Darlene and I arrived from Houston not knowing what we were in for. What a pleasant surprise to find Peter and Betty Oxley eagerly waiting to be our newest best friends. Their sharing of their intimate knowledge of the Exhumas made our stay entertaining and enjoyable. Because of Peter's information, I was asked frequently how many times I had been on the Island. The beaches are lovely, some of the prettiest blue water I've seen, and the people are quite friendly.
We found the Coral Gardens to be just what we wanted as a base of operation in exploring the Island totally. Centrally located, room very clean, wonderful views of the Bay.

Peter and Betty are just lovely people, and thats the way they run their home. Peter is a wealth of knowledge about the island and is more than eager to share it. He is also an expert at openning coconuts, just check out his finger. We stayed in the one bedroom apartment with kitchen and deck. Its was very clean and plenty roomy. The house is set on the hillside, nice and quiet. You definately need a car, Peter can help you out with that, as with everything else.
The island has some of the best beaches and water in the world, dont be afraid to explore, if you dont ,you can miss so much.
People from all over the world stay here, it was a great group. Remember, this not a huge resort, it is a bed and breakfast, nice and peaceful. The owners will know you by name. Great People!

There are times when you just need to escape the real world, and Coral Gardens helped us do that. Thanks to Delta's new direct service from Atlanta to Georgetown (GGT), we booked a trip to Exuma on a whim for Christmas 2007 and took a leap of faith.

Before leaving for our trip, we worried about all the little things. We needn't have worried. Peter and Betty, along with all the other friendly faces on the island, made our trip "easy peasy" (as Peter would say).

First, Coral Gardens. I would *highly* recommend reserving the one-bedroom apartment if at all possible. The apartment features a nice deck with a bit of a sea view and gorgeous sunsets, two twin beds, a serviceable kitchen for warming leftovers and preparing small meals, a washing machine (must line dry), a gigantic bathroom, a radio/cd player, a satellite television, and air conditioning. There are plenty of screened windows which are perfect for getting a nice breeze throughout the apartment. I can only think of two negatives to this space. As the owners note, I would not suggest more than three people share this room. It was just perfect for the two us (a mother-daughter pair). And, I wish the Oxleys would upgrade the sleeper sofa. We didn't utilize the sleeper part, but the sofa itself is a little uncomfortable for just lounging, reading, watching TV, etc. It's more of a futon with a frame, and so it's not really conducive to "relaxing." A comfy couch would be a *fabulous* improvement.

Please note: we did not stay in the b&b rooms, but we toured them. My only criticism is that because meals are so expensive on the island, I would've felt lost without our little kitchen. If you stay in the b&b rooms, you'll enjoy the very kind hospitality of the Oxleys but will need to plan for all lunches and dinners elsewhere on the island. We did not see the studio apartment, but it also offers a small kitchen, so that might be a better option.

The property itself is up on a little hill, enjoying sea breezes and views. The grounds are beautiful -- lots of lush, flowering trees, a few geckos, etc. Best of all, the property is remarkably quiet!!! It's a lovely place to literally 'get away from it all.'

Coral Gardens is within walking distance of Hooper's Bay Beach, and Peter and Betty can show you exactly how to reach it via an unmarked beach access path. I didn't have a pedometer but would wager it's probably 3/4 of a mile away from the house. If you like walking/jogging, this trek shouldn't be any problem. On days you're more tired, you can easily drive to this beach in 2 minutes. If, however, you want the experience of walking straight out your back door onto the water . . . you might prefer another accommodation.

Hooper's Bay Beach is just one of many. I heard there were more beaches in the Exumas than people, and I believe it! We also visited Jolly Hall Beach (a 5-minute drive), Stocking Island (a boat trip away), and Tropic of Cancer Beach (a 25-minute drive). The latter is literally the most beautiful, quiet beach I've ever seen!

