Norman’s Cay: Sunshine State of Mind

Off grid hits different in Exuma. Flung some 300 miles east of Miami, in sun-dappled reefs and the truest of blue Caribbean seas, these 365 Bahamian islands and cays have a rhythm of their own; a go-slow thrum after stormy years of smugglers and pirates. Norman’s Cay soaks this up in troves. Five miles long, with its own marina and runway (it’s a 20-minute flight from Nassau, an hour from Miami, and two hours from New York), the cay’s wild and unshakeable beauty lies in long swathes of sandy beaches and banks flanked by fir pine trees and dotted by coral-pink conch shells.

Not more so than at its southern “Whale’s Tail” tip, where owners of Miami’s Surf’s Club have launched a number of Joseph Dirand-designed beach houses in the dunes. Light-filled and crafted in natural materials - wood, stone and rattan weave - the villas, bungalows and cottages (the largest option for families or small groups) are decorated in neutral tones that bring the outdoors in. For a Surf’s Club hotel-style setup, there are the cabanas at the marina, where open-plan rooms with terrazzo floors and marble bathrooms are a barefoot skip from the beach.

The group’s three other outposts on the cay are dedicated to eating and drinking. The Yacht Club takes homage at the highest point of the island, its open-air layout allowing for panoramic views. Inside, the walls are lined in bamboo and furniture is upholstered with coral and native sea grapes. The Beach Club takes a shaded spot in the casuarina pines of the eastern shore, its mosaic bar, crafted from Murano glass tiles, somewhere to while away a rum punch-fuelled afternoon. Then there’s MacDuff’s beach bar and grill, an island institution brought back to life, with all the rustic charm of the original Bahamian hangout.