The Abaco Islands form a boomerang-shaped chain of cays at the northern tip of the Bahamas, stretching roughly 130 miles from Walker's Cay down to Hole-in-the-Wall. This is sailing country: hundreds of protected anchorages, shallow turquoise flats, and a string of small cay settlements connected by water taxi. Most visitors arrive at Marsh Harbour, the main town on Great Abaco, and spend their time hopping between the cays.
What makes Abaco distinctive is the cays themselves. Hope Town on Elbow Cay has a candy-striped lighthouse and a harbour so pretty it looks staged. Man-O-War Cay is a dry island where families have built wooden boats for generations. Green Turtle Cay has a New England loyalist village that dates to the 1780s. Each cay has its own character and can be reached by a short ferry or water taxi from Marsh Harbour.
The interior of Great Abaco is less visited — pine forests, blue holes, and the Abaco National Park in the south, which protects nesting habitat for the endangered Abaco parrot. Hikers and birdwatchers find this side of the island rewarding.
Hurricane Dorian in 2019 caused severe damage, particularly to Marsh Harbour and the northern cays. Recovery has been ongoing but significant — check current conditions before visiting specific areas or accommodations.