This could be you! Are you ready?

Have you been dreaming about getting away from the cold recess’s of the city?

Are you fed up that you need a vacation , but cant afford one?

Are you tired of reading this blog,  wishing you were enjoying the cool azul waters of the bahamas, while sipping on a delicious island drink?

Well if you answered yes to any of those questions  here’s your chance of a lifetime, to win a 7 days all expense paid trip to the Bahamas.

All you have to do is upload a photo, or video of yourself on vacation or having fun somewhere  and you get a chance to have this all expense paid trip for you and your group all to yourself.

It doesn’t get any sweeter than this!

Free + The Bahamas + 7 days  of fun and you get to bring along some of your closest buddies, friends or family. Who says Christmas only comes once a year.

You can choose from one of the  4 offers they have available: The family of four package, the romantic getaway for two, a guys retreat or a rendezvous for you and your closest gal pals. Don’t wait too long, the offer ends March 15th.

Click the link for more details: Bahamas Better Vacation Contest

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

photo cred: bahamasoutislands via flickr

Sandy Slipper's on Rum Cay

If I were a Pirate

This is where I’d be

Slippers in the Sand

Rum in my Hand

Basking on Rum Cay!!

Cheers to another Sandy Slipper Moment!!

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

photo cred: Big Apple Angie via Flickr

Traveling with my eyes wide open

The Bahamas has many things to offer and so much to see. For those of you who haven’t traveled farther than the outer bounds of the United States, its time for you to discover the real Bahamas; by traipsing through some of our other islands.

For a longtime even as a local, I hadn’t experience much of the out-islands. Growing up a city-slicker, I didn’t think the out-islands had much to offer in the way of pure experiences. It wasn’t until i took my first trip to Eleuthera in 2004, that my mind became open to the concepts of a relaxed lifestyle, endless beauty and the purely re-invigorating feeling that only waking up on a serene beach lined with pink sand could impart on you.

The beautiful Club Med Beach

It was from that moment on, I slowly began to shake off the shackles the city had on my mind. I was no longer a city slicker destined for corporate monotony. No I had slowly begun my transformation into an island boy, seeking relaxation, beauty and the hidden joys only an island paradise can bring.

Like running through once hidden underground grotto’s, liming on the beach catching rays or learning how to catch crabs.

The world before time

The islands have so much to reveal, you just have to be open to hear it’s secrets.

Are you listening?

Watch the video below to see some more of the things you can experience in an island of the Bahamas, called Eleuthera.

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

photo cred: flickr- thisgirl angie

Undoubtedly as time had progressed the slow facets of life had changed, and more and more cheap tawdry goods had began to slip into the market from all corners. As time slowly passed and folks got use to a make shift tent becoming their new home; nature happened. During hurricane season in 2011; hurricane Irene swept in and blew the remains of that structure away.

As devastated as locals were to see an old ruin go, they were more enlivened when they realized the new, state of the art straw market was set to open in a few mere weeks. As excitement and fear began to mount . Many wondered if this new edifice would house and restore the grace and pride that was once known as one of  the lifeblood’s of Bahamian culture, only time could tell.

The Nassau Straw Market at Night

As I to began to walk the sacred halls of that new building my mind floundered as a I realized that time had not only brought about change, but it had also brought about our culture full circle as we knew it.

As a new architectural marvel, the straw market encompasses  looming columns, winding passageways but  retains the very energy of human creativity that came to be known as the Bahamian drive.

The essence of Bahamian culture

With straw platters on both sides, basket weavers humming dainty songs and the music of the wood carvers permeating the air, I knew I had arrived.

I was here!

I had arrived at our very own mount Olympus in a flat un-etched terrain.

Vendors excited to show their wares

Handmade artifacts for sale

An artist reveals his work

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

Birding in the Bahamas

Visiting new destinations for its natural appeal and the hidden intricacies that makes each place different has become a big part of many vacations now and as visitors get more cost conscious, travelers have come to expect their trips to hold more significance.

Fortunately for us in the Bahamas, our expansive network of cays, island and small islets lend itself to a wide variety of natural sites to visit and explore.

Grand Bahama island the second city in the Bahamas, is home to one of the largest bird populations in the world. Unbeknown to most , many birds from around the world migrate to Freeport, for its warm sunny climate during the cold months.

