Landing at San Salvador Cockburn Town Airport in San Salvador puts you at the center of a region, where turquoise water, inland lakes, and history are close by. San Salvador is a small, quiet island on the far eastern edge of the Bahamas, widely believed to be where Columbus first came ashore in 1492. Life here moves gently around Cockburn Town, a few churches, and a handful of guesthouses and dive lodges. Most visitors come for some of the clearest water and steepest reef walls in the Caribbean.

Standout experiences on San Salvador: - Dive or snorkel the dramatic wall drop-offs off the west coast - Climb Dixon Hill Lighthouse, still turned by hand - Visit the Columbus monuments and the landing site at Long Bay - Explore the ruins of Watling's Castle, an old plantation house - Paddle the island's inland lakes - Comb empty beaches at French Bay and Sandy Point - Eat fresh conch salad and johnnycake in Cockburn Town

San Salvador is an island, so the region comes by air or sea rather than road. Short flights connect to Nassau, and mail boats link the outer islands, with Rum Cay a short hop to the southwest. Around October 12 the island marks the anniversary of the 1492 landfall. Pack light, slow down, and let San Salvador show you what the Bahamas felt like before the crowds.