For most people, say the word "Bahamas" and they will conjure up images of a tropical paradise. Blinding, white-sand beaches, turquoise water and gentle ocean breezes all spring to mind.
And when you stay at Breezes Resorts & Spas Bahamas, that's exactly what you get.
But there's another idyllic spot tucked away on these islands that is worthy of a visit no matter how long one is staying in the Bahamas - Nassau's Ardastra Gardens.
Located in the heart of Nassau, Ardastra Gardens sits on more than four acres of lush tropical foliage. Ardastra Gardens is a bit of a misnomer, however. While visitors will certainly find stunning examples of indigenous plants, the center is in actuality the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Center, home to more than 135 animals, including the world-famous marching flamingos.
The attraction was designed in 1937 by Jamaican horticulturist Hedley Edwards, who wanted to create a nature preserve showcasing the region's exotic flora. Over time, Edwards brought in a population of endangered Caribbean flamingos and developed a very successful captive breeding program. These graceful birds were eventually trained to perform for visitors and are now one of the center's most popular attractions. In 1980, the gardens were purchased by Norman Solomon, who was inspired to create a "boutique zoo" thanks to his passion for conservation. Today, visitors can tour the zoo and see pigs, rabbits, peafowl, lory parrots, iguanas, tortoises and a variety of snakes, as well as ring-tailed lemurs, endangered prosimians that hail from the African island nation of Madagascar.
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While a tour of Ardastra is wonderful no matter when you come, if at all possible visitors should try to plan their trip around the animal experiences that take place each day. Three times a day, the flock of Caribbean flamingos (which were called "Ballerinas in Pink" by National Geographic) comes out to strut its stuff. Visitors can also help feed apples to the lory parrots. Groups can also learn more about the center and its residents in an open-air classroom setting.
After visiting with the animals, it's time for exploration. The gardens themselves are a stunning tribute to indigenous plant life, but also showcase plants and trees from the across the globe. Pride of place goes to the West Indian mahogany tree, which has been listed by the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act as threatened. Other tree species on exhibit include royal palms, sea grape, tamarind and Indian tulip trees to name a few.
No matter the season, the gardens are alive with color. Madagascar dragon plants, desert roses and the scented purple orchid tree offer bright bursts of color. In late April and early May, visitors will delight in seeing the blue blooms of the Lignum vitae, the national tree of the Bahamas, while later in the year, the orange-red blossoms of the royal poinciana trees will dazzle.
After winding through the narrow garden paths, a bench under a sacred Indian banyan tree provides welcome respite. The base of this tree has a circumference of 60 feet and not only provides shades to visitors but food to a wide variety of birds. It's a great spot in which to sit back, rest and map out the rest of your visit to Ardastra Gardens.
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