Azure waters, brilliant coral reefs, colorful sea life and dramatically deep wall diving are all perfect reasons to dive Rum Cay.

First called Mamana by the Lucayan Indians, Rum Cay was renamed Santa Maria de la Concepcion by Christopher Columbus on his stop here during his first voyage to the New World. The modern name, Rum Cay, is reportedly in memory of a rum-carrying ship that foundered off the coral reefs that surround the island.

Scuba divers will find Rum Cay to be an untapped secret paradise. Located 360 miles east of Miami, 185 miles southeast of Nassau and just 28 miles southwest of San Salvador, Rum Cay is still the Bahamas the way it was meant to be. This authentic out-island destination is considered one of the best-kept secrets in the region, a scenic island refuge renowned for stunning coral reefs and crystal-clear turquoise waters.

Rum Cay is teeming with marine life, drawing serious sports enthusiasts from around the world.

But how does the free-spirited adventure traveler seeking an authentic Bahamian out-island experience all this without sacrificing pampered luxury? How do you really and truly embrace the best of both worlds, both above and below sea level? To capture this ultimate destination with all that it has to offer, an exclusive world-class resort complex is currently being developed on the southern shore of Rum Cay. The 900-acre property, situated on Cotton Field Point, is nestled between Sumner Point and Port Nelson to the east and Nesbitt Point to the west. It will be a luxurious upscale resort destination providing the highest quality of hospitality services in the industry. Current plans include a well-protected super-yacht marina surrounded by hillside villas, condominiums, oceanfront estates and a luxury hotel and spa.

Rum Cay is a beautiful, quiet island like nothing else in the Bahamas. Spending time there is like taking a step into the past. The locals live in a small, quiet community, and the streets are free of noise and traffic. The rest of the island is totally uninhabited, leaving acres of unexplored land, deserted beaches and pristine underwater venues. This tiny Bahamian jewel, just nine miles long and five miles wide, has fewer than 100 residents.

The world-renowned team of professionals commissioned to develop this ultimate resort destination is mindful of the serene natural beauty of the island and its people, and they're committed to maintaining its character as well as enhancing what is already recognized as the finest diving and fishing destination in the region. Every detail is being meticulously planned to create an island ambience unlike any other. Needless to say, Rum Cay Resort Marina will offer the world's finest amenities. In addition to the elegant residential and luxury hotel choices, plans call for the finest gourmet dining establishments and fashionable shopping emporiums as well as a state-of-the-art marina, spa and fitness facility on this spectacular natural playground ringed by transcendent beaches.

All this is just footsteps away from the wide variety of diving sites you will find to explore. Whether you choose to dive the offshore reefs or wrecks, Rum Cay and the Rum Cay Resort Marina is where it all comes together. The island is ringed by a spectacular coral necklace, which includes the Grand Canyon, a huge 60-foot coral wall that extends almost to the surface, providing a unique opportunity for divers and snorkelers alike. Teeming with large schools of game fish, Rum Cay's reef and wall system rival the best Grand Cayman's North Wall has to offer. Northeast of Rum Cay, the water plummets at the continental shelf to a depth of 3,000 feet.

Bring your scuba gear or let our professional dive center equip you for your excursion. Whether you want to explore the extraordinary dive sites at Pinder's Point or view the staghorn coral at Sumner Point reef, they'll take you wherever you want to go.

Diving to a sunken wreck is the dream of just about every diver. The wreck of the HMS Conqueror is one of Rum Cay's best-preserved treasures. The largest British man o' war ship of its time, the Conqueror sank in 1861 just off the southern shores of Rum Cay. All 1,400 hands aboard miraculously survived. Adventuresome divers can still find the shaft, anchor chains and hawser holes of the wreck, Britain's first propeller-driven warship. The shipwreck can be found in 30 feet of water in a staghorn gully near the breaking reef. It's now considered to be the island's sunken legacy and is a fantastic diving location for avid underwater explorers. The wreck presently serves as a part of the Bahamas Underwater Museum; for purposes of historical preservation, none of its contents may be removed.

Most Bahamian islands give you beautiful beaches; Rum Cay gives you that and so much more, plus the luxurious ambience in which to cherish it all. You won't capture Rum Cay -- it will capture you.

Rum Cay Resort Marina is scheduled to open in early 2007.