A Bahamas vacation means different things to different people. If it means high class hotels, with everything laid on beside a turquoise sea, a pool with willing bar staff, a golf course, all inclusive, with a kids club, and lots of activities and night life, then please stop reading now.

What this article is about is a Bahamas Vacation slightly off the beaten track, probably not for children, but definitely for couples of any age. It is on Exuma about ten minutes walk from the beautiful Hooper's Beach, and it is bed and breakfast accommodation, and it is called Coral Gardens.

Coral Gardens has five rooms on a quiet hillside and has beautiful views of the sea, and is rated the top bed and breakfast on Exuma. It describes itself as bed and breakfast accommodation with apartments. The best advice is to book the one bedroom apartment with kitchen and sun deck with a partial sea view. The kitchen is adequate for small meals, and it has a washing machine, but no tumble dryer, the bathroom is huge, there is satellite television and air conditioning if you feel you need it, because there are screened windows which let in the breeze.

The best reason for staying in the apartment as opposed to the bed and breakfast accommodation is quite frankly the cost of eating out on the island. The only meal supplied is breakfast, and good as it is, you are going to need food again during the day!!

In terms of supplies, there is a bank almost within walking distance, and another five minutes drive away in Georgetown. There are also three grocery stores within easy reach, and between them you will get everything you will need. The restaurants that are worth visiting include Cocoplums with its own beach north of the Coral Gardens, Santanas on Little Exuma, Splash at Palm Bay, St Francis, and Chat n? Chill across the harbour by water taxi from Georgetown.

It must be obvious from all of this, that you will need transport, and the best rates are those offered through Peter and Berry, who apart from being terrific hosts are also a fount of knowledge about what to do and where to go on Exuma.

The island is as close to paradise as you could wish for, with really clear clean turquoise sea, white sand beaches, and no crowds.

Coral Gardens is probably the top bed and breakfast accommodation on Exuma, and very close to being the best in the Bahamas. Apart from the spotless rooms, the view, and the breakfasts a large part of this is due to the owners Peter and Berry who will help you plan your days. This is the kind of place for people who know how to organise and entertain themselves, who just don't like modern hotels or their guests. You will meet like minded people here, and build the kind of memories that won't fade with time, and as many others have said, you will want to come back, and that about says it all.