Bahamas

We had such a wonderful time. That summarizes a great vacation at the Tiamo Resort on South Andros Island in the Bahamas. We chose this retreat because of its remote location as well as the great food all the reviews raved about. And it's only about 3.5 hours of flying, instead of 8.5 to Hawaii.

Getting there, reminds me of the movie "Around the World in 80 Days" because we took a Lyft to the airport, a plane to Nassau, then another 10 minute flight to the International Airport in Congo Town, followed by a cab ride to the port where Fred, the Manager of the resort, picked us up by boat. A short smooth ride later, we arrived at the actual resort and were greeted by a lemon shark swimming around the pier. What an experience.

We stayed in a villa right on the sandy beach, with a plunge pool. There was enough privacy to take a dip as nature intended. 

The sunsets are just beautiful and very romantic. Every day, we enjoyed the today's special drink by the elevated pool. Since we shared the entire resort with just another couple, there was plenty of alone time. The music was great in the background and as you can see the mood was perfect.

Waking up in the morning was followed by a great breakfast with espresso. There was a Nespresso machine in the cabin, but we forgot our favorite pods. 

The daily program included snorkeling, paddle boarding and kayaking. The water is very clear and thanks to the sandy bottom very turquoise. We often saw sting rays and one even breached the surface and looked at me before he or she scratched his or her back underneath the kayak. 

After a great lunch, it was time to walking along the white sandy beach. With nobody around, it felt like being in paradise.

Fred and Chef Antoine took us out on a boat to a couple of blue holes in the middle of the channel. We were positively surprised by the different varieties of coral and fish. These blue holes have fresh water coming up from the ground and that was very weird. I couldn't help myself to remove the snorkel and taste the water. It was really fresh in the middle of the salty sea.

Dinner was served by the pool and we always enjoyed the choices that were on the menu. Because we are on an island, I tremendously appreciated the fish dishes.

The chef was hunting lion fish and lobster, both of which he prepared for lunch and dinner. The delicious food couldn't have been any fresher. Every meal came with one of my favorite food items, a real, fresh French baguette. No kidding, it was delicious and as a bread connoisseur, I couldn't help myself to eat it all, although it added a couple of pounds to my slender body.

On a side note, just for full transparency, I need to mention the no-see-ums (Ceratopogonidae). We read about people being upset about them and so we prepared for them. Beside us bringing some bug repellant stuff, Tiamo Resort provided a nicely scented oil and it really help to keep those buggers at bay. Usually, I get bit all the time and event though I picked up my share, honestly, the bites didn't bother me that much. Just don't forget your neck and hair line. It must have something to do with a positive attitude. Being here in paradise made more than up for it.

Victor Boulard, the food and beverage manager, was very accommodating and he always recommended the perfect wine, complementing lunch and dinner.

Chef Antoine Laudinot is not just an excellent spear fisherman but also an accomplished creator of the best shrimp I've ever had. He was able to convince me with a conch ceviche that was simply out of this world.

Fred, the manager, is a man of a thousand talents. He, like all the other staff, went out of his way to make our stay as comfortable and memorable as possible.

Thanks you Tiamo!