Bahamas: Abaco, Family Vacation Ideas, Diving, Snorkeling and People to People Encounters. 
Considered to be a Family Island, it is really a lovely vacation spot for families. Known for exquisite blue holes, truly beautiful beaches, wildlife including parrots, wild horses, flamingos and wild hogs, the pace is easy and well suited for slowing down and rejuvenating.
Go for the azure water, tropical breezes, and starry nights; stay for the diving, sailing, golfing and crab races. No organization is needed, the fun just happens - island style.
Great Abaco and surrounding cays belong to The Family Islands of the Bahamas, a family friendly group of islands not far from Florida’s Atlantic coast. Marsh Harbour, on the eastern side, is the main community on Great Abaco. North of Marsh Harbour is Treasure Cay with sugar-white cream beaches, wild horses and tropical golf course. To make any sense of the islands and cays you should get a map - even without it though the ideas for fun are many.
Get some sun. Abaco National Park, comprising 20,500 acres in Southern Abaco near Hole in the Wall, was designated a preservation area by the Bahamas Government in 1994 and is now managed by The Bahamas National Trust. The tract covers a large portion of the Great Abaco water table and is a great location for recreational activities in a stunning natural environment.
Bonus points: A great way to see the park is by kayaking and snorkeling. The Abaco Outback Company runs full day kayak trips which include snorkeling, a picnic lunch, beverages and snorkeling gear. (Abaco Outback, Harbour View Marina, Marsh Harbour, Abaco. 1 (242) 367-5358) (Abaco National Park. 1 (242) 365-6329
www.thebahamasnationaltrust.org)
Escape for the day. Pelican Cays Land & Sea Park covers 2,100 acres of land and sea, it’s the sister park to the Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park. Visits to experience its beautiful undersea caves, extensive coral reefs and abounds with terrestrial plants and animals life. This park is accessible by boat only. (Just north of Cherokee Sound, Great Abaco. 1(242) 393-1317,
www.abacoguide.net/pelican.htm)
Hold your horses. 
Throughout the world, the small herd of remaining Spanish Barbs in Abaco is recognized as critically endangered. Many people feel that the horses' survival may point the way to a better future in Abaco. Henry Key looks toward this future when he says "We need to publicize the concept of wild things being able to peacefully interact with formal land use." Trees are still being cut down too carelessly, too often, but the horses and the pines, the wild boar and the hard-pressed parrots still survive, struggling symbols of a future where beautiful wild things can still exist if humans will only lighten their heavy hands. The Abaco Wild Horse Fund, Inc., was established to help support the wild horse herd sustaining the natural beauty of the island. With assistance from the Government of The Bahamas, a preserve area in Treasure Cay, the Abaco Wild Horse Preserve, was designated so that they could be back in their ancestral forest home, their normal habitat. Visitors can take a private tour of the reserve, which offers not only a look at these beautiful and endangered horses but also a chance to take a swim in the Blue Hole and do some great bird watching. (Treasure Cay Area, Abaco. 1(242) 367-4805 or
www.arkwild.org)
Pull up a chair. The People-to-People Encounter Program brings travelers and Bahamians together for an evening of cultural exchange. Sit down to a home-cooked meal. Share stories. Laugh. Eat some more. And return home fulfilled by a one-of-a-kind vacation experience. Your host might invite you to share an evening of pleasant conversation, or join in the fun at a family gathering or worship with them at church. Visitors may also join hosts at a social or service club, perhaps like one that they belong to at home, and share experiences that the average visitor might never see or hear about. In addition, children can also compare notes on the differences in culture – and the similarities! (People-to-People Department, Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. 1(242) 352-8044 or
www.geographia.com/grandbahama/people2people.htm)
Go down into the deep blue. Great Guana Cay is popular with snorkelers, swimmers, and sunbathers for its miles of unspoiled beaches. Guests frequently take time out to enjoy the food and unique libations at Nippers Restaurant, which is open daily. This restaurant, a popular Bahamas tourist attraction itself, is also famous for its weekly pig roast. (Located about ten miles from Marsh Harbour by boat.
www.abacos.net/guana.html)
Venture beneath the surface. The variety of islands in The Bahamas presents a variety of diving experiences. Beginners and experts are welcome and both lessons and guides can be found throughout the islands. Famous dive locations include: The Towers, the two huge coral pinnacles, 60 feet tall, pierced with tunnels and caverns, Grouper Alley where numerous tunnels cut through and beneath a monstrous coral head in 40-foot depths, and the aptly named Cathedral, a huge cavern where shafts of sunlight dance on the ocean floor.
Make a book stop. Marsh Harbour has a reader friendly book shop with thousands of used books, soft and hardcover. Located across the street from the Conch Inn, up a small hill, "A Buck a Book" also has VHS tapes and DVD's. All items, like the name suggests, are $1.00 with a couple of exceptions. It is a great place to meet people and get insider information about the island and about the Wild Horses of Abaco. They run island hours matching with the seasons. (A Buck a Book. 1(242) 367-4805. You don't need the area code if you call from the Abacos)
The Abaco Tourist Office Marsh Harbour, Abaco. The Bahamas phone: 1(242) 367-3067 or
www.bahamas.com
Caribbean Vacation Reads
Curious Clownfish. By Eric Madde & Adrienne Kennaway, Little Brown & Company; (July, 1990). This book is a pure delight to share with young children. The large, bright illustrations and the endearing story make this an ideal airport companion. At my teen’s insistence, this book will remain in our family library for the next generation. (Ages 2-5)
Anancy-spiderman. By James Berry, Walker Books; (July 27, 1989). Every young child will be enchanted by the folktales of Anancy (Anansi). This book contains a collection of 20 tales about the antics of the West Indian trickster and his companions Bro Monkey, Bro Dog, and Bro Tiger. This collection is ideal for an airport layover or a prelude to naptime. (Ages 3-7)
A Caribbean Counting Book. By Faustin Charles. Houghton Mifflin; (March 3, 1996). The perfect trip companion for parents with young travelers, this book engages tykes in the island culture with rhymes and rhythms typical of Jamaica, Martinique to the Dutch West Indies. Count pawpaws and breadfruit, guava, centipedes, and fish. This book works really well with the lighthearted A Caribbean Alphabet by Frane Lessac's. Both create a sense of place for young children by making them a part of the learning base. (Ages 2-5)
Pirates. By Dina Anastasio & Donald Cook, Grosset & Dunlap; (March 1, 1997). This book is both fun and educational. Illustrations on every page create a sense of what a pirate’s life was like. A replica of the "Pirates’ Code of Conduct" shows the odd sense of honor among thieves. Elementary school children will enjoy the examples of pirate flags and the stories about infamous pirates too. (Ages 5-10)
The Voyager's Stone: The Adventures of a Message-Carrying Bottle Adrift on the Ocean Sea. By Robert Kraske & Brian Floca, Orchard Books (NY); (March 1, 1995) Providing an unusual and inventive introduction to nature and geography, this is a clever story that about a boy who sets adrift a bottle containing a letter and a special charm. The journey spans from the Caribbean Sea to Australia. A young girl finds it and replies. The bottle's journey includes the stresses of nature like waterspouts and tidal waves. (Ages 9-12)
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