It's been 500 years since Europeans first discovered this group of islands and keys in the Atlantic off the southeastern coast of Florida. Yet half a millennium after Columbus' landfall, the Bahamas still feel like a place for exploration. Heat-seeking tourists may get what they came for in their brief wintertime visitations, but the true charm of this archipelago is best appreciated with a home of one's own to return to year-round. Talk to a local painter, diver, or fisher and they'll tell you how the landscape and seascape change in different seasons of the year, even different hours of the day. While their natural beauty could be enough, it's not the only reason these islands are such a desirable luxury destination. With an economic climate as favorable as their weather, the Bahamas are important centers of international business - places where the means to accomplish one's dream can be found in close proximity to the rewards of doing so.