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Morning coffee or tea, some fresh fruit, and a bagel on the balcony of my supremely spacious, 2,600 square-foot penthouse villa, the highest elevation along Emerald Bay in Great Exuma, proved an inspiring way to start the day. There was only one problem...

A good 360 islands, islets, cays, and rocks lay scattered about this extraordinary corner of The Bahamas that is the Exumas, all of them sporting the same crystalline seas.

One of the top dive sites in the Exuma Islands of The Bahamas, Amberjack is a patch reef measuring about 50 feet in length that is ideal for all levels of divers.

For all of the outsized touristy glitz that has come to define Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas is actually a prime destination for history lovers keen on exploring African roots and the legacy of slavery in the West Indies.

Interspersed among the 360 islands, islets, and cays in the Exuma chain of The Bahamas are little patches of sandy heaven like this. Sandbars: pure Bahamas paradise.

Few places provide it better than the sea; fewer still as spectacularly as The Bahamas. Beneath the waves amid the clear, the blue, all worries fade away.

So, should you go to the Exumas to marvel at the remaining swimming pigs? I say yes. Just don't forget to pack your common sense and compassion.

No matter where you might roam in The Bahamas, you'll find gin-clear waters that are obviously intoxicating in their own special way.

Leap in. Float around. Stare up at the brilliant blue sky. Or dive in search of shrimp. Owl's Hole is the coolest pool you'll ever swim in.