Why Honeymoon in Abaco
Abaco is built for couples who like independence. You can rent a small boat for the week, pack a cooler and spend each day finding a different beach, sandbar or snorkel spot. The water inside the reef is mostly calm and well marked, so even couples without much boating experience can explore with care and a good chart.
The cays have a pace of their own. Golf carts replace cars, people wave as they pass and dinner might be grilled fish at a harbor-side bar. Hope Town's lighthouse, with its red and white stripes, is the symbol of the islands. It is one of the last hand-wound, kerosene-burning lighthouses still working.
Abaco suits couples who want a sailing or boating honeymoon, or a quiet cottage on a cay. It is less about resorts and nightlife than Nassau and Paradise Island.
When to Go
March through June is the best time for an Abaco honeymoon. Days are warm, seas are generally calm and rain is light. April and May are especially good for boating.
December through February can be lovely, but cold fronts from North America bring cooler, windy spells that can keep small boats in harbor. Water temperatures also drop. Pack a light jacket and plan flexible days.
Hurricane season runs from June through November, with the highest risk from August through October. Some businesses close in September and October. Summer is hot and humid, but the water is at its warmest and the cays are quiet. Travel insurance is a good idea for any trip in hurricane season.
The Regatta Time in Abaco sailing week, usually held in early summer, fills marinas and guesthouses.
Where to Stay
Choose your base based on how you want to spend your days.
- Elbow Cay and Hope Town have cottages, small inns and rental homes, with the lighthouse, harbor and beaches close by. Hope Town Inn and Marina is a well-known option on the harbor.
- Marsh Harbour, on Great Abaco, is the commercial hub. Abaco Beach Resort, on the harbor, has a pool, marina and restaurants. It is convenient for boat charters and flights.
- Green Turtle Cay has the Loyalist village of New Plymouth, small resorts and a quieter feel.
- Treasure Cay is known for its long, pale beach, with condos and rental homes nearby.
- Man-O-War Cay is a traditional boat-building settlement with a few rentals and a very quiet pace.
Many couples rent a cottage with a dock and a boat. After Dorian, some properties closed or changed owners. Check recent reviews before booking.
Romantic Things to Do
- Rent a boat and explore the Sea of Abaco. Stop for lunch at a beach bar on Great Guana Cay or anchor off a sandbar.
- Climb the Hope Town lighthouse for views over the harbor and the cays. Ask about visiting hours.
- Drive a golf cart to Tahiti Beach on Elbow Cay at low tide, when a long sandbar appears.
- Snorkel the reef around Fowl Cay, part of a protected marine area, or join a dive trip to the outer reef.
- Walk New Plymouth's lanes on Green Turtle Cay and visit its small historical museum.
- Swim at Treasure Cay Beach, a long curve of soft sand and shallow water.
- Go bonefishing on the flats with a local guide.
- Look for the Abaco parrot, a native bird that nests in limestone holes in the pine forest of southern Great Abaco.
Getting There and Around
Marsh Harbour Airport (MHH) is the main gateway, with nonstop flights from Florida and some other US hubs such as Atlanta on major and regional airlines. Schedules shift by season, so check current routes. Small carriers, including seaplane services, fly from South Florida airports such as Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. Treasure Cay Airport (TCB) serves the north. You can also connect through Nassau.
From Marsh Harbour, Albury's Ferry runs to Hope Town and Man-O-War. Other ferries serve Green Turtle Cay and Great Guana Cay. Trips take about 20 to 45 minutes.
On the cays, most people get around by golf cart, bicycle or on foot. Renting a boat is the best way to explore. Boat rental companies offer small powerboats by the day or week. Charter companies have offered bareboat and crewed sailing yachts out of Marsh Harbour. Driving is on the left on Great Abaco.
Food and Drink
Abaco's food is simple, fresh and casual. Look for cracked conch, conch salad made with lime and peppers, grilled grouper and lobster in season, which runs from August through March. Many meals come with peas and rice or johnnycake, a slightly sweet bread.
Beach bars and harbor-side restaurants are the heart of the social scene. Many have docks so you can arrive by boat. Hope Town and Marsh Harbour have the most choice, including a few more polished restaurants with good wine lists.
Grocery stores in Marsh Harbour stock most things, but prices are higher than in the US because goods are shipped in. If you rent a cottage, plan to cook some meals. Try a Goombay Smash, a rum cocktail that Green Turtle Cay claims as its own. Kalik and Sands are the local beers.
Honeymoon Tips
- Know your boating limits. The Sea of Abaco is mostly calm, but some passages to the open ocean can be dangerous in a swell. Ask locally about conditions before crossing.
- Check tide times. Some sandbars and anchorages only work at low or high tide.
- Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a rash guard. You will spend a lot of time on the water.
- Carry cash. Some small businesses don't accept cards. ATMs can be limited on the cays.
- The US State Department rates the Bahamas at Level 2, exercise increased caution, mainly because of crime in Nassau and Freeport. Abaco is generally calm, but lock up golf carts and boats.
- Be patient with service. Rebuilding after Dorian is ongoing. Some businesses are short of staff or supplies.
