I’m at Dolphin Cay at Atlantis in the Bahamas where 36 dolphins (8 rescued after Hurricane Katrina), enable visitors to participate in one of the largest dolphin interactive programs in the world. Typically 800-900 guests participate a day, says Teri Corbett, vice president of Marine mammal operations, which also include sea lions and the five baby dolphins just born in the past month.
So what if you missed the mark this past Valentine’s Day? Take your honey on a decidedly adult getaway to a place like Sandals Emerald Bay on the outer Bahamian island of Great Exuma (about an hour’s flight from Miami on a 50-passenger jet). This is a place where grown-ups come to play – no one under 18 admitted.
/uploadedImages/images_upload/2011_Q1_Uploaded_Images/Eileen tries cigar rolling in Bahamas.jpgWe’re at the small cigar factory at Graycliff, a historic mansion dating back to the 18th century that is owned by Garzaroli family. Sixteen master rollers from Cuba turn out a million cigars a year. Enrico Garzaroli began with a single roller whoo was once Fidel Castro’s personal cigar-maker
You need a plan because the place is so huge –from the state of the art Dolphin Interaction Center at Dolphin Cay, the biggest casino in The Bahamas, the Predator Lagoon where you are in an underwater acrylic viewing tunnel watching barracuda and sharks, kids can get introduced to snorkeling in a calm lagoon –7 acres
Welcome to CRUSH, Atlantis’s brand new teen club in Nassau (www.atlantis.com). The place is huge—14,000 square feet with multi-touch computers and surface tables (want to send an e-post card to a friend? Post a photo on your face book wall?) Check your email (internet is free). They can order a snack on the table-sized tablet (pizza bagel, Panini or smoothie?) or a CRUSH T shirt and pick it up on their way out.
We’re sitting at an elegantly set table for two in a private “tower” overlooking Sandals Emerald Bay pool which incidentally is the largest zero entry pool in the Caribbean. The fire pit—yes the pool has a fire pit—reflects light. We’re being served a special candlelight dinner. Our young waiter in white gloves tells us he wants to get an MBA in the United States
There’s still snow on the ground in many areas of the country but spring break is just around the corner. Should you head for the beaches, mountains, vineyards, ballparks? The choices and deals are endless.
We kayak through Mangroves where the path is so narrow we must go single file. The Mangroves, Rolle tell us, “always” have been there. We stop at a small windswept beach called Mariah Cay. There are some 365 Cays that make up Great Exuma and if you want to feel like a Castaway, Rolle says, a boat captain can drop you off with chairs and lunch and pick you up several hours later.
This is a most decidedly upscale Sandals—we even have butler service! It is kind of unnerving to have someone—especially a nice young man named Logesh Ambikapathy who is from India—to cater to my every wish. Lemon for my water? Coming right up. He even stops by the pool to see if we need anything. A pizza would be nice, we suggest. He brings it piping hot 15 minutes later.
These kids may look like any group of young snowboarders decked out in the latest Burton gear. “You can see them stand taller,” Heston said. But looks, as we know, can be deceiving. They can’t afford snow sports or the gear, much less bus fare to the mountain. In fact, some live in homeless shelters, others live in group homes
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