San Salvador Island

San Salvador Island (also known as Watling's Island from 1680 to 1925) is a Bahamas island and district. On October 12, 1492, during Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the New World, it is commonly assumed that this island was the first land he saw and visited. After Christ the Saviour, he called it San Salvador. San Salvador is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Bahamas, making it one of a kind in the archipelago. Its glistening inland lakes, several historic monuments, kilometers of isolated beaches, and over 50 dive sites keep visitors busy.

Many historians and island residents think that Christopher Columbus first set foot on American soil when he arrived on San Salvador Island in October of 1492. While Cat Island may have the distinction, San Salvador has Landfall Bay, which honors the explorer's visit. Whatever the case may be, history aficionados in San Salvador will be intrigued by the 1887 Dixon Hill Lighthouse and the 1861 offshore shipwreck location of the "HMS Conqueror." For a taste of pre-Columbian history, visit the Pigeon Creek archaeological sites for a look into the lives of the island's early residents, the Lucayan/Taino Amerindians. San Salvador is 200 miles southeast of the Bahamas' capital, Nassau.

Location: San Salvador, Bahamas