Renowned as a maritime playground for sun-starved Americans, this stunning string of subtropical islands is so much more than a cruise-ship stopover. Stretched between the depths of the North Atlantic and Florida’s eastern coast, the Bahamas comprises more than 700 islands and 2400 cays, most uninhabited, and all fringed by spectacular coral and fathomless ocean trenches. From the grit and bustle of funky Nassau to the vast mangroves of Andros, there’s an astonishing array of beaches, reefs, forests and historic towns to be discovered, all within the compass of an hour’s flight.