Thunderball Grotto is a top snorkeling and scuba diving destination, famous for its appearance in two James Bond flicks ("Thunderball" and "Never Say Never Again"). The intricate, underwater maze located on Staniel Cay is enclosed by sky-high cave ceilings with holes just big enough to let the sun shine through and reflect off the water

Experienced snorkelers will have no problem navigating the ins-and-outs of Thunderball, but many travelers recommend that novice snorkelers plan an outing during low tide. One TripAdvisor  reviewer suggets, "If you are an experienced and strong snorkler, you can avoid a lot of people by diving into one of the secondary rooms, and following the sea floor where many of the bigger fish can be found."
Fish will likely swim up to you in search of food, so feel free to pack bread crumbs for some underwater feeding

There are three national parks on Grand Bahama, but Freeport's Lucayan National Park is the definitive favorite. A 40-acre spread of mangrove, palm and pine trees, the Park also contains lovely white sand beaches, the impressive Gold Rock Beach and one of the longest underwater limestone caves in the world

You'll probably need at least several hours to explore the two underwater caves — one of which is where the bones of Lucayan people were discovered in 1986 — and to swim at the secluded Gold Rock Beach. You can also kayak or ride horses in the park

If you are short on time, recent visitors suggest you forego some of the other activities in favor of the beach. The park has many places to get away from the crowds

10-11-17