Sunday Mirror: Travel: Bahamian rhapsody

ALL I knew about the Bahamas was that its a tax haven for people with more money than they know what to do with (no use to me then), that singer Robert Palmer used to live there and that if you say youre going there people look at you differently because they think youre very posh, very rich or both.

Being neither I was very excited at the prospect of visiting the capital Nassau and one of the outlying islands Eleuthera.

Nassau is now easier to get to as Virgin Atlantic have just launched a direct weekly flight from Gatwick. The bustling hub of the Bahamas was once a haven for pirates and marauders and lives up to its reputation. Its undeniably rich and very ritzy. Driving through the pin-neat streets of the Bahamian capital there are few of the run-down shacks that typify many of the other Caribbean islands.

Scores of fabulous, white-painted, wooden mansions line the seafront of the place known locally as Paradise Island. And the town itself is peppered with beautifully-preserved Victorian mansions. Picturesque pastel- coloured buildings in pinks, pale blues, mint greens and butter yellows add up to a place of undeniable prettiness. And while yes, its posh, with a myriad of five-star hotels, casinos and beach-front restaurants, its very affordable thanks to the favourable dollar/pound exchange rate.

If everything so far sounds typically Caribbean, whats coming next isnt...

If youve got kids, a keen sense of adventure, the ability to find your way from A to B and theres a bit of the crazy about you, the five- star Atlantis complex on Paradise Island is for you.

Ever heard of the lost city of Atlantis? Billionaire businessman Sol Kerzner believes hes found it (well, built it, actually) on Paradise Island. The billion-dollar resort, which took four years to build and transformed the fortunes of the Bahamas, is spectacularly huge, incorporating three gargantuan hotels into one magnificent edifice offering an incredible 2,300 rooms.

Like I said, this isnt a place for the faint-hearted. If you like hotels where the beach is a 20-second walk from your bedroom and there are only three restaurants to choose from, forget the Atlantis. This resort, which rises magically from the turquoise lagoons and the blue Atlantic of the Bahamas, welcomes five million visitors a year, truly redefines family entertainment not to mention gambling which takes place in the Caribbeans largest casino.

However, if you dont want to lose your money in a slot machine or on the blackjack tables, you can always spend it in the biggest selection of luxury stores Ive ever seen in one hotel. There are also 35 restaurants, countless bars, a cinema complex, a ballroom, a health spa and dozens of lounges where you can relax with a nice pina colada.

If you think Im exaggerating the size of this place, it took me 20 minutes to walk from one of the hotels to the other (theyre all connected by marble walkways and designer shopping malls) to get a particular bottle of suntan lotion I needed.

This marble monument to fun is home to 50,000 sea creatures which inhabit the resorts 34-acre waterscape. You can see sharks, stingrays and manta rays swimming a few feet away behind glass while youre having breakfast. There are also 11 swimming areas (I call them areas because the word pool doesnt describe the sheer size of the things), countless water slides, cascading waterfalls and a private No Adults club where the kids can socialise and enjoy their own entertainment. And for the guys, dont worry, theres an 18-hole championship golf course nearby.

Posh places to visit are the One And Only Ocean Club hotel a few miles away, perched on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas and which has a menu to die for (about pounds 43 for a three- course dinner). Not having kids and being the kind of woman who believes small is beautiful, we stayed just two nights at the Atlantis (with 34 restaurants, but because I cant read a map I couldnt find any of them) before taking a 20-minute plane ride to the island of Eleuthera.

Here is the antithesis of Atlantis. The airport is no bigger than your average netball court, and the name means Freedom, which is exactly what I felt I needed after Atlantis. We stayed at the 12- room Cocodimama Hotel. The name means Mummys Boy and no, I dont know why, because no one knew.

All the rooms at Cocodimama are on the beach and are housed in three colourful wooden cottages painted yellow, pistachio and coral. The rooms are simple, and all have air conditioning, a ceiling fan and a CD player. No fridge, but I guess they want you to spend your money at their bar.

The hotel sits on one of the most beautiful stretches of beach Ive ever seen. The sand is like white silk and the clear turquoise waters are the cleanest Ive ever swum in. Its great for kids, too, because theres no undertow and you have to walk out half a mile before the water gets to the top of your thighs. The peace and quiet was almost deafening, in contrast to Atlantis. I loved it!

Sam the barman and general man-about-the-place is fantastic. His ever- ready smile and his willingness to help made it simple to get a taxi (ask Sam to book Big Daddy, hes a doll) to some of the islands restaurants, which are fantastic.

THINGS TO DO

IF you want to explore Eleuthera visit HARBOUR ISLAND off the north coast of the island. This is the oldest and probably most charming settlement in the Bahamas and has everything youd expect white picket fences, pink sugar-sand beaches and friendly locals.

A short ferry ride from Eleuthera, SPANISH WELLS, a prosperous little fishing village, is where sailors came ashore from Spanish galleons to fill their casks with fresh water. Its an excellent place to fish and dive. Theres even a sunken wreck to explore.

OTHER ISLANDS

GRAND BAHAMA: This is the home of Freeport, the Bahamas second city, faster and more sophisticated than olde-worlde Nassau, with plenty of activities from fishing and scuba diving to golf and tennis. You can swim with dolphins or shop in the International Bazaar. CAT ISLAND: One of the most beautiful in the Bahamas. Its covered with rolling hills and dense, green forest and has spectacular beaches. Careful though, someone said the sea is filled with sea lice, which bite.

GETTING AROUND

TAXIS in Nassau are metered by law. Theyre not cheap and theres a surcharge of around pounds 1 per person for more than two people. Suggested tip is 15 per cent.

Buses for all destinations are around 56p for both adults and children for a single journey.

Car rental is reasonable. While Bahamians drive on the left, the steering wheel is also on the left which takes a bit of getting used to. Daily rate is about pounds 42.

Car hire companies at Nassau International Airport include: AVIS (001) 242 377 7121; Budget (001) 242 377 9000, Courtesy Car Rentals (001) 242 352 5212 or Dollar Rent a Car (001) 242 377 8300.

WHATS THE DEAL?

VIRGIN Holidays (0871 222 0304, www.virgin.com/ holidays) offer a Bahamas week from pounds 845pp including Virgin Atlantic flights, seven nights room-only at the Atlantis, transfers.

FOR details on Atlantis, Paradise Island, log on to www.atlantis.com

SIX nights room-only at Cocodimama and one night room-only in Nassau from pounds 1,189pp inc Virgin Atlantic flights from Gatwick to Nassau, flights to Eleuthera and transfers. Call Discover The Bahamas on 01737 218803 or www.discover-the-bahamas.co.uk

VIRGIN Atlantic flies return to Nassau from pounds 648.70. For details: www.virgin- atlantic.com or call 0870 380 2007.

FOR more info: call 020 7355 0800 or www.bahamas.co.uk