The Abacos

THE ABACOS are a sailors and flyers paradise.

Located 200 miles east of Fort Lauderdale and 75 miles north of Nassau, Abaco has nearly 649 square miles of landmass and is the second largest island in the Bahamas.

The islands in this 120-mile chain vary with quaint Cape Cod-like villages built by the early settlers, former slave towns, offbeat restaurants and pubs and high end hotels and residential developments. Abaco real estate in the Bahamas goes quickly so don't wait!

The influence of the Loyalists – Americans who remained loyal to the British Crown – is still strong in the Abacos today.

The Colonists left the United States after the American Revolution of 1776 and established cotton plantations in Abaco and a number of the other Bahamian islands.

For a few years, the cotton industry thrived. But the boom turned to bust when pests destroyed the crop.

Most of the settlers moved away and the population dwindled from about 2,000 to 400.

Fishing and wooden boatbuilding – a skill that has survived to this day – kept the economy afloat.

Today, tourism and second home ownership is one of the engines that drive the Abaco economy. If you’re thinking Bahamas real estate, think Abacos.

From the charming, New England-like cottages to the Abaco Club on Winding Bay - a 520 acre, international private members' golf club and sporting enclave - Abaco has something for everyone.

Long known for its candy-striped lighthouse at picturesque Hope Town, Abaco has become hugely popular with North Americans as a vacation and second home spot.

Abaco boasts one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, fantastic diving and fishing grounds, beaches, bird life and even wild horses.

Fun restaurants and bars are scattered throughout Abaco with names such as Blue Bee Bar, Nippers and Tipsy Seagull. Abaco also plays host to exciting big game fishing tournaments and sailing regattas.

Find Abacos real estate in the Bahamas today!