Bimini

One of the smallest islands in The Bahamas and close enough to Miami (just 81km/50 miles away) to be distinctly separate from the other islands of the archipelago, Bimini is actually a pair of islands with a total area of 23 sq. km (9 sq. miles); smaller North Bimini is better developed than South Bimini. Luxurious yachts and fishing boats are always docked at the island's marinas. Throughout Bimini, there's a slightly run-down Florida-resort atmosphere mingled with some small-town charm (think old-time Key West, before the cruise-ship crowds ruined the town).

Once the setting for Ernest Hemingway's Islands in the Stream (Papa was a frequent guest; see below), Bimini attracts big-game fishers for big-league fishing tournaments. It has only minor appeal for the casual sightseer, but if you'd like to follow in the footsteps of such famous anglers as Zane Grey and Howard Hughes, this is your island: Sportfishing here is among the best in the world, and the scuba diving among the very best in The Bahamas.