If you think that the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas' north islands are magic, wait till you take in the historic Obeah of Cat Island, the seemingly endless blue hole on Long Island or fall under the spell of a secluded south-Bahaman sunset.

Great Exuma and Little Exuma are just southwest of New Providence, punctuated by a string of cays that stretch north for 120 miles. While no visit would be complete without hours of time beside the water and snorkeling in it, there are also historic sights on Great and Little Exuma to appease your cultural appetite. Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park near the north end of the cays is only accessible by boat, but nature-lovers will find the sail well worth it. Try the Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma if you want to get your feet wet but don't have the time to explore all the cays. Sign up for an afternoon of kayaking or join a guided snorkeling trip for pre-planned adventure.

Cat Island, east of the Exumas, is a destination for the traveler interested in solitude with their seagulls. In addition to a sprinkling of historic sites, Obeah, or folk magic, is still practiced here. And you thought it was just the beauty of the island that had you under its spell.

Long Island is, not shockingly, long ? nearly 80 miles ? and narrow. This makes, however, for a very high beach to inhabitants ratio. Visitors can easily find a sandy stretch to call their own for the day. Swell is sometimes heavy on the Atlantic side, but swimmers and snorkellers can revel in the bays on the protected west shore. With the expected scuba opportunities, fishing charters and quaint churches, Long Island is also home to a regatta in May, and the second largest blue hole in the world.

The South Islands are located east and south of New Providence. Use Nassau as an exploration base if you don't have your own wings or watercraft.