Things to do on Long Island
Let the Fun Begin
Discover endless adventure at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort. Explore vibrant coral reefs on a snorkelling tour, dive alongside rays, turtles, and storied shipwrecks. Embark on a guided tour to landmarks like Columbus Monument and Dean's Blue Hole. Fish for bonefish or marlin, or meet a group of rare rock iguanas on Sandy Cay’s breathtaking sandbar. Whether kayaking, paddleboarding, or uncovering historical treasures, a perfect island escape awaits in Long Island.
Featured Activities
Half and full-day fishing charters with experienced guide
For those seeking a more low-key family fishing adventure, a reef fishing excursion puts you on the fish. From a comfortable cruiser, you’ll admire vast coral and rock reefs as your bait attracts Nassau Grouper, Yellowtail Snapper, Horse-eye Jacks, Amber Jacks, Trigger Fish, King Mackerel, Barracuda, and Iron Head.
Featured Activities
2.5 hours, includes snorkel gear and an experienced, certified tour guide
Enjoy a jaw-dropping snorkelling trip from the resort. Gliding through the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, you’ll see fish, rays, and sea turtles, as well as diverse soft and hard coral reefs.
Featured Activities
Our exclusive Sandy Cay excursion originates on our very own beach and takes you to the natural habitat of Sandy Cay's rare rock iguanas on one of the most breathtaking sandbars off the west coast of Long Island. The tour begins with a one-hour boat ride along Long Island's coast to Sandy Cay, home of the blockbuster Hollywood movie Pirates of the Caribbean.
Featured Activities
For guests of Cape Santa Maria
Catch a gentle breeze and glide across the crystal-clear turquoise waters of Calabash Bay aboard one of our Hobie Cats sailboats.
Featured Activities
Half and full-day fishing charters with experienced guide
Hovering over crystal clear water eight to twenty-four inches deep, you can spend hours casting into schools of Bonefish visible below. You’ll be amazed by the strength and stamina of the scrappy Bonefish — pound for pound the strongest fighting fish in the world!
Featured Activities
Half and full-day fishing charters with experienced guide
Enjoy an epic deep-sea fishing expedition in the waters off Long Island, which offer some of the Bahamas’ finest saltwater fishing. Using ballyhoo, small baitfish, and feather hoochies, you’ll fish for trophy-sized beauties like White and Blue Marlin, Wahoo, Kingfish, Tuna, Shark, Dorado and Sailfish. Truly an unbelievable fishing experience.
Tours
5 hour guided (or self-guided) excursion
Take a spell-binding excursion through the rich history, beautiful culture, and extraordinary natural beauty of Long Island. Guided or self-guided excursions along historic Queen’s Highway take you to breathtaking vistas, local artisans, island hang-outs, and truly unparalleled natural attractions. Our front office team can arrange an experienced local guide to provide a historical Bahamian perspective on what drives the pulse of Long Island.
Columbus Monument
The monument was originally constructed by the Long Islanders Association as a tribute to the arrival of Christopher Columbus on October 17, 1492. This spectacular ‘view-site’ perched atop the white cliffs of the Long Island coastline offers commanding views of the Atlantic and Caribbean Seas, lush greenery, and the otherworldly blues and whites of fishing flats below. Accessibility to this historic site was greatly improved with a road constructed in 2019, making it also a favourite cycling destination from the resort (11.5km, 7 miles round-trip). The site offers picnic areas, amazing snorkelling, private beaches, a natural lazy river, and excellent shelling opportunities.
The Shrimp Hole
Behind the spectacular ruin of what may be the oldest church in all of the Bahamas (St. Mary the Blessed Virgin est. 1669) is a well-marked trail to one of Long Island’s less-known natural attractions. At the end, a relatively simple 10 min hike through the inland indigenous scrub brush brings you to a freshwater limestone cave inhabited by what are thought to be critically endangered Sterrar’s cave shrimp. It is a unique sight to behold and a great way to break up the drive between the North and South of the island.
Max’s Conch Bar
This roadside conch shack is perhaps the most famous of all Long Island institutions. The quality of the local cuisine, the strength of their rum punch, and the character of the local patrons make this a must-visit on any (and every) Long Island trip. Gary, Liz and Karnetha will keep you entertained and ensure you leave full of food, a few great Long Island stories, and priceless memories of ‘real’ community culture. If you are visiting as part of a guided island tour, lunch is not included in the tour rate.
Hamilton’s Cave
Hamilton’s Cave is the largest cave system in the Bahamas. The Lucayan Indians were thought to have lived here around 500 A.D., and many Lucayan artefacts were discovered in 1936. The cave is named after the small settlement of Hamiton’s, located south of Salt Pond. It is owned and operated by Mr. Leonard Cartwright, a Long Island native who offers tours through the cave system, with some passages over 15 metres wide and 3 metres high, where he played hide-and-seek with his family as a child. Tours can be booked through our front office.
Dean’s Blue Hole
Dean’s Blue Hole is the world’s second-deepest blue hole. Plunging 663 feet (202 metres) to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, the blue hole is oval at its surface, with a diameter ranging from 80 to 120 feet (25 to 37 metres). A popular destination for divers and visitors from all over the world, the hole was the location of the recent free diving world record of 274 ft. (83 metres) and home of the Free Diving World Championships.
One and two tank dives; equipment rentals are available
Dive into the exceptional underwater world at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort, where seasoned divers can explore vibrant marine life and historic shipwrecks. Our excursions are equipped with top-of-the-line gear and led by PADI Certified Dive Master, Delbert Smith. Be sure to have your diving certification ready when booking.
The Fun Starts Here
Call, email or use the online form below to book your activities.
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Nearby dive sites include:
Flamingo Tongue Reef (12 min by boat)
A great dive for beginners, you’ll see schools of Yellow Goatfish, Snapper, Scorpion Fish, Sting Ray and Parrot Fish along Flamingo Tongue Reef.
MV Comberback (15 min by boat)
A favourite of photographers, this upright and intact shipwreck about 98 feet below the surface is home to soft corals, sponges, tropical fish, sea turtles, and the occasional Black Tip Reef Shark.
Angelfish Reef (20 min by boat)
Don’t miss this nearly dive site known for its abundance of Gray and Queen Angelfish, Tiger Grouper, and Spotted and Green Moray Eel.
Turtle Heads (20 min by boat)
Swim alongside Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles and large Stingrays at this nearby dive site.
Barracuda Head (25 min by boat)
Beginner-friendly Barracuda Head is a shallow dive site best known for its large coral reef formations, swim-through tunnel, and battery of tame barracudas.
Conception Island (85 min by boat)
Located 13 miles from Long Island, this beautiful one-and-a-half mile coral wall features forests of Elk Horn Coral, Sea Turtles, Blue Parrot Fish, Reef Sharks, Angelfish, Stingrays, and more.