There is a bank almost within walking distance (thought I'd probably drive) just to the north of the house on Queen's Highway. Or, there are banks in Georgetown (a 5-minute drive south). We never found the post office, but honestly didn't really try. We did find an internet cafe open for about ten minutes one day, but otherwise had no access to the internet. (The Oxley's have service if you bring your laptop.) We were pleasantly surprised to find that our cell phones (Sprint PCS) worked perfectly. The rate wasn't outrageous, either. I think I paid something like $2.50 for a five minute call. That was worth it to know we had access in case of an emergency and just to call home to report we arrived safely.

There are three groceries within an easy drive. One, located near the Four Seasons Resort, had lots of frozen and packaged items and a very nice selection of produce. Another, just a two-minute drive from the house, had a decent selection of meats and a little pharmacy along with the basic items. And, finally, the grocery in Georgetown had a little bit of everything. Using a combination of these three stores, we found everything we needed for our week's stay: cereal, bread, jam, popcorn, milk, water, orange juice, canned soup, fish, pasta & sauce, etc. (Yes, everything is far more expensive than in the U.S. It's an island, so this is inevitable. Just plan ahead and prepare to spend more!)

We tried a few restaurants and liked them all for different reasons. Cocoplums is between the Four Seasons and Rolleville to the north of the house. It has its own pristine beach, and we enjoyed a nice lunch there (the lime salad dressing is worth the trip!). Santanas is on Little Exuma, so perfect for visiting in the same day as Tropic of Cancer Beach. Dee is fabulous, her grouper is the best I've ever had, and her stories about the Pirates of the Caribbean cast & crew are great. Splash at Palm Bay was a nice spot for lunch as well, with a more 'American' menu with things like burgers and pizza. And, the legendary Chat 'n Chill across the harbor lives up to its billing. Memorable in every single way. Google it! We managed to spend an entire week without eating "inside" anywhere. Every single restaurant meal we had was open-air. Does it get any better than that?

We reached most of these places by the car we rented from Peter and Betty. It was tiny but perfectly serviceable and fun to drive, and Peter's rate is lower than elsewhere on the island. Driving on the opposite side is not nearly as hard as you'd think, and it's nearly impossible to get lost on the island as there is only one main road (Queen's Highway) and zero stoplights. There were a few gas stations in Georgetown, and we thought the price of a gallon was pretty reasonable given the isolated island location.

We recommend attending St. Andrew's Anglican Episcopal Church in Georgetown for Sunday services. Another favorite was taking the water taxi from Georgetown to the Chat 'n Chill (ask Peter to call Elvis and let him know you're coming so he knows you're waiting at the dock). *Note: we did not find a way to get from the Chat 'n Chill to the Atlantic side of Stocking Island. Asking about it later, we learned there are two separate water taxis. One goes from the Peace 'n Plenty to the beach-ish areas. The other (Elvis) goes from the Georgetown public docks to the Chat 'n Chill. If you want to have easier access, rent your own boat from Minn's. We didn't do that last time but may try it on our second visit.

Have I forgotten anything? I've written a novel, I think! I can only sum up by saying that Peter & Betty are salt-of-the-earth, good people who will make your stay all the better. They know Exuma like the backs of their hands, and we would've felt we'd missed something without their recommendations. Coral Gardens is a lovely place to stay -- and arguably the best value in the Caribbean. And, Exuma itself is a joy. It's heaven on earth, and we'll be back often!

Jim and I had nothing to go on but the write-up and a few pictures from the website but we are adventurous and the price and location fit for us. We were meeting friends that had a boat and we were planning on spending a lot of time on the boat. Plans changed and our friends did not make it there until 2 days before we were leaving, so we had a full week of touring on our own and enjoying the island. Thanks to the Oxleys who briefed us on some wonderful beaches, restaurants and fun things to do, we had a fabulous time. The water is so clear and the beaches so beautiful with white sand and no crowds of people. What a Paradise! The B&B sits on a hill and gets the nicest breezes that we enjoyed having a glass of wine or cup of coffee sitting out on the deck every day before we left for dinner. The rooms are spotless and comfortable, but not fancy. Just simple and clean. If you are looking for the Four Seasons, it is a few miles away and the roomrates start at $500 per night.

Peter and Betty are extremely friendly and helpful in everyway and without their help and guidance we would have been lost.

It turned out to be a truly relaxing and magical vacation for us both.