim, snorkel and sunbathe, Guana is a fine place to go to decompress, without exactly feeling like you're in a foreign country. It feels a bit like an especially remote and slightly peculiar Florida Key. From all accounts, early May -- before bug season but after wind season -- is the best time to go.
Written 5 April 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Extraordinary37032
Chicago, Illinois1 contribution
I had the wonderful opportunity to spend two weeks in the Abacos, Bahamas on Great Guana Cay. If you're looking for the resorts, crowds, steel drum bands, and all the fanfare of the tropics, this isn't the place for you. If you're looking for a place to get away from it all, relax, do some snorkelling or SCUBA diving, and have a vacation with no schedule at all, there's nowhere better.The beaches are pristine, white, and nearly deserted on almost any stretch of beach on this 7-mile long island. The barrier reefs almost right off shore are untouched and undamaged by tourism and recreational diving. The water's so clear you can see nearly 120 feet.The little townlet on the Cay is quaint with a small grocery store and a small line of trinket shops. Cuban cigars can be bought in almost any of them. Expect the prices to be high for groceries since everything's imported. There are few restaurants on the island except for one or two attached to the actual 'resorts' on the island. The resorts are small and are laid back, so expect to be renting a villa or cottage on the island from one of the several landlords available. I stayed in the Orange Blossom run by Vince and Cheryl, and you can't beat the deal or hospitality there. Most of my meals were either what I cooked for myself or caught (It was lobster season). Oh, that reminds me, August starts lobster season down there and you can catch all the lobster you can eat. Yum!Nippers! is on the island and is the local hangout and bar. The saltwater pool is refreshing and quaint with its two levels and waterfall. There's an upper and lower bar where they specialize in rum-drinks and lots of Jimmy Buffet music.The only hastle was enduring occassional power outages on the island and waiting for the local power company to come from a nearby island to fix the problem. Most of the time, the inconvenience was minor as most of the inhabitants have their own generators (Hmmm...think it's a frequent problem then?).All in all, I highly recommend this island getaway for travelers who want a type of vacation where they're not on a schedule and don't mind cooking for themselves. The cost is low compared to resort packages, and great if you're travelling on a budget like I was. Two weeks for two of us, minus airfare, ran right around $1,500. That was in 1999. You'll probably be looking at right around $2,000 to $2,500 nowadays.Cheers!
Written 6 February 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dbuyer
Philadelphia, PA97 contributions
July 2016
I found Guana Cay by chance searching for beach houses to rent. Saw the pic of a house and loved it and then realized where it was! The flights to Marsh Habour are expensive from Philadelphia but with enough lead time I found pretty decent rates. Once you land though, then you need to get a cab to the ferry that takes you to Guana Cay- about 30 minute ride. House rentals are the way to go with very limited little hotels on the island. What no one will tell you about Guana Cay is this: 99.9% of the visitors have been coming to the island for years. Very affluent and most have houses or boats/yachts they have docked there. This place is not cheap. A case of beer (any brand) is $78. Yes, you read that right. Since everything is shipped in, literally, everything is much more expensive. An average lunch is $100 bucks for four. The tiny grocery store has what you need and shopping there will help you. Just don't think that $100 will get you much, think more like $250 for a weeks supply. The one thing that blew my mind is that the 3-4 restaurants on the islands do not have a raw bar or many seafood options. Konch is the highlight but most of the food is typical of a burger joint. The locals are terrific and super nice. The island is bookended by two gated communities you cannot get in to. Bakers Bay is the celebrity hang/residence where the golf course they made has pissed off the locals since the run off is killing the reef. Orchid Bay is on the other side, with old money and seems to be a bit more friendlier. Nippers is for anyone who still digs getting hammered and thongs. Was not the place for my kids during the July 4th celebration. We hung at Grabbers which geared more towards families. Nippers beach(on the Atlantic side) though is one of the most beautiful in the world. Grabbers is on the "bay side" (still the Atlantic) but much calmer. Golf cart is the only way to get around and they go for about $350 a week. Snorkel with Dive Guana ($55 a head so reasonable) and you will feel safe with Troy since he is the only medically trained guy on the island!! That comment right there you need to read again. There is no doctor, medical facility on Guana Cay. If you need medical attention you will have to get on the ferry back to Marsh Harbour!! This feeling hit my wife and I on the second day and gave us some anxiety for at least two days. You might laugh at that, but even with a 14 yo son and 11 yo daughter, we still worried enough that if anything happened, we would definitely be at the islands mercy. I think another week on the island and we would have mellowed more once finding out who everyone was on the island and how to make it all work. Being on an island has always been a wish trip for me and this was definitely worth it, but be mentally prepared!! OK, you want stars in the sky? This is the place, holy cow! But if you want to walk the beach at night, you better have a flashlight with extra batteries!! It is pitch black, there are no street lights and the lights in the houses on the beach don't give off enough light to see.
