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The Exumas is a dream destination for most and it’s been on my bucket list for quite some time. If you haven’t heard if the Exumas, it’s a district of the Bahamas made up of over 350 islands or cays and home to some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world. Great Exuma is the largest island reaching 37 miles long and is connected to Little Exuma. Both islands are quite popular so you can find many hotels on both Great Exuma & Little Exuma. If you’re a resort type of person then you won’t find a ton of options here. There is a Sandals and Grand Isle Resort but I recommend opting for a smaller, boutique property like Paradise Bay Exuma. With many smaller hotels in Exuma, I stumbled upon Paradise Bay early on in my search and knew I had found exactly where I wanted to stay for my first solo trip & first trip to the Bahamas!

Hotel Overview

This boutique hotel had everything I was looking for: beachfront, ocean views from every room, private bungalows, amazing staff, an on site restaurant, and more! And best of all, it didn’t break the bank like I was expecting. Most hotels in Exuma, or in the Bahamas in general, are a bit pricey but my four night stay at Paradise Bay Resort was well worth the money…. and we’re only talking $200-$300 per night for a 1 bedroom bungalow! Paradise Bay Resort won me over the moment I stepped on the property. From the décor and attention to detail to the amazing staff and the picture perfect views! Upon your arrival you’ll walk down the path lined with native plants like Bougainvillea until you reach the front desk building where you’ll check in and get the cutest room key you’ve ever seen. The bungalow where the front desk is located is decorated with the beach in mind with whites and natural driftwood accents. During my check in, I met the hotel manager, Norbert, who is extremely nice (so is everyone else who works there!). If you have a chance to meet him, he will actually remember your name for the duration of your stay which I found impressive as I haven’t had that happen in all my years of traveling. After checking in, I also got a quick tour of the property and was shown my room. Aside from the beach being only steps away, Paradise Bay also has a pool on site for when you get tired of the salt water. The hotel also has it’s own on-site restaurant and offers non-motorized water sports like kayaking and paddle boarding which you can book & reserve at the front desk.

The Rooms at Paradise Bay Bahamas

What really sold me on this hotel aside from its' beachfront location were the rooms! Paradise Bay Resort offers private 1-2 bedroom bungalows so each room is completely separated from the others so that you can enjoy your undisturbed bliss to the fullest. All of the bungalows are different shades of blue & yellow and each are named after Bahamian islands. I stayed in the Mayaguana suite which was in the second row of bungalows but I still had an amazing view of the ocean from my windows & front door and was still steps away from the beach. The bungalows have a few steps leading up to the door & even have a little sitting area on the deck. The interior is simple and spacious, yet complete with everything that I needed. The bathroom was split in two with the toilet on one side and the shower on the other. There was a rack to hang your clothes right beside the shower which was very convenient. In the main area is the bed (which was very comfy!), two nightstands, a desk & chair, two side chairs, and a mini refrigerator. Something to note is although there is free wifi in the rooms, it is spotty. There are TVs in every room with Netflix and there is a pretty decent DVD selection at the front desk that you can borrow from during your stay. I only had an issue with the wifi on my last day, other than that it worked perfectly and let’s be honest, the whole point of going to a small island in the Bahamas is to get away from it all!

The Location

Paradise Bay Bahamas is located on Great Exuma between Steventon & Rokers Point. It’s about a 20-25 minute car ride from Exuma airport (GGT) and about a 35-40 minute drive to Georgetown. If you want to go to Little Exuma island from Paradise Bay it would take an hour or longer depending on traffic or construction. Personally, I found Paradise Bay to be in a great location. Within walking distance there are amazing local restaurants, a super fun ATV tour, and other beaches only a short drive away. I was also walking distance to the Covid testing site which was a plus! I did take a taxi to Georgetown one day to explore & spent the whole day there and was worth it. After my experience at Paradise Bay, I will be staying here every time I visit and recommend it to everyone. I can’t say enough about how truly fantastic my time was here!

The On-Site Restaurant: Cocoplum Bistro

Named after one of the best beaches on the island, Cocoplum Bistro is the on-site restaurant at Paradise Bay and is open for breakfast, lunch, & dinner. This was my go-to spot for breakfast since it was so close and was open early before I left for my excursions each day. The yogurt parfait topped with fresh fruit was a hit, but I also loved the English muffin egg sandwiches and the iced coffee. Most days I was out exploring and had lunch elsewhere but I did eat at the hotel a couple of times for lunch and the Cocoplum Salad (pictured below) was my favorite! I’m a sucker for goat cheese but the dressing was the real winner on this dish. It’s a homemade vinaigrette that’s both tangy and a tad sweet, which perfectly pairs with the goat cheese and bacon on the salad. Dinner seemed to be the busiest time at Cocoplum Bistro and it’s recommended to make a reservation ahead of time. The restaurant is open to the public and I was happy to see groups of people staying at other properties dining here. The dinner menu is small but everything I tried was absolutely amazing! The first night I got the curried chicken with plantains and I ate the entire thing! … And it was not a small portion. Another night I ordered the snapper and it was also very delicious. One of my favorite things on the menu though is the lemon tart! Overall, the restaurant is small but the quality of the food is what shines through. Everything is made from scratch and so much detail goes into each dish. The staff was also played a part in why I enjoyed this restaurant so much. As I mentioned before, this was my first solo trip and Melissa & Sterling made sure I felt right at home. Cocoplum Bistro also has a new manager & head chef, Sam from France, who is revamping the menu & I can’t wait to visit again to see what he’s done! One thing to note, and this goes for anywhere on the island, is that “island time” is real and don’t plan on eating a quick meal like you would in the US. I realized this on my first day of vacation but learned to embrace it and appreciate it. Enjoy your meal & your surrounding and stop worrying so much about time… trust me, you’ll be a lot less stressed!

This was hands down one of the best stays I’ve had at a hotel and the staff went above and beyond to ensure I felt comfortable, and by the time I was checking out, I felt like family. Part of that is also just the way Bahamian people are, they treat you like family and that’s why I loved my time in the Bahamas so much. I can’t wait to visit again and stay at Paradise Bay Bahamas for years to come!

Happy travels!

- Tess

Tess Arnold

Hi! I’m Tess, founder of TravelingTessie.com, and not only do I love to travel, but I love immersing myself in new places and finding off the beaten path experiences wherever I go! I’ve lived in 4 different states & traveled to 13 countries and counting. I believe that tourism is meant to benefit both visitors and locals alike—and I want to bring that idea back into the travel industry by highlighting companies run by locals such as tours, hotels, restaurants, and more. On Traveling Tessie you can find hidden gems in top destinations around the world, travel tips, detailed city guides, and tons of inspiration for your next trip!  If you love travel as much as I do, then please join me on this journey! I hope you enjoy my content as much as I enjoy providing it for you!

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