Shine On

We’re on Bahamian Time

By Lisa Marie Burwell | Photography courtesy of The Cove at Atlantis

With its breathtaking sun-drenched tropical beaches and crystal-clear water, a slower pace of life is instantly palpable upon arrival to Nassau. It is a foreign feeling for someone who is used to going through life at a breakneck speed, but a three-day excursion to this island paradise was what I needed last October. Officially known as the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, this sovereign country lies within the Caribbean and includes 700 islands, cay, and islets, with only forty inhabited. Though it is one of the smaller islands, New Providence is the most populous and home to Nassau, Bahama’s capital city. As the country’s political, economic, and tourist center, Nassau is experiencing an unrivaled growth spurt, including several new expansions and renovations at the well-established five-star resort Atlantis Paradise Island and beyond.

While en route from the Lynden Pindling International Airport to The Cove (one of five hotels to choose from at Atlantis Paradise Island), our driver shared tidbits of history and future developments underway. One notable was the 1000-acre high-security estate where Sean Connery lived until his death in 2020 at ninety. Connery was introduced to the Bahamas while filming his iconic character, 007, in the James Bond franchise. The islands have played, in varying degrees, as the backdrop in many of Connery’s 007 films such as Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, and Never Say Never.

Our anticipation was heightened upon reaching the freshly renovated Cove. Hospitable hosts greeted us under an impressively grand open-air hypostyle breezeway overlooking the seemingly endless turquoise-blue Caribbean. The uplifting experience was the perfect lead-in to the days ahead. Ahh! “Freedom” was the emotion that ran through me—and isn’t that what all good vacations are about. Finally, with much to do and to see, we were ready to explore.

A Day at the Spa

While at Atlantis Paradise, a visit to the Mandara Spa is a must. With one of the most prolific menus I have ever seen, the indulging treatments at Mandara combine ancient Balinese healing touches, traditional European therapies, and natural elements indigenous to the Bahamas. Bask in warm and cold plunge pools, as well as steam and sauna rooms. The experience was heavenly, and my facial was one of the best I’ve ever had. Additionally, couples can enjoy the Couple’s Spa Suite while the women’s area includes a relaxing aromatherapy room. So, elevate your stay with an incredible island spa experience.

Preservation and Conservation

Atlantis Paradise Island is committed to the sustainability, revitalization, and education of the incredibly varied marine life found in the thriving Bahamian waters. The Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, the resort’s nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is dedicated to saving marine species and their extraordinary habitats throughout the country and surrounding Caribbean seas through funding scientific research, conservation, education programs, and community outreach efforts.

Swimming with the Dolphins

Dolphin Cay (pronounced “key”) is one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated marine-mammal habitats. Their first residents were seventeen stranded dolphins and ten sea lions rescued from Gulfport, Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home habitat. Dolphin Cay is also the Caribbean’s premier maritime animal rehabilitation facility, with proceeds from every visit to support the Atlantic Blue Project Foundation. The foundation creates and promotes solutions for a wide range of significant global environmental challenges, from coral reef and habitat conservation to improving the general health of marine life.

This hour-long, deep-water adventure is customized for comfortable swimmers ages six and older. After learning about what dolphins eat, how they exercise, and their unique ways of communicating with one another, guests are invited to take a swim with these magnificent animals for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Marine Habitat – The Dig

The resort features the world’s largest open-air marine habitat, with more than fifty thousand marine animals from two hundred fifty species in lagoons and displays, including The Dig, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis.

During my memorable three-day getaway to The Cove at Atlantis Paradise Island, I became truly immersed in my new and captivating environment, thereby enabling me to cast my cares from my mind … to vacate to the Bahamas—mind, body, and soul. And, it is there that I found the Bahamians to be some of the most hospitable, polite, and uplifting people I’ve ever met. So, when you are jaunting around The Cove, don’t be surprised to find yourself singing those famous lyrics from “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley—”Every little thing is gonna be alright.”

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Visit https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/rooms/thecoveatlantis to learn more or book your trip to paradise!