Guana Cay is Paradise. Just be sure to research it and get things in order (like your golf cart) months in advance. It is worth the experience.
Guana Cay is Paradise. Just be sure to research it and get things in order (like your golf cart) months in advance. It is worth the experience.
Written 8 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
spike256
Calgary, Canada105 contributions
Nov 2013 • Couples
We stayed here 10 days in November. We like quiet vacations with lots of snorkeling. A cold front had come through just when we got there. Bearing that in mind, here are my notes about the cay:
- Not great snorkeling. The water is colder and the fish are sparser than Exuma, Eleuthera, and Cat islands.
- We rented a boat from Water Ways so we could hop around the cays for snorkeling and shelling. I highly recommend doing this - loads of fun. We'd never boated before.
- The island is full of American tourists and expats. It didn't feel like we were in another country; it felt like Florida.
- Mermaid reef was the best snorkeling spot. We couldn't make it out to Fowl Cay, as the water was always too rough. You probably should go with Dive Guana on a guided trip, but we never got the chance to use them. We did talk to the Dive Guana owner to get advice, and he was very nice and helpful.
- Be careful snorkeling near Tahiti Beach near the cut. When the tide is outgoing, the pull is pretty strong.
- Spoil Bank Cay is nice for shelling, but not as good as some other locales mentioned above. Best to go at lower tide, because the beach disappears at high tide, but be careful with the boat; it's very shallow there, and we almost got beached.
- Sunsetter's restaurant would be a great place to watch the sunset, but it only opened at dark! We never managed to eat there.
- There are big private communities on each end of Great Guana Cay. You don't really need to rent a golf cart, because there's only about 2 miles of road open to the public in the center. Just walk!
- The reef in front of Nippers on the Atlantic side has some great coral heads, but they are mostly dead. It does have a fair amount of fish. The waves are pretty rough.
- We rented the Elephant Beach House while we were there. It was fabulous! Great view, very private location.
- There is a well-stocked grocery store on the island. Items are reasonably priced. The owner was nice (the girls at the register not so much).
- Cheap rum at the liquor store near the dock.
- Not great snorkeling. The water is colder and the fish are sparser than Exuma, Eleuthera, and Cat islands.
- We rented a boat from Water Ways so we could hop around the cays for snorkeling and shelling. I highly recommend doing this - loads of fun. We'd never boated before.
- The island is full of American tourists and expats. It didn't feel like we were in another country; it felt like Florida.
- Mermaid reef was the best snorkeling spot. We couldn't make it out to Fowl Cay, as the water was always too rough. You probably should go with Dive Guana on a guided trip, but we never got the chance to use them. We did talk to the Dive Guana owner to get advice, and he was very nice and helpful.
- Be careful snorkeling near Tahiti Beach near the cut. When the tide is outgoing, the pull is pretty strong.
- Spoil Bank Cay is nice for shelling, but not as good as some other locales mentioned above. Best to go at lower tide, because the beach disappears at high tide, but be careful with the boat; it's very shallow there, and we almost got beached.
- Sunsetter's restaurant would be a great place to watch the sunset, but it only opened at dark! We never managed to eat there.
- There are big private communities on each end of Great Guana Cay. You don't really need to rent a golf cart, because there's only about 2 miles of road open to the public in the center. Just walk!
