Bahamas – A Dream Cruise from Florida
The Bahamas are the number one cruise destination from the East Coast of the USA and Florida for a trip or vacation on a cruise lasting a few days to a week. This British Commonwealth state is located just a short (relatively) flight or cruise away from Florida's eastern shores. Nassau, the capital of the islands, is a large and vibrant city with stunning beaches and a thrilling Caribbean vibe (though it’s still the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea, but they’re quite similar). Opposite Nassau's port is the legendary resort island, Paradise Island, where all the resort fun awaits those not arriving in town by cruise ship.
- In Nassau, there are fascinating sites and attractions that bring the nature and history of the islands, which were once the crown’s pursuit of Caribbean pirates.
- With a domestic flight or cruise, you can reach stunning reef islands with unique beaches like the pink beach, and perfect geological nature for diving or snorkeling.
- Staniel Cay Island is another popular destination offering options for snorkeling, professional diving, and especially swimming with the pigs at the iconic Pig Beach.
How many days do you need for a trip to the Bahamas?
The Bahamas are vacation islands with dreamy beaches, where you might even want to retire. Dedicate a full day to exploring Nassau, and definitely plan half-day trips to the variety of islands near the capital.
Click here to check availability and prices at hotels in Nassau and Paradise Island…
Click here for a list of 5 resorts for a vacation in Nassau…
What are must-see sights and activities in the Bahamas?
- Enjoy the beaches, restaurants, and bars of Nassau Harbor
- Vacation at Paradise Island
- Diving in Thunderball Grotto at Staniel Cay and visiting Pig Beach
- Urban relaxation at Cable Beach
- A jaw-dropping beach and tropical nature at the Clifton Heritage National Park
- The flamingos at Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre
- The unusual sight of the Queen's Staircase
- A day trip to the nature and beaches of Rose Island
- Searching for Captain Sparrow at Lucayan National Park in the Grand Bahamas
- Surreal vibes at the Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island
Click here for a day trip sailing from Nassau to Pig Beach including snorkeling…
Click here for the full tour of Nassau including all the city attractions…
What are the Bahamas?
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is technically an independent country under British auspices, spread over an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean west of Florida and north of Cuba. The country has an elected parliament but the official head of state is King Charles of Britain.
- Today, the Bahamas is a tourist empire and one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Millions of tourists, mainly from the USA, visit the islands each year; and tourism is the biggest industry on the islands, serving as the main livelihood for its residents.
- The islanders speak English (with a cool British-Caribbean accent) and due to the high level of development, they are one of America's favorite vacation spots, often considered in many ways as the Hawaii of the East Coast.
- The population of the islands consists of a small layer of Whites, descendants of the British settlers, and mainly a large population of descendants of slaves who worked the islands' lands.
- The island residents are very religious with an enormous number of churches in all settlements on the islands.
The Bahamas archipelago consists of no fewer than 700 islands and islets belonging to the country. Out of the 700 islands, only 22 are inhabited.
- The largest island in the archipelago is Andros Island, where about eight thousand people reside. Andros is one of the western islands in the archipelago and includes a collection of small islets that connect to it during low tide. Andros covers an area of about six thousand square kilometers, which constitutes nearly half of the entire country's area.
- Just east of Andros, on the small island of New Providence, lies the capital of the Bahamas, the city of Nassau. Nassau is home to nearly three hundred thousand people, almost two-thirds of the island nation's population.
- The second most populated island in the archipelago is Grand Bahama, where the large city of Freeport is located. Freeport is the second largest city in the archipelago, with about fifty thousand residents.
Map of the Bahamas
How to Get to the Bahamas?
How to Fly to the Bahamas?
Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) – The main airport of Nassau, it is the most important and largest in the islands, serving as the main gateway. From the airport, you can reach almost any island in the archipelago with connecting flights on small twin-engine planes. The airport is located in the western part of the Nassau metropolitan area (basically the entire area of New Providence Island) and is accessible via regular routes from airports in Florida and Atlanta. In winter, dozens of vacation routes open to the airport, including from major airports in the USA, Canada, and destinations in Europe and more.
Click here for private shuttle service from Nassau Airport to hotels in the city…
Grand Bahama Freeport Airport (FPO) – The secondary international airport of the Bahamas serves the tourist traffic to Grand Bahama Island. The airport has direct routes from Nassau, airports in Florida, Atlanta, and also flights from Europe (from Milan) and Canada during the winter season.
