The Abacos are built around a sheltered sea and the barrier cays that enclose it. These ten stops cover the lighthouse, the settlements, the beaches and the water between them, ranked, with the ferry and boat detail each one needs.
Updated 22 October 2026 · By the BahamasBooking editorial team
Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco is the hub. Ferries cross from there to Hope Town on Elbow Cay, to Man-O-War and to Great Guana Cay, and from Treasure Cay to Green Turtle Cay. Several places below are on different cays, so the day is shaped by ferry times as much as by what you want to see.
The ranking puts the places that are distinctly Abaconian first: the striped lighthouse, the boatbuilding cays, the loyalist settlements and the beaches that the protected water makes possible. Hurricane recovery is still visible in places, so each item says what to confirm before you cross.
Number 1. History
The red and white striped Elbow Reef Lighthouse above Hope Town harbour is the emblem of the Abacos. It is a ferry to Hope Town and often a short boat across the harbour; confirm visiting access and how you get back.
Confirm access locally. Confirm visiting access and return transport.
Number 2. Culture
Hope Town's narrow lanes and waterfront houses make the most rewarding settlement walk in the islands. Two hours is enough, and it pairs naturally with the lighthouse.
Confirm access locally. A separate boat may be needed for the lighthouse side.
Number 3. Beach
Tahiti Beach at the south end of Elbow Cay is a curve of sand with a sandbar that appears as the tide drops. Time your visit to the tide; it is reached by boat or by golf cart and a walk.
Confirm access locally. Time the visit to the tide.
Number 4. Beach
Treasure Cay Beach is a long crescent of pale sand on the Great Abaco mainland, reached by car, which makes it the easiest major beach in the chain. Confirm the current approach and facilities.
Confirm access locally. Confirm the current beach approach and facilities.
Number 5. Sailing
A sailing day on the Sea of Abaco, between settlements and cays in protected water, is what the Abacos are known for. Agree the cays and landing permissions with your skipper when you book.
Confirm access locally. Agree the cays and landing permissions with your skipper.
Number 6. Culture
Man-O-War Cay has built wooden boats for generations and still does. The village walk shows the craft tradition, though working boatyards need permission to enter.
Confirm access locally. Working boatyards require permission to enter.
Number 7. Museum
The Albert Lowe Museum in New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay is a historic house museum of the loyalist settlement. Opening hours vary from week to week, so check the museum's notice.
Confirm access locally. Opening hours vary weekly. Check the museum's notice.
Number 8. Beach
Great Guana Cay's long Atlantic beach, with reef offshore, is the beach for a full day on the cays. It is a ferry and a walk, and the reef and surf conditions vary.
Confirm access locally. Reef and surf conditions vary.
Number 9. Art and dining
Pete's Pub and Gallery at Little Harbour on South Abaco combines Bahamian art with a waterfront meal, reached by car or boat. Check the pub and gallery schedules first.
Confirm access locally. Check the pub and gallery schedules.
Number 10. Snorkelling
Fowl Cays National Park off Scotland Cay protects reef and shallow marine habitat for snorkelling. You need a boat and a local guide, and the launch point should be agreed when you book.
Confirm access locally. Agree the exact launch point with your operator.
From Marsh Harbour, Hope Town and the lighthouse are one ferry day, with Tahiti Beach added by golf cart if the tide suits. Man-O-War and Great Guana Cay are each a further ferry day, and Green Turtle Cay is reached from Treasure Cay, so pair it with the beach there. A sailing charter can link several cays in one day.
Tell us your dates and whether you want to stay on the mainland or a cay and we will plan the crossings. The full list for the Abacos covers every cay and the South Abaco mainland.
Tell us when you are travelling, where you are staying and which of these matter most. We will suggest the order, the boats or drivers you need and what to confirm first.
See all 31 things to do in Abaco, the Abaco travel guide, or every island in the islands overview.