- The reef in front of Nippers on the Atlantic side has some great coral heads, but they are mostly dead. It does have a fair amount of fish. The waves are pretty rough.
- We rented the Elephant Beach House while we were there. It was fabulous! Great view, very private location.
- There is a well-stocked grocery store on the island. Items are reasonably priced. The owner was nice (the girls at the register not so much).
- Cheap rum at the liquor store near the dock.
Written 4 December 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CindyWY
Cheyenne, Wyoming4 contributions
If you are looking for a relaxing, laid back vacation then Great Guana Cay is the place for you! We spent 10 days both Christmas 2004 & 2005. We stayed at Seashore Villas. The condos were great, clean & well equipped. Randy will meet you at the ferry & bring all your luggage to the condo. Golf carts are the mode of transportation. The beaches were fabulous & virtually deserted! Nippers, which is right on the beach, is a fun hang out. They have a small grocery on the island, which actually is quite well stocked. It is a small pristine island with very friendly people. My son left his wallet at a restaurant & they tracked him down to return the wallet! I, also, left my portable DVD player on the ferrry (with only my name tag on it) & they called Seashore Villas to let Randy & Viola know that they had my DVD player! Right now I know the locals are fighting a huge golf development going in on the island. I hope they are successful, as the island is such a beautiful place. It would be a shame to ruin the natural landscape & reefs. Great Guana Cay is a peaceful, beautiful place to spend some time.
Written 23 January 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NewEnglandGirl
27 contributions
We loved Guana!!!
To begin with, it's just plain gorgeous.
The beaches are perfect...white, soft sand....blue, clear, clean water.
The snorkeling off the beach was awesome. The best I've seen.
As of now, the island is mellow and undeveloped...but that could be changing in the next couple of years. Some development group is looking to build a golf resort there. Sad, but true. The golf course will kill the reefs (chemical run-off, etc.).
The people of Guana are super nice. Things are not too too expensive, and the grocery store is well stocked.
Troy and Maria at Dive Guana will take good care of you. They are great, and know every nook and cranny of the outlying waters.
We rented a house on Dolphin Beach...Shorecrest II, it was called. Perfecto.
Call Dive Guana (they also have a website) to inquire about this house. It's really nice and well priced.
Guana's where you go to really relax and get away from it all.
You take Albury's Ferry there from Marsh Harbour. Regular, punctual schedule. Nice boat ride.
Great island to ride bikes...but if your hotel/house doesn't have them for you, you should bring your own.
To begin with, it's just plain gorgeous.
The beaches are perfect...white, soft sand....blue, clear, clean water.
The snorkeling off the beach was awesome. The best I've seen.
As of now, the island is mellow and undeveloped...but that could be changing in the next couple of years. Some development group is looking to build a golf resort there. Sad, but true. The golf course will kill the reefs (chemical run-off, etc.).
The people of Guana are super nice. Things are not too too expensive, and the grocery store is well stocked.
Troy and Maria at Dive Guana will take good care of you. They are great, and know every nook and cranny of the outlying waters.
We rented a house on Dolphin Beach...Shorecrest II, it was called. Perfecto.
Call Dive Guana (they also have a website) to inquire about this house. It's really nice and well priced.
Guana's where you go to really relax and get away from it all.
You take Albury's Ferry there from Marsh Harbour. Regular, punctual schedule. Nice boat ride.
Great island to ride bikes...but if your hotel/house doesn't have them for you, you should bring your own.
Written 18 June 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GrahamTrucks
Port O'Connor, TX541 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
We really enjoyed our week on Guana Cay. The key to a successful week at Guana is come with a wad of cash, and be prepared to stay. There are very few dining choices, and one small convenience store. But that is the beauty of this place. After a few days you have met everyone there, and as you roll around the island in your golf cart you see all of your new friends. Great diving as well, close in and super easy. I highly recommend renting a boat for your stay, keep it at the marina and spend a little time during the afternoons checking the place out. The best spot for swimming is on the south end of Guana, a little cut between Guana and Scotland Cay. Perhaps the most beautiful spot I have ever been to in the world! Great place to spend the week, with family or friends!!!!