Even the animals know its better in  the Bahamas and thats another one of beautiful the dynamics of the bahamas, with having so many different islands with so many different natural attributes each one is home to different kinds of experiences.

Similar to how the Bahamas is mostly know for our resort culture, party lifestyle and most importantly our laid back attitude; protecting our wildlife and natural habitat are things we take very seriously in the islands.Take a look at the video below of how one of our visitors spent her time in Grand Bahama

To learn more about some of our natural preservatories visit the Bahamas National Trust website.

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

Fortunately for us the Bahamas does both without skipping a beat.

For those of us who miss the past and would love to get wrapped up in a good melody that brings back a bout of nostalgia, then the Bahamas is the place. Located at the one and only Bob Marley resort , built and run by none other than Rita Marley, Bob’s wife. They’ll be throwing a gala splash down, that will include hits by Bob Marley to commemorate what would have been his 67 Birthday if he had still been alive.

Breathtaking View at the Marley Resort in Nassau

Located at the Marley resort they’ve crafted a one of a kind experience, that transcends the museumy fake feeling evoked by many other music museums, but seeks to transcend the bonds that made Bob, BOB.
The island heritage, the taste of the food, the cool vibes emanating around you and the backdrop of nature. The boutique resort houses 16 unique suites and is home to some of the most beautiful views on the island.

Bob may not have been born in the Bahamas,but at the Marley resort they call it home.

But don’t fret if you wanted to experience this good good feeling, you’ve still got time. The 67 Earth-Strong celebration will be taking place on February 17th, in none other than Nassau Bahamas at the Marley Resort. If you like to experience the whole feeling , you can stay in one of the Marley suites that doesn’t disappoint.

Check out the rooms here: Marley Resort

And to help you waft away those dreary Wednesday blues, here’s one of my favorites.

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

photo courtesy of CNBC

(p.s you can click on any of the bolded passages below, to redirect to each link)

Blogs we love

1) The most important thing I learned in 2011, is that with no matter how many commitments we have to attend to, tasks, tending to the kiddos, and the day to day meanderings, its pivotal that we  still find time to hang out and take a moment to relax. So first of all I would like to give a shout out to some of the great blogs out there that kept me motivated and my spirits high in 2011.

• Petershallard.com, the shrink for entrepreneurs, for helping me regain my sanity and for allowing me to realize I’m not crazy because of my thoughts.

• Rumshopryan.com for giving me a good reason to love rum, and all the many different varieties, islands and cozy bars that I can saddle up to and partake in a glass of liquid enjoyment.

• Beachcoaststyle.com for blessing my day with a splash of color, when I lacked the creativity to jump start my own day.

• 365give.ca for proving to me that charity can begin with the simplest gesture and every day is a day you can make a difference.

• Chrisbrogan.com for providing insight about social media that has helped me in my career and my job.

• Thepioneerwoman.com for reminding me how much I love food and how to use a camera.

• Uncommoncaribbean.com for showing me there’s more to an island, than just a pretty beach.

2) I found my zen in Long Island : I’ve always heard about people connecting with their zen and finding their purpose in life. But until  I unplugged from everything, I didn’t know it was possible. There’s nothing better than unplugging from the world, when you’re stressed out  and reclaiming your inner peace.

3) Finding the best fishing spot in the world Bimini. Maybe I’m a little biased, but hey I’m a Bahama boy. When I realized that fishing wasn’t just reserved for enthusiasts, professionals and people who could thread a rod in their sleep; an entirely new world opened up to me. Which allowed me to connect with nature, my surroundings and the beauty that exists in life.

4) Unleashing James bond in the Bahamas, and dreaming about living like him for a week. Growing up watching spy movies all day and dreaming about jostling with bad guys and making out with the hot lady. I never imagined that some of the most exciting scenes from some of my favorite movies even existed. Much less were available for viewing and nominal rental fees. I kid about nominal fees, as I’m still saving up to stay at that Ocean Club villa James bond made popular in Casino Royale.

5) Finding out that if you mix good friends, with good times and the Islands you’ve found the surefire remedy for good memories.

