Ardastra Gardens

Ardastra opened in 1937 as a private garden and became a zoo, and its long-standing set piece is the marching flamingos: Caribbean flamingos, the national bird, trained by a keeper from the 1950s onward to respond to voice commands and parade in formation on a lawn several times a day. It is odd, undeniably, and it has been running long enough to be an institution. Around it the gardens hold Bahamian and Caribbean species including the Bahama parrot, rock iguanas, and a collection of birds in walk-through aviaries, along with mature tropical planting across about two hectares.

What you actually see

• The marching flamingos - the formation parade, several times daily.
• Bahama parrots - the endangered endemic subspecies.
• Rock iguanas - the Bahamian species in the reptile enclosures.
• The gardens - mature tropical planting across the grounds.

When to go

Year-round. The flamingo parades run at set times through the day, usually late morning and afternoon, so time a visit around them. Cruise days bring groups. Mornings are cooler.

Honest expectations

It is a small, old-fashioned zoo and the enclosures are modest by modern standards, which some visitors find uncomfortable. The flamingo marching is a trained routine and views differ sharply on whether it belongs in a modern collection. The visit takes ninety minutes and the entry price is high for the size.

Nearby

Fort Charlotte is five minutes; downtown Nassau is ten minutes east.