Juan and I have done a little traveling, but I think one of our favorite trips has got to be when we went to Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
It was our very first trip as a couple. We were very young and still not married or engaged for that matter. We were definitely nervous. Our friends and people we knew usually just took road trips, or trips close by to the beach, so when we were looking for a destination for our first trip, we decided we wanted something different.
We did some online research, and agreed on flying to the Bahamas and staying at the Riu Palace in Paradise Island. Once there, we couldn’t believe our eyes.
The white sand and the crystal-clear blue water was out of this world! Really! It was just like the postcards and pics you see online, only better!
Below you will find some of the activities we did during our stay in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, I lost track of my memory card that had our trip’s pictures, but I do have a couple I will post below that I was able to find off my Facebook page!
Sub Bahamas Diving
Aside from the shark encounter we did in Hawaii, the SUB diving we did in the Bahamas is hands down one of the most thrilling excursions we’ve been on!
There are a couple of companies that offer similar excursions, but we booked with Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas. The staff and crew were knowledgeable, attentive, and entertaining!
When you arrive, you go through an orientation that explains basic piloting skills, how you will communicate underwater and any other safety concerns. After the briefing, you board their small, but comfortable boat.
Honestly, by the time we got to the water and the spot where we were going to be, I was so nervous, I had almost forgot everything I had just learned! My anxiety went through the roof! It all went away though thanks to the crew that was super nice and friendly and assured everyone they were there to make sure we were kept safe and had fun!
Our group was divided into smaller groups. Some were first to load their individual SUBs and start exploring underwater, while the rest of us were free to snorkel or just sun bathe on the boat.
When it was finally our turn to load up our SUBs, adrenaline definitely took over! Once we were underwater, it was magical! Because of the way the SUB is designed, you are able to see everything crystal clear, without having to worry about wearing any bulky gear like when you snorkel.
Being underwater driving our own little SUBs was an underwater adventure we will NEVER forget! The mesmerizing reefs and fish left us breathless as did the tiger shark that swam by us!
Thankfully we had a really cool group. Everyone was friendly and fun to hang out with whether we were in the water snorkeling or just admiring the view while on the boat.
Dolphin Encounter
Another activity we did was a dolphin encounter with Blue Lagoon Island Bahamas. Dolphins are such noble and sweet animals, an encounter was definitely on our to-do list.
We thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the dolphins and were even able to get a good pic with them!
Atlantis
When we had just started our trip research, of course we wanted to stay at the Atlantis, but our budget at the time could not accommodate such stay.
Fortunately, they offer a day pass you are able to purchase! Our hotel is literally next door to the Atlantis, so we took advantage of that, we walked on over and bought our day pass.
There is plenty to see and do there. We spent our entire day there and loved it!
Riu Palace Paradise Island
Like I mentioned before, this was our very first trip together so we didn’t know much about traveling yet. Fortunately, our hotel was everything it had promised to be AND then some! White sand and the ocean at your doorstep? What more can you ask for?! It’s all inclusive so we did not have to worry about anything during our stay! We loved RIU so much, years later we booked with them again at other locations like Mexico and Jamaica!
Final Thoughts
The only thing we did that we would not recommend is visiting the Straw Market. The original market burned down in 2001 I believe, and this new one they have now has definitely lost its’ magic.
Other than that, the Bahamas exceeded our expectations! Everyone is so friendly and the beach there is to die for!
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