Andros Island is the largest island of the Bahamas and the fifth largest island in the West Indies at roughly 2300 square miles (6,000 km²) in area and 104 miles (167 km) long and 40 miles (64 km) wide at its widest point. It is actually composed of three major islands: North Andros, Mangrove Cay, and South Andros. The island has the world's third largest barrier reef, which is over 140 miles (230 km) long. It is affectionately known by Bahamians as the "Big Yard".
The island's blue holes are water filled cave systems. They attract cave divers from all over the world to dive sites such as 'Stargate', 'The Guardian' and 'Little Frenchman'. There are blue holes in the ocean and inland. Two of the inland blue holes on Andros include Charlie's Blue Hole, reputedly first explored by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and the larger Church's Blue Hole and Guardian Blue Hole.
Cave diving is dangerous. Divers require training before entering any cave system and should be accompanied by a guide.
Unlike most of the Bahamian islands, Andros's interior has been largely free of commercial development for the tourism industry, preserving much of its natural beauty. Current Bahamian tourism efforts refer to it as the least-explored island in the chain. There are currently efforts being made by the Bahamas National Trust and the Nature Conservancy to establish a national park on the island.
There are few hotels and resorts on the island. However Andros, famous for its bonefishing, is home to many lodges which cater to the sport.
The island is filled with natural beauty. It has the second largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere and the third largest in the world, at 140 miles (225 km) long, and has a drop off of over 6,000 feet (1.8 km). The water above the reef averages twelve feet (4 m) deep.
There are more than forty square miles (104 km²) of subtropical forest area and the swamp land that is inhabited by more than 50 species of orchids. Andros is actually made up of three different major islands (North Andros, Mangrove Cay and South Andros Island) and hundreds of cays adjoined by these mangrove estuaries and tidal swamp lands. Two hundred different types of birds are native to the island.
Andros Island draws thousands of visitors every year. Anglers come from all over the world to fish there. It is said to be "the bonefish capital of the world". Divers come to explore the blue holes and reefs. Andros Island is next to the Tongue of the Ocean, a deep oceanic trench and is famous for its wall diving.
