"Another Trip to The Bahamas " a Freeport District Travel Page by jne7299318

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Fire Dancer performing at a Junkanoo festival

Freeport, Bahamas

A timeshare exchange landed me in Freeport this year. This island, although much larger than Nassau, is quieter and less cosmopolitan. As a result, I found it quite amenable for a week of rest and relaxation with just enough activity to make my stay interesting and fun.

I happened to vacation on the island during the independence week. Junkanoo festivities were plentiful and provided an opportunity to take in some of the local customs and celebrations that take place on the Island. I also found out that the great jazz pianist, Count Basie had a home in Freeport and the plaza in Port Lucaya is named in his honor.

The biggest downfall with the trip was that it rained everyday for the first three days of my seven day stay. The upside to the rain is that it led to nice cool nights. Although it rained daily, there was enough dry time to allow for short stays on the beach and with some flexibility, an island tour was still able to take place.

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The Medicine Man Is In.

The Island of Grand Bahamas

Grand Bahama Island is divided into three territories; Freeport, and the East and West ends. Freeport is the main tourist section of the island. Lucaya is host to several major hotels (Westin and Sheraton), a dock for yachts and other privately owned boats, and a shopping center that offers stores of all types. Freeport is the centermost portion of the island.

The East and West ends of the island have few, resorts. These are the two areas of the island that are home to native Bahamians. Smiling Pat, an independent tour operator, took us to the east and west ends where we actually got an opportunity to dine at places where local Bahamians eat and play. An afternoon was also spent at the five star Old Bahama Bay Resort, thanks again to Smiling Pat.

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Rest and Relaxation

Weather On The Island

Typically, the month of July is not known for rain. However, because hurricane season on the island begins in June and ends in November, abnormal weather patterns can occur. As a result, out of seven days here on the island, it rained on three of them. Fortunately, there were enough dry spells on the rainy days that did allow for some time on the beach, shopping, etc. before the next downpour occurred.