Private retreat on Andros is a sliver of paradise

Kamalame Cay is a private island retreat on a 96-acre slip of sand off Andros' northeast coast near the settlement of Staniard Creek. Built over the past eight years by Brian and Jennifer Hew, a Jamaican-born couple, it offers three miles of beautiful beach fronted by crystal-clear ocean.

Its high-ceilinged great house is essentially an elegant island dining room and living room. Being a guest is akin to enjoying the hospitality of well-heeled friends.

There are three meals a day and snacking to your stomach's desire, Caribbean gourmet food, with abundant fresh fish, conch and crab. The well-stocked liquor table never closes, with all house spirits, wine and beer included in the nightly price. The nearby kidney-shaped swimming pool and barbecue area complement the private ambience.

On-site activities are low-key. There's a tennis court. A small spa is situated on a wooden pier extending out into the ocean, with treatment rooms that open on the water. The marina offers a dive shop and various watercraft, from kayaks for nearby exploring to larger boats for trips offshore, deep-water fishing or scuba trips to the reef. Resort-certified diving and fishing guides are available for hire.

The accommodations consist of a dozen octagonal, oceanfront cottages, most with a spacious bedroom and bath, spaced at discrete intervals along the narrow cay between the sea and the shallow sound. The Hews' four-bedroom house is also available for weekly rentals.

Fitted into the lush, planted foliage, its guest cottages feature wide French doors and a wraparound veranda. Although the accommodations front the ocean, all are very private.

In my two days there, I seldom saw another person on the beach. Rooms have no television or outside phones, although Internet service is available 24 hours a day in the resort's small office, next to a tiny gift shop.

Simple, unobtrusive elegance is Kamalame's main attraction, abetted by its genial, hospitable, local staff. That combination of amenities coupled with the superb fishing and diving of Andros have made it a featured attraction in the catalogs of high-end adventure outfitters, such as Orvis and Frontiers Travel.

Information: 1-800-790-7971 or www.kamalame.com.