A Beach Lover’s Winter Getaway to Cat Island, Bahamas

I celebrated a certain “big” birthday in the Caribbean. Cat Island, Bahamas is a dreamy place. It’s one of the six Bahamas Out Islands, which also include The Abacos, Acklins, Andros, The Berry Islands, and Bimini. It truly is my island paradise.

There are no high-rise hotels, five-star restaurants, shopping malls or casinos here. If that’s what you’re looking for, I recommend you opt for more popular Bahamas destinations, like Nassau or Grand Bahama.

Cat Island was right up our alley: Long stretches of powdery pink sand to ourselves, al fresco dining along the tranquil, aqua sea, unsurpassed Bahamian hospitality, and one incredible sunset after another. 

In this article, you will…

• Discover an Island Paradise in Fernandez Bay Village Resort
• Escape to the Royal Palm Cottage
• Explore The Hermitage on Mount Alvernia
• Experience Local Flavor at The Regatta By the Beach
• Tour Cat Island’s Beauty Off the Beaten Path
• Enjoy Drinks and Music at Greenwood Beach Resort
• Behold One Colorful Island Sunset After Another

Discover an Island Paradise in Fernandez Bay Village Resort

This picturesque and friendly island is an ideal place for disconnecting from technology and leaving the cold weather and daily hustle behind. Clearly, it was a perfect fit for this laid back couple.

Escape to The Royal Palm Cottage

We spent eight days at Fernandez Bay Village Resort in November for a much-needed escape from cold New England weather. The hurricane season had cleared out, missing the island as it usually does, and the resort had just opened for business. We enjoyed the company of two other couples, a solo traveler, and a young group from Germany who was island hopping by private plane.

With so few guests, the hosts upgraded us to the Royal Palm Cottage, a large private room with a wraparound porch just steps from the pristine water. The room was air-conditioned and had a private, open-air bathroom. How wonderful to shower with warm breezes and a view of the sky!

A Taste of Island Life

Every morning offered a full buffet breakfast to start the day off right. Our days were tranquil. We relaxed, swam, read, napped. When we felt like it, we kayaked, took a short boat ride, and walked along the shoreline.

Fernandez Bay Village lent us their boat for an hour which was great – but you can rent a boat from Sailo.com for island-hopping in the Bahamas or wherever you are in the world. That way, you can take as much time as you want to explore.

We especially loved Happy Hour with hors-d’oeuvres (our favorite: Caribbean Lobster Salad seasoned with lime and cilantro) and the famous “honor system” bar. It was always stocked with Fernandez Bay’s famous Rum Punch, as well as beer and wine. Buffet dinners included Bahamian specialties, like grouper and fried plantains, served under the stars. We were very pleased with the food!

[bctt tweet=”‘…Life is better at the beach!'” username=”enjoytravellif1″]

Explore The Hermitage on Mount Alvernia

We arranged to rent a car for a couple of days to explore the island. It was relatively inexpensive. (FYI, even though we let our U.S. bank know we were traveling out of the country, the transaction did require a phone call to process.)

One must-see attraction was The Hermitage. We climbed Mount Alvernia to see the small but impressive dwelling built single-handedly by Father Jerome. Stations of the Cross led up to Father Jerome’s remote home, the highest point in the Bahamas. We took in breathtaking water views from a peaceful vantage point on high.

Experience Local Flavor at The Regatta at the Beach

We also visited the Regatta, where we hear there is a booming nightlife. During the day it’s pretty quiet, but lovely just the same. It’s the gathering place for locals on the island. We passed an island party getting ready for a beach wedding. How romantic!

[bctt tweet=”‘One of the best places on earth is under a palm tree…'” username=”enjoytravellif1″]

Tour the Beauty of Cat Island Off the Beaten Path

We found some of the most memorable sites off the beaten path. Beautiful ruins and colorful homes dotted the island’s curving coastal roads. We loved the natural beauty and meeting interesting people wherever we went as we toured the island from head to toe.

Enjoy Drinks and Music at Greenwood Beach Resort

We happened at Greenwood Beach Resort to take a midday break and decided to celebrate my birthday in an island way with tasty pina coladas. Having just missed Open Mic (an informal music jam) at Greenwood the night before, the innkeeper broke out his guitar and offered another to Jim, so I enjoyed a private concert! Who would have thought?

Feeling Adventurous?

The Atlantic side of the island was quite a bit windier than Fernandez Bay but just as lovely. For the more adventurous, Greenwood Beach is an excellent place for diving, snorkeling, and kiteboarding. Also, sportfishing–more specifically, bonefishing–is very good here!

Behold One Colorful Island Sunset after Another

If you’re looking for a private island paradise, this may just be it. It is certainly ours. Eight incredible days culminated with one colorful sunset after another. I’d love to say everyone should visit Cat Island, but part of its appeal is it is not overrun with tourism. It’s a romantic, remote, getaway…that’s for sure.

[bctt tweet=”‘Take only memories, leave only footprints…'” username=”enjoytravellif1″]

We loved Cat Island, Bahamas!

Have you been to Cat Island or another island destination we might love as well? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.