Mayaguana

Mayaguana is the easternmost island of The Bahamas, a remote district where small settlements, open coastline and shallow fishing flats define daily life. It is one of the least developed and most isolated destinations in the country, valued for solitude rather than resort-style tourism.

The island keeps its original Lucayan name and has a sparse history shaped by the Taíno, a long period of abandonment after Spanish raids, and resettlement by people from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the early 1800s. The wreck of HMS Driver, the first steamship to circumnavigate the globe, lies offshore, and a former United States missile-tracking station later became the basis for Mayaguana Airport.

Abraham's Bay on the south coast is the main settlement and the gateway for visitors, while Pirate's Well in the northwest and Betsy Bay in the east form the island's other small communities. Booby Cay shelters endemic rock iguanas and nesting brown boobies, and West Indian flamingos feed near Blackwood Point.

Fishing is central to local life: bonefishing on the flats, reef fishing for grouper and snapper, and lobster and conch gathering draw anglers seeking uncrowded water. Beaches such as Horse Pond Beach are known for land crabbing and for long stretches of sand that often remain empty.

For travellers who want a genuinely off-the-grid destination, Mayaguana offers nature, birdwatching, diving and a close-knit island culture. Services remain minimal, with no bank or ATM and limited guesthouses, making advance planning important for both leisure and business visitors.