If you plan on going to the Bahamas Sandals resort for your honeymoon, this article will help prepare you for what to expect and what to do when you get there.

First of all, they tell you that you won't need any cash while you are there, but you will need cash. You are supposed to tip the bus driver who brings you from the airport to the resort, and back again. If you plan on going into Nassau to the Straw market, or Senor Frogs, or to Paradise Island to see Atlantis, or to do the Dolphin Encounters or anything outside of the resort, you will need cash to tip everyone you come into contact with just about, along with cash to buy things in the gift shops and straw market. Also, if you aren't concierge level and you want alcohol or anything for your room, you might want to run across the street to get something to keep in your room, but be careful, things are more expensive there.

If you do the Dolphin Encounter, or plan to go into Downtown or to Paradise Island, make it the first thing you do after breakfast. You will have to take either a cab ($15) or the #10 bus ($1) to get downtown. There is also a #10A bus, but that isn't the one you want, so don't get confused. It will take about 10 minutes to get there, and it will drop you off right by the straw market, which you can either walk through or go around to the left (which is where you will find Senor Frogs), and on the other side is where you can catch a ferry over to Paradise Island. The Ferries run once an hour and stop running at like 6pm, and you'll probably have to tip the driver or the tour guide. But, the tour guide can be your best friend, he showed us a shortcut to the ferry for Dolphin Encounters, and if you ask him, he will know the best way to whatever your destination is, and will be happy to help.

If you are doing the Dolphin Encounter, you will need to go around to the right and catch a second Ferry to Blue Lagoon Island, which is another 20 minute ride, and you will be at the Dolphin Encounter for probably about an hour and a half to about 2 hours before you are back at Paradise Island. So plan ahead and make sure you don't miss your ferry back, or you'll have to pay for a cab to take you back.

At the Sandals resort, get used to eating and drinking whatever you want, as much as you want, and whenever you want and getting up and leaving. It's an odd feeling when you aren't used to it. If you are booking a trip, I highly recommend the Windsor building and getting a concierge level room. When you have that, you get your mini fridge restocked every day. That means you will have cold bottled water in your room for free for at night if you have to take any pills, or if you just want to recover from the whole day of drinking. On top of that, you will have champagne, wine, and liquor along with every mixer you can think of restocked every day. They will give you a card that you use at the gift shop, or if you want a fancier bottle of wine, or if you want to buy any pictures (they have camera men and women walking around taking pictures of people and they give you a reciept band that you can take and see if you want to buy any prints), and it just charges it to your room number which you pay at the end with your credit card.

With the conceirge level, as much as they make it sound like it, you don't actually have a "personal concierge," unless you pay for butler service, which I didn't do. However, you can ask anyone on the concierge team to help you set up appointments and dinner reservations and everything. I recommend going in person rather than doing it over the phone. I also HIGHLY recommend doing the orientation, as it is really helpful.

If you plan on doing a candle lit dinner for two, call and order it ahead of time, as they do fill up before you get there. Also, make sure you pick your location as well, because they told me that my concierge would take us around to pick a spot, which they don't do. Also, you have to have your menu picked for each of you 24 hours before your dinner. I highly recommend this dinner, as it was the best dinner we had the whole time there.

The Crystal room was the only place that we had a wait for, and it wasn't that long of a wait, and it was a very romantic and high class kind of dinner. They even used a crumb scraper before the dessert. The Italian restaurant wasn't my favorite, I think Olive Garden is a lot better. The Cricketer's pub is ok for food, but it's an important one because it's the only one open 24 hours with a limited menu, and it's the best place to catch a free wireless signal if you want to bring your laptop to upload pictures or for whatever else. All of the other restaurants have excellent food, and try to try them all if you can. The buffet is always good, especially for breakfast, and the Cricketer's pub's espresso bar is not very impressive...not a lot of choices there.

The snorkling is free, but book it early in the week because there are only like 3 times per day that you can book it to go, and they start filling up. If you are thinking about a massage, I highly recommend that as well. My wife and I got a massage out in a private hut over the water as the sun was coming up and it was one of the best things we did. The private island is the place you want to go if you want to be more secluded or if you want a longer beach to walk. The ferry there goes once an hour, and again I'd suggest going early as the best seats get taken up quick. I think that the Piano bar is one of the most fun things you can do while you are there. The Piano player is really good, and funny and gets everyone involved. It's even better if you can find a seat at the Piano (there is a bar built around the Piano that you can sit at), so I'd suggest getting to this one a little earlier and get your drinks, it will take a while to get a refill once the crowd has filed in.

I suggest trying the Banana Colladas while you are there, along with sampling all of their other drinks (you already paid for it, so try them all). They have Bud, Bud Light, Kalik and Kalik Light (Bohemian Beer, tastes a little bit like Natty light). Just remember when you are there, that you've already paid for every possible food and drink you can get your hands on, so don't be shy.

If you want the best view of the place, go up to the 6th floor and into the fitness center, it's in the Manor Building, and you will be able to see Atlantis, the Private Island, a great view of the pool and the piers, and it's actually a nice workout room if you are interested.

Whatever you do, don't do the Concierge cocktail hour. They just quiz you on the sandals resorts, and the concierge service, and give you bottles of liquor (which if you have concierge level service, you already have for free), and that's it!

All in all, it is a fantastic place to have a vacation, and I suggest having 7-10 days if you really want to experience everything there is to do there, we were there for 5 days and 6 nights and felt like we could have easily done another 3 or 4 days.