The Bahamas gets its name from the Spanish, baja mar, meaning 'shallow sea'. The turquoise waters that lap this land are as calm and warm as its people. Throughout the 700-plus islands that constitute The Bahamas, residents tend to abide by 'island time', an affectionate term used to describe the Bahamians' laidback demeanour and their slow-moving way of life. It isn't too hard to fall into this habit: many of islands are either uninhabited or sparsely populated, and from beaches strewn with beautiful seashells to homes painted in soft pastel shades, serenity is easy to find.

Yet many forget that this mammoth archipelago is twice the size of Spain. For those who want a destination which offers something a bit more than just peaceful seclusion, they will find The Bahamas is large enough to accommodate everyone's tastes. From shopping in the bustling straw market, to golfing in world-class courses, to diving amidst shipwrecks and coral reefs, to windsurfing and parasailing, and then a bit of dancing the night away to the bubbly sounds of goombay, calypso and Junkanoo music, The Bahamas is not lacking in things to do.

It is perhaps for these reasons that The Bahamas attracts fabulously wealthy people to its shores. The post of governor, representing the British monarch, was once a remote but pleasant sinecure, sought after because of the association of the islands with luxury. The Bahamas does, indeed, have its fair share of exclusive villas and hotel complexes, but it was also once a haven for freed slaves and this accepting approach to people from all ways of life persists – visitors are still more likely to come across a clapboard house and that classic Bahamian hospitality than they are to stumble across a lavish resort

The island's capital, Ciudad de Ibiza, was founded by the Carthaginians 2,500 years ago. Today the town consists of a lively marina district around the harbor and an old town, D'Alt Vila, with narrow cobblestone streets and flat-roofed, whitewashed houses. The yacht-clogged marina and the district's main street, Vara de Rey, are constant spectacles -- from old fishermen to the local Ibizan women swathed in black to the ubiquitous, scantily clad tourists. The marina district is fun to wander about with its art galleries, dance clubs, boutiques, bars, and restaurants.

Much of the medieval character of the old town has been preserved, in spite of massive development elsewhere. Many houses have Gothic styling and open onto spacious courtyards. These houses, some of which are 500 years old, are often festooned with geraniums and bougainvillea. The old quarter is entered through the Puerta de las Tablas, flanked by Roman statues

Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. As of 2004, the population estimates recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 64,422. Daytona Beach is a year-round resort area, and home to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach Community College, and Keiser College Daytona Beach Campus. The city is also home to the Daytona Cubs, a minor league baseball team of the Florida State League.

Daytona Beach is well-known for its beaches and as host of the Daytona 500, the most important race of NASCAR.

The city and its beaches, lined with hotels, motels, condominiums and houses, attract over 8,000,000 tourists each year. In a wide variety of price ranges, hotel and motel rooms are typically plentiful except during special events. Daytona Beach has high security around its main hotel locations, with multiple cameras filming hotel and beach areas.

During motorcycle events (Bike Week and Biketoberfest), several hundred thousand bikers from all over the world visit the greater Daytona Beach area. While the city is often associated with Spring Break, the efforts of the local government to discourage rowdiness, combined with the rise of other Spring Break destinations, have nearly ended Daytona's former preeminence as a Spring Break destination. Indeed, so few students (relative to past years) have come since 2002 that officials stopped estimating their number.