Did you know that the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas was the first landmass that Christopher Columbus set foot on when he discovered the Americas in 1492? The islands quickly took on their current name when they were described by Spanish explorers as "baja mar," meaning shallow sea. These Spanish explorers did not do much for the indigenous population of 40,000 Lucayans, who were enslaved and within a quarter of a century were wiped out as a result of European diseases such as smallpox.
Every year on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) and on New Year's morning, the Bahamas rocks to its very own street parade called Junkanoo. A festival similar in style to Carnival or Mardi Gras, Junkanoo features colorful floats, participants dressed up in flamboyant costumes, and lots of local music. Visitors to the Bahamas will find parades in many towns across the islands, but the biggest takes place in the capital city of Nassau. The name of the festival is said to come from the name of an African tribal chief named John Canoe, who demanded the right to celebrate African festivals even though he had been brought to the Caribbean as a slave.
The Andros Reef in the Bahamas is the third largest in the world and is still largely unspoiled, primarily because complex land ownership laws on the island of Andros have prevented large resorts and hotels from building and developing there. In addition, the Bahamas is home to one of the world's largest underwater cave complexes, known as the Lucayan National Park on Grand Bahama. The 40-acre park is popular with tourists and features some great secluded beaches such as Gold Rock Beach.
