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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.

You can seemingly run forever on the sandbars strewn about the Bimini archipelago set in the most westerly corner of The Bahamas.

Any week can be Shark Week when you're visiting the Exuma Islands where controlled encounters with docile nurse sharks are a top attraction.

Mix aerobatics with the splendor of beaches in The Bahamas and you get something special: The Grand Bahama Island Air Show.