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Get shipwrecked in The Bahamas' Out Islands-they're perfect for privacy-loving honeymooners.

When you stop to think of The Bahamas, you probably conjure up images of bustling Nassau on New Providence Island and touristy Freeport on Grand Bahama Island, both known for their duty-free shopping and sprawling resorts. But just north and south of these better-known parts, you’ll discover the other Bahamas—The Out Islands, a chain of approximately 700 smaller, mostly uninhabited islands and 2,500 cays strewn across 100,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike their bigger neighbors, the Out Islands have no skyscrapers, casinos or shopping malls. Instead, spectacular natural scenery, quaint little villages, friendly people and powdery pink- and white-sand beaches are the major draws.

Not so long ago, the Out Islands weren’t very accessible—hence, the moniker. (Even today only 25 are inhabited.) Fortunately, a dozen airlines serve the three most developed areas: The Abacos, The Exumas and Long Island. Fly into one of these and settle into a hotel, using it as a jumping-off point to explore the region’s cays and islets. Here, what to do in paradise.

The Abacos

Flying time: Fifty minutes from Miami to Great Abaco

Best for: Beach lovers, sailors and yachters. Also, anglophiles: Many of the locals on the two main islands (Great Abaco and Little Abaco) are descendants of the British Loyalists who originally settled in the area after the Revolutionary War, building New England-style clapboard houses to remind them of home.

Check in: The 87 spacious rooms at Treasure Cay Hotel Resort and Marina, on Great Abaco, are decorated in festive island prints. The marina is filled with million-dollar yachts, but what earns this resort its rating as a romantic outpost is the four-mile-long beach, where the sand is so soft it makes confectioner’s sugar feel gritty (800-327-1584; treasurecay.com).

Explore the area: For a taste of the old-time British ambience, take a taxi from Great Abaco to the town of New Plymouth, on nearby Green Turtle Cay, about $70 each way. Wander the streets, which are lined with pastel-colored shops. Thirsty? Head over to Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar and order a Goombay Smash, made with coconut rum, dark rum, apricot brandy and pineapple juice (Victoria Street; 242-365-4181).

Night life: Nippers Beach Bar & Grill, on Great Guana Cay, sits on a bluff that overlooks the Great Abaco Barrier Reef, the island’s magnificent coral reef. On Sundays, this no-frills spot hosts a Wild Boar Pig Roast, which draws a festive and famished crowd (242-365-5143; nippersbar.com).

The Exumas

Flying time: One hour and 20 minutes from Miami to Great Exuma

Best for: Sunbathers and marine-life enthusiasts. The 365 islands of the Exumas are heaven for snorkelers and divers; yachters consider these islands—and their smooth waters—the sailing capital of the world.

Check in: You're in for a treat: The 250-room Four Seasons Resort on Great Exuma is the poshest hotel in the Out Islands. This resort has everything you wouldn't expect to find here: fitness and tennis centers, two pools, an 18-hole golf course and a spa (800-332-3442; fourseasons.com).

Explore the area: Take Thunderball Express' guided boat tour from Great Exuma to some of the surrounding islets, including Staniel Cay, one of the most pristine spots around and the location for two James Bond movies. Swim into Thunderball Grotto, named for its "007" role, through a half-moon entrance that's flush with the water's surface. On sunny days, light gushes through an opening in the rocks, adding a shimmer to the immaculate blue-green water as reef fish nose about (242-357-0520; thunderballexpress.com). Or, charter a boat to Exuma Cays National Land and Sea Park. (Your hotel can hook you up with a local skipper and help you negotiate the price.) This 175-square-mile preserve teems with iguanas on land and marine life underwater, but its most unusual "marine" mammals don't even have fins. These water babies are a family of hogs who live on Big Major Cay and greet boats with enthusiasm—as long as their occupants bring them something to eat.

Night life: Colonial George Town, on Great Exuma, looks best at sunset, when the sky is awash with crimson and gold. Sit down at Club Peace and Plenty Restaurant, where candlelight and ceiling fans set the scene for a romantic dinner. Be sure to try the conch salad (800-525-2210; peaceandplenty.com). Once sated, head down the street to The Sunshine Bar and Restaurant at Two Turtles Inn to hear live music. The band is local, and the bar is a favorite watering hole among yacht crews and charter air pilots (242-336-2545; exumabahamas.com/twoturtles.html).

Long Island

Flying time: One hour and 37 minutes from Miami to Long Island

Best for: Anyone who seeks a true escape. The quietest of the trio, Long Island attracts romantics, anglers and divers. This four-mile-wide island is a study in contrasts: The west side is made up of beaches, palms and shallow bays, while the east side is rugged and rocky, with stunning white cliffs.

Check in: The Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort is straight out of central casting: luxurious and unpretentious. All 20 cottages face the resort's four-mile beach. The best touch: the screened-in porch, where you can cuddle up and survey the star-studded sky together (800-663-7090; capesantamaria.com).

Explore the area: There's little land-based activity here—and that's the draw. Instead, the blue ocean serves as this island's playground. Ask Delbert Smith, the nature guide at the Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort, to "maroon" you on a deserted cove. Smith knows every snorkeling spot and uninhabited cay in the area, and he'll help you find one that you won't have to share (capesantamaria.com). Hankering to do some deep-sea fishing? This is the place. Test your patience—and your upper body strength—while hooking blue marlin on a trip with Deep Sea Fishing Charters (800-663-7090; capesantamaria.com).

Night life: After a day of breathing in the salty air, what you really want is fresh fish. The Stella Maris Resort's restaurant dishes up local seafood, from grouper to wahoo. Go on a Wednesday, when the bar holds Rum Punch and BBQ specials, or on a Saturday, when there is live music (800-426-0466; stellamarisresort.com).