Written 14 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jknights
Ottawa, Canada127 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
Great Guana Cay is a fantastic spot for those looking for a "quiet" vacation.
The island itself is about 12 Km long with the Atlantic side being one long stretch of beach.
On the plus side, the island is beautiful, lush, with crystal clear water, the world's third largest coral reef.
A vacation here is perfect for families who like water sports: snorkelling, scuba, surfing, or just going to the beach. It is a quiet place, with a population of just over 100, almost no cars, most people walk or bicycle, with golf carts available for rent.
The down side: The ferry times are not conductive to staying here and planning day trips to the other cays.
The water is most rental properties is filtered collected rain water, and is not potable.
The prices at the two local grocery stores are very high due to the costs of importing into the island. Lunch at a local restaurant is $18+ per person, supper is $25+
The north end of the island has been purchased by Baker's Bay Golf Club and development.
The south end of the island was purchased by another development company.
So in reality, if you rent in the island you're limited to the 1/3 middle.
All in all, it was a lovely 2 weeks, but it is not for everybody.
The island itself is about 12 Km long with the Atlantic side being one long stretch of beach.
On the plus side, the island is beautiful, lush, with crystal clear water, the world's third largest coral reef.
A vacation here is perfect for families who like water sports: snorkelling, scuba, surfing, or just going to the beach. It is a quiet place, with a population of just over 100, almost no cars, most people walk or bicycle, with golf carts available for rent.
The down side: The ferry times are not conductive to staying here and planning day trips to the other cays.
The water is most rental properties is filtered collected rain water, and is not potable.
The prices at the two local grocery stores are very high due to the costs of importing into the island. Lunch at a local restaurant is $18+ per person, supper is $25+
The north end of the island has been purchased by Baker's Bay Golf Club and development.
The south end of the island was purchased by another development company.
So in reality, if you rent in the island you're limited to the 1/3 middle.
All in all, it was a lovely 2 weeks, but it is not for everybody.
Written 30 August 2013
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We are staying at Treasure Cay for a week in late April. We plan to bring bikes with us on the ferry from TC to Great Guana. Where should we ride from/to so that we can snorkel from the beach?
Written 21 March 2019
Don’t need to bring bikes here to Guana..you can walk from the ferry to either Nippers or Grabbers or the beach! Or rent a golf cart from Donna’s for the day. Leave your bikes at Treasure!
Written 9 August 2019
Yes, at all of the houses on the island...I believe Nippers or Orchid Bay would also.
Written 9 August 2019
AtxIslanders
Austin, Texas
Any advice on relocating to Great Guana Cay vs Marsh harbour Abacos?
Written 15 July 2018
Definitely stay on Great Guana Cay. There is nothing to do in Marsh Harbour. You can take the ferry to Great Guana Cay and rent a house on the beach. The beaches there are gorgeous.
Written 16 July 2018
I'll be staying there this summer for a week. I see comments regarding the 1 grocery store but no mentioning on what is stocked there. Is it mainly shelf stable foods? Will I be able to find fresh fruits and veggies? Frozen fruit?
Written 29 May 2018
I am going to be spending 3 weeks there for a work assignment . They have a house rented. What kind of transportation is available? Are there any local places to buy food as I will have a kitchen with cooking facilities. Where ae some good local informal places to eat?
Written 27 September 2016
I would definitely take a cooler packed with meats and cheeses, etc!
Written 21 October 2016
When do the restaurants reopen in October?
Written 6 September 2016
It depends. Nippers and Grabbers are always open!
Written 10 October 2016
Is there any "locals" resturants on the island that are not for tourists. When in Paradise island we trek over the bridge to the fish shacks where we get wonderful fried snapper dinner for like $15. Over the local food, don't want tourist food I can get at home.
Even in grand Bahamas we go to the places that all the locals hang out, look like they would be Condemd in the states.
Written 21 December 2015
I understand that there is a chicken farm on the island and it is frowned upon to bring chicken with you. Can I buy fresh chicken and eggs there?
Written 5 May 2015
Yes. Abaco Big Bird is a great roasting chicken.
Written 3 September 2015
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