Escape from the World.

Hawksbill Cay lies between Shroud Cay and Cistern Cay or “between heaven and paradise” according to one recent guest. Sunshine, snorkelling and Singapore Slings are what this uninhabited island does best. Better still, Hawksbill sits at the centre of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Divers can swim with rays, grouper and other giants of the deep.

Island landmarks speak of Hawksbill’s pirate past. Hunt for treasure at Smugglers Cove, kayak through Pirates Cut, or wander through the abandoned village on Ruins Bay. Saunter to the island’s lofty peak for a sublime 360° view.

Rumour has it that Danger Reef was named for the sharks that swim its waters, less than 60 feet deep. With shark fishing banned in the Bahamas, these creatures in all their species swim freely, and are often spotted. In Malabar Cay, head to Warderick Weels, the centre of activity in the Exuma Cays Sea Park. Discover rocky bluffs and sand dunes, paddleboard mangrove creeks and watch the tides change over five hours. On Boo Boo Hill, it’s traditional to leave a piece of driftwood with the name of your boat to ‘appease the gods’.

The most famous and photographed residents of Big Major Cay? A few dozen friendly native sea pigs. The best way to discover these waters is by private yacht. Local folklore says the pigs were the survivors of a nearby pirate shipwreck, others say they were dropped off by sailors who planned to come back and roast them later.

On Musha Cay, a set of 11 private islands owned by David Copperfield, take your pick from 40 beaches of sugar-fine sand. An undamaged coral reef is great for snorkelling. Musha Cay is also an excellent spot for a private party or wedding celebration tied in to your yacht charter.

Many yachtsmen call Conception Cay the ‘most beautiful island in the Bahamas’. Protected for 50 years as a Bahamian National Park, its deep seas and coral reefs need to be navigated by skilled captains. Brave travellers will discover an uninhabited island that hides a secret blue lagoon.

Tender or kayak to the mile-long beach that shimmers in the sun. The island soundtrack is a thousand tropical birds joining in the fun. Crew can act as guides to this eight-square-kilometre paradise, which lucky visitors will occasionally have entirely to themselves.

Rum Cay is renowned across the Bahamas for its surfing and deep reef diving. Atlantic rollers make its ocean side the perfect place to kiteboard or hang ten. The island’s leeward side drops off to shelter scores of species of sea life. For oceanic parades of manta rays, dive the famed Grand Canyon, a 60ft high coral wall. The cay remains one of the most unspoilt islands in the entire Bahamas chain. Hiking trails lead to lonely white sand beaches where the footprints will be yours alone.

Crooked Island lives in splendid isolation. Sail south and you reach the Turks and Caicos; sail east and you hit the African coast. Such seclusion means its beaches are empty and its oceans are alive. Reel in bonefish from the deck of your yacht, or try night fishing for snappers and jacks. Take a morning jog along the endless sand and your thousand footprints will be the only ones.

Nature has blessed Crooked Island with the ultimate blue lagoon. Between the uninhabited islands of Castle Cay and Long Cay guests may indulge in an endless bath of shallow sea. Swimmers can pick up sand dollars from the sandy bottom, but snorkellers should swim past the island’s edge. Here the seabed drops off to form coral gardens and fish-laden coastal shelves.