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The beaches, the sunny shores and turquoise waters have always evoked the perfect Caribbean dream vacations. Although the 700 islands and cays of this archipelago are not exactly in the Caribbean, but at the eastern end of the Atlantic Ocean, starting just 55 miles off the Florida coast. From the Abacos in the North to Great Inagua in the far south only 50 miles from Cuba, the islands emerge from 100,000 square miles of Atlantic waters that surrounds them. This said, the sun shines as bright as in the Caribbean and the sand couldn’t be whiter.

Although only about 30 of the islands are inhabited, the question becomes which one to choose while planning your vacation to the Bahamas. Do you like shopping, gambling, nightlife and fine dining? Or do you mainly want to experience the fascination of perfect, deserted beaches, swim, dive or sail in transparent waters? Some of the islands have all of that and more. Others are just nature, in its purest state. If you’re looking for a cay that you will share only with fish, birds and iguanas; that’s just fine. There is plenty to do and see in the Bahamas, and you don’t have to spend your whole vacation in one spot.

While in New Providence – better known under the name of its capital, Nassau – or on Grand Bahamas, enjoy luxurious hotels, condos, fine restaurants and duty free shops. Go for a sailing tour, practice scuba diving, Jet Ski or parasailing. Both islands also offer a wide choice of excursions, from eco-hikes and canoeing through mangrove forests to game fishing in the deep blue. Of course, there are plenty of golf courses and tennis courts.

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Then, take a small plane, a ferry or a fast speedboat to some of the “Family Islands”, the smaller and less populated islands and cays of the Bahamas. Once you find your private strip of sand, clear water and warm sunshine, you may never want to leave.

Of the 30 inhabited islands, every island has its cays, and some islands are in fact a succession of cays grouped under a single island name: It seems confusing at first, but seen from a plane, you will easily recognize their shapes amidst the shades of crystal blue waters. The Bahamas stretch over 1500 miles from North to South, seemingly floating between turquoise shoals and deep blue sounds, surrounded by sandbanks, tidal flats and coral reefs. In some places, the shores plunge deep into the tongs of the Atlantic Ocean. In others, the waters are so shallow that you can visually distinguish the coral heads on the bottom.