The Bahamas has successfully promoted itself as a destination for US jet – setters, and a lot of it is Americanised. Yet there are still places among its 700 islandsand 2500 cays to disappear into a mangrove forest, explore a coral reef and escape the high – rise hotels and package – tour hype. The 18 th – century Privateers’Republic has become the 21 st – century banker’s paradise, at least on New Providence and Grand Bhama. On the other islands – once known as the Out lslands but now euphemistically called the Family lslands – the atmosphere is more truly West lndian.

June to August when it’s hottest and wettest

Listening to a rake ‘n’ scrape in a bar on a backwater cay Hiking in Abaco National Park

Watching flocks of flamingos in lnagua National Park Journeying by mail boat

Swimming with sharks while they feed at Stella Maris and Walker’s Cay Staying at Pink Sands on Harbour lsland and enjoying the charming historic village of Dunmore Town, with a pink – sand and great nightspots

Read Brian Antoni’s Paradise Overdose, about the 1980s drug – and sex – addled Bahamian highlife

Listen to Tony Mackay’s ‘Natty Bon Dey’ on his Canaan Lane album. The Obeah Man, alias Tony Mackay, is a flamboyant performer and musical superhero from Cat lsland ( he lives in Miami ). His music is pure goombay

Watch James Bond in For Your Eyes Only, The Spy Who Loved Me and Never Say Never Again for the Bahamas backdrop

Eat conch ( a mollusk served pounded, minced; marinated and grilled; or even raw as a ceviche ) or, for something sweet, try duff ( a fruit – filled jelly pudding served with sauce made of sugar, egg, butter and rum

Drink Kalik ( a light, lager – style beer perfect for hot days ) or Bacarid rum

Hey man, what happ’nin’?

Casinos; luxury yachts; golf courses; rum; drug trading; sun, sand and ‘sin’

Many Bahamians believe that if you take the ‘bibby’ ( mucus ) from a dog’s eye and put it in your own, you can actually see a spirit; conch is considered an aphrodisiac capable ‘givin ‘man a strong back’

Lsolation and the small scale of things have fostered another integral component of Bahamian culture: gossip, called ‘sip – sip’ incorporating everything from political events to who’s sleeping with whom. Everybody knows everyone else’s business. And they’re sure to share it. The more salacious, the better.