Me and the Xtreme Trips Team preparing for Electric Island

The Future:

Whats in store for 2012: Well its hard to predict for certain, but here is my crystal ball view of how It’ll be going down here in the Bahamas and at the Sandyslipper.

1) Nassau will be getting its very own rum distillery, crafting pure unbridled savory goodness. This news wafted to my ears in the fourth quarter of last year and it still has me salivating. This little tidbit had me grinning for days, and as things unravel you can stay  tuned here at the Sandyslipper for updates on the construction, brewing and sampling process.

2) Nassau has begun the arduous task of rebuilding the island. Starting with the relocation of the shipping ports out of downtown, a new straw market that just re-opened and a brilliant plan for returning Nassau to its pre-1980′s glory. I’m buckled in for the ride and will keep all of you guys updated.

3)Several islands will be getting major facelifts including Rum cay, Andros and Chub cay. Which means there will be more beautiful escapes to visit, that will be tucked neatly away from the overly cushy mega – resorts located in nearby Nassau.

5) And last but not least, The Sandy Slipper will be delivering more hard hitting, fact finding, fun filled, rum guzzling, relaxing and island life stories than ever before.

And in good fun, we didn’t hit out goal of 500 fans on Facebook but in the spirit of good cheer, I’ll be making two lucky fans of the Sandy Slipper honoree winners and drum roll please. The lucky winners are Susie Hoover for being the very last fan to sign up for our page and Jill Faulkner for liking nearly all of my stories, even the horrible ones and being our most active fan on our page.

Hey guys email me at fabian@sandyslipper.com, so I can mail you your copy of Willest and the Illest.

Thank you all for supporting me through 2011 and here’s an awesome pic to  give you guys a small taste of whats about to come in 2012.

The Best Winter Escape - The Bahamas

Happy New Year,

Fabian Christopher!!

But my last 12 days of Christmas have been a doozy so far. In the last 12 days I’ve been on the radio 4 times, TV once, sold 3 containers of Christmas trees, made a lucky kids christmas, went to the tree lighting ceremony and to round it all out visited Sandals Royal Bahamian with Mark Brown the best Travel agent I know.

Below is a photo slide of my adventures. Expect a huge writeup on Sandals and great pics galore, including the beach party. Also in a few days I’ll be announcing our Cd Giveaway winner.

Until then enjoy your holidays, remember to take time out for your loved ones and it doesn’t hurt to be Santa Claus for somebody in need.

Warm cheers from the Bahamas.

Fabian Christopher

1st Lucky Winner

How she spent her winnings!

Too Many bags

Lucky kiddo gets a Bike

Shopper walks away with a Fluffy Christmas tree

My Radio Dj taking time out to greet Guests

The entrance to Sandals Royal Bahamian -The Fun begins

White wine & Chasers

Wine  & Chasers.

Ahh another reason why I love Christmas.

So many excuses to indulge.

Hope your Season is getting Festive!!

Soca Diva Allison Hinds heats up the Stage!

As the weather dials begin to drop even lower and the cool of winter sets in; we Bahamians tend to prepare for the chill also. Which makes all of my friends from other countries laugh because it doesnt get much colder than about 55 degrees here.

But every December we experience a heat wave when the soca masters head to town for  a soca fete. Soca music has been an intrinsic part of the caribbean for years. With it’s origins dating back to the 1960′s when Calypso was fused with its North American counterpart disco and funk. And thus the Soul of Calypso, or Soca as it was abbreviated was found.

During the holiday season, as tons of visitors descend on the Bahamas to flee their freezing climates; many hotels around town and popular convention halls such as the Wyndham and Sheraton will be hosting many large scale Soca concerts, which will be full of energy and excitement. If you haven’t experienced it before, don’t miss out!

Many of the dance moves aren’t hard at all, after you learn your rhythm, its all fun from there.

Featured below is one of the classics, by the Soca Boys which teaches everyone, beginners and professional dancers how to Follow the Leader!!

And don’t forget to login here to for your chance to win a free cd!

So shake off those Monday Blues and Enjoy!

About the author: Fabian Christopher is the Managing editor and owner of Sandy Slipper Travel and online magazine. An avid enthusiast of the Bahamas, he is always ready and available to make your vacation dreams in the islands a memorable experience.

Photo cred: The Gleaner