Bahamas SUP & Snorkel Fitness Escape: Paddle, Reefs and Island Cottages

The camp is based at the Green Turtle Club on Green Turtle Cay, one of the Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas. You stay in one of the resort's pastel-coloured clapboard cottages, each with two double or two queen beds, a private bathroom, air conditioning, ceiling fans, a small fridge and a coffee pot. Every cottage has its own deck built out over the bay, so you can sit with a book, step down into the harbour for a swim, or launch a paddleboard straight from your room for a sunset paddle. The support boat stays at the dock behind the cottages and acts as the launch pad for trips out to the surrounding islands.

A typical day starts early with breakfast — Bahama Bread, fruit, and fish — before the group loads boards and heads out on the water. Paddling is the core of the trip: you'll cover reef, mangrove and open-water routes, with the boat nearby for support and to move boards between spots. Snorkelling happens wherever the group stops, and the reef life is the draw — parrot fish, groupers, snappers and turtles are all regular sightings. Afternoons are usually a second, shorter paddle or a snorkel, and later there's time to swim, float, or lie in a hammock with a rum drink before dinner at the resort restaurant.

What separates this from a generic Bahamas resort week is that the paddling is the point, not an add-on. The camp is capped small so the group can move easily between islands, and the itinerary flexes with wind and tide — Kristy has been paddling and surfing these islands since childhood and picks routes accordingly. You'll paddle out to different outer islands through the week rather than doing the same loop from the resort every day.

Kristy Murphy runs Siren Surf Adventures and leads the camp herself. She grew up in southern Florida and spent childhood summers in the Abacos, when her family would boat 80-odd miles over from Florida with other families. She has surfed and travelled widely and rates the Abacos water clarity as the best she has seen. She hosts families and groups for custom surf and SUP vacations as well as the scheduled camps.

No previous SUP experience is needed. The camp is built for all ages and abilities from complete beginner to advanced, but you do need basic swimming skills and should be in good physical health and injury-free to get the most out of it. The minimum age is 10, and anyone 17 or under must be accompanied by an adult. Solo travellers are welcome and common — it's an easy group to join. You'll need a valid passport with at least six months remaining before expiry to travel to the Bahamas.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation in a waterfront cottage at the Green Turtle Club - Daily stand up paddle sessions with board and Kialoa paddle - Support boat for outer-island paddles and snorkel trips - Snorkelling sessions on the reef - Breakfast daily (Bahama Bread, fruit, fresh fish) - Use of resort pool, bar and restaurant - Launch access from your cottage deck and the backyard dock - Group guiding by Kristy Murphy - Help coordinating travel logistics

What's not included

- Flights to and from the Bahamas - Travel insurance (required) - Lunch and dinner (available at the resort restaurant) - Airport transfers if arriving early or departing late - Alcohol and drinks at the bar - Personal expenses and gratuities