The entire world knows planning a holiday in the Bahamas is all about R&R. But a few island-hopping excursions won’t do any harm, rather only enrich your Caribbean adventures. While there are plenty of Bahamian islands where you can go diving and snorkeling, Allen Cay is an island like none other. All you need to carry is a stick and few grapes.
© Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
As soon as you step on Allen Cay island, a whole bunch of islanders will eagerly come to welcome you. In fact, they crawl all way to the shore to greet you. Who are these crawling locals? The endangered Exuma Island Iguana.
There are over 1,000 iguanas residing on this tiny island. While they may look fearsome, these friendly herbivores are far from it! Lure them with some grapes and you’ll find yourself surrounded by an army of these gentle creatures. But make sure to poke the grape on the end of a stick, or be prepared to get bitten. To the Iguanas your fingers and the grapes look the same. Also, avoid wearing bright nail paint, they interpret red as fruit and will probably bite you!
© exumaforsale.com
While it is certainly fun feeding these iguanas, do remember that they are wild and an endangered species. With so many iguanas on the island, it seems hard to believe but there was a time when the Exuma Island Iguana was thought to be extinct. New wildlife protection laws and conservation efforts in the 1960s have helped protect this rare species. With increasing number of visitors, in recent years, these iguanas have become accustomed to being fed causing changes in their diets, behavior, and psychology. So, try not to over feed, instead enjoy observing these rare creatures.
© Jimi world / Wikicommons
As you watch them scurrying around, try to guess the male and female iguanas apart. The males are slightly larger in size and have prominent crests and horns.
© tropical.theferns.info
When you’re done feeding the iguanas, you can feed yourself with the island’s fresh seven-year apples. But there’s a caveat, and it’s in the apple’s name itself! These aren’t apples that fruit once in seven years. In fact, they aren’t even apples! This fruit is called so because you probably won’t eat it again for at least seven years considering it tastes like turpentine. While this is an exaggeration, most people are turned off not just by its strong taste but also by it’s looks – while it starts out green, when ripe, it shrivels and turns black. Although there are plenty who find it awful, many think these apples taste like liquorice or prunes. Why not taste and find out for yourself?
Finally, end your trip to the island by plunging in its crystal clear waters! This is certainly one of the best tourist attractions in the world.
