Tranquil Turtle Beach Bar

Bluff House began in the early 1950s as the private home of Pearce and Kitty Coady, who often put up visiting boaters, and it describes itself as the oldest resort in the Bahamas’ Out Islands. The resort was bought by VIP Marinas Group, a family-run marina company, at the end of 2025, and its plans include rebuilding the hilltop restaurant.

Caribbean Journal placed the Tranquil Turtle sixth in its list of the 25 best beach bars in the Caribbean in 2024.

Start with the bar’s namesake Tranquil Turtle cocktail, which is sometimes on a two-for-one offer. The food is island casual: cracked conch, conch fritters, fresh fish and hamburgers, eaten on the patio deck over the sand.

The bar looks out over the Sea of Abaco, and the resort invites passing boats to tie up at its dock or come in by dinghy. Yachts staying at Bluff House berth in its 40-slip marina on White Sound, reached by a channel with about 7 feet (2.1 m) at mean low water. The property runs across from the sound to the beach, so the bar is a short walk from the slips.

Sunday is the big day, with a DJ, prizes and a special menu, and dinner is served here because the resort’s Boathouse restaurant is closed on Sundays. Kayaks and paddleboards can be rented by the half or full day from the bar staff. Bluff House says restaurant hours vary in the off season, from September to the end of October, so call ahead then.