Crooked Island

Crooked Island is a quiet, sparsely populated island in the southern Bahamas, part of the Acklins and Crooked Island group that curves around the shallow Bight of Acklins lagoon. Its main settlement, Colonel Hill, is a small village rather than a city, and the island is known for bonefishing, empty beaches, limestone caves and an unhurried pace of life.

The island's past ranges from Lucayan-era sites to Loyalist cotton plantations established in the late 1700s. Ruins such as Hope House at Landrail Point recall the plantation period, while Pitt's Town claims the building said to be the first post office in The Bahamas. Old British fortifications survive on the northwest tip, and the 1876 Bird Rock Lighthouse still marks the Crooked Island Passage.

Nature shapes daily life and travel here. The Bight of Acklins and the mangrove-lined waterways of Turtle Sound draw bonefishing anglers, while snorkellers and divers explore the lagoon. Caves such as Macki Cave at Macki Bluff, Gun Bluff Cave, Preachers Cave in Thompsons and Gingo Hill Cave at Turtle Sound hide limestone formations, and beaches like Seaview Bay are often completely empty.

Settlements remain small and widely spread, including Colonel Hill, Landrail Point, Pitt's Town, Church Grove and Major's Cay. Accommodation ranges from small bonefishing lodges and guest houses to beach cottages, while local kitchens serve conch, lobster, snapper and classic Bahamian dishes such as peas and rice. Flights from Nassau arrive at Colonel Hill Airport, and a ferry connects Crooked Island with neighbouring Acklins.

Crooked Island is primarily a destination for serious anglers, divers, sailors and travellers seeking genuine seclusion rather than resort tourism. Business activity is minimal, so the island appeals most to leisure visitors, small group fishing trips and independent travellers looking for an authentic Out Islands experience.