Secondary Airports in the Bahamas:
- Marsh Harbour Airport (MHH) – Access to the Abaco Islands. Domestic flights from Nassau and Freeport, flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Atlanta.
- Exuma International Airport (GGT) – Access to Great Exuma Island. Domestic flights, from Florida, Atlanta, and Toronto.
- South Bimini Airport (BIM) – Access to Bimini Island, flights from Nassau and Fort Lauderdale.
- San Salvador Airport (ZSA) – Cockburn Town Airport, domestic flights and flights to Montreal and Paris.
- Additionally, there are dozens of small airports and airstrips on various islands, accessible by domestic flights from Nassau or Freeport.
How to Get to the Bahamas by Cruise?
Although you can fly to the Bahamas, the most popular and perfect way to get there is by cruise. There are many large cruise companies that sail from ports on the east coast of Florida to the Bahamas. Most Bahamas cruises include a stay on a high-end hotel ship with all the possible luxuries, lasting from 3 to 6 nights. There are longer cruise itineraries that include stops at additional ports in Florida, including Miami and Key West, with the Bahamas being the cherry on top.
In the Bahamas, some private islands are entirely dedicated to cruise ships. The island owners sign a contract with cruise companies to provide a full day of fun when the giant floating hotel anchors near the private island. The most famous of these islands is Ocean Cay, known for its stunning beaches. The island features a lighthouse that becomes an attraction when illuminated with LED lights in the evening. The cruise ship anchors by the island, and vacationers disembark to enjoy the beach, bars, spa facilities, etc., (all supplies are brought from the cruise ship), and return to the ship in the evening as it sails onwards.
Cruises with routes that include the Bahamas depart from dozens of ports across the USA, from New York City to New Orleans or Baltimore. These are very long cruise itineraries where the main enjoyment is the hotel aboard the ship. The shorter cruises depart from Florida ports – Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, and Port Canaveral.
Click here to purchase ferry tickets from Miami to Bimini Island…
Click here for a day trip by ferry from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini Island…
When is the best time to visit the Bahamas?
- The best seasons for trips and vacations in the Bahamas are winter and spring, when the weather is very stable. The Bahamas' tourist season runs from November to April, when there are no hurricane threats and the weather is pleasant and warm, perfect for beach vacations.
- Winter temperatures are very pleasant, ranging from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, and there isn't a lot of rain. For this reason, masses of tourists flock to the Bahamas as an escape from the cold of the north.
- Contrary to the pleasant winter, the summer in the Bahamas is pretty tough. Summer temperatures are high and the humidity is at the extreme end of the tropical scale. Despite this, tourism on the island is very active in the summer, and it's definitely worth visiting the large resorts with pools or the beaches.
- As August approaches, the humidity rises, and around 3:00 PM a torrential downpour starts, lasting for an hour or more, breaking the humidity.
Click here to sail from Nassau to Pearl Island + lunch…
From late spring to fall, significant tropical storms, including occasional hurricanes, can occur in the Bahamas. These significantly impact the Atlantic coastline and the Gulf of Mexico. The entire Caribbean coastline, Cuba, and Florida are vulnerable to hurricanes. If one is on a collision course, it is advisable to stay away from the landfall site (hurricane paths can be known a few days before impact).
Everything you need to know about lodging in the Bahamas
A large portion of accommodations in the Bahamas doesn't actually happen on the beach but rather on cruise ships. The cruise ship is the most efficient accommodation solution for those coming to the Bahamas, offering a perfect combination of a very high hotel standard, pools, access to unique spots on the islands, and completely reasonable prices.
Click here for a list of 5 resorts for a vacation in Nassau…
For those coming to the islands for a vacation, most accommodations are located in Nassau, the capital, and the nearby islands. Nassau's coastline has quite a few resorts touching the beautiful, bustling beaches technically belonging to the city. North of the city's port, Paradise Island is the most intense vacation spot on the islands, with luxurious large-scale resorts, crazy beaches, and all the fun of a Caribbean vacation. The anchor of the industry on this small island is the giant complex Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas.
There are resort hotels on many other islands, such as Grand Bahama and its capital Freeport, San Salvador Island, and more. There are also isolated resorts and hotels across the islands accessible by small planes.
Click here to check availability and prices at the resorts of Nassau and Paradise Island…
How to plan a Bahamas itinerary?
A trip itinerary in the Bahamas usually revolves around visiting Nassau, the capital city, and its main attractions. Downtown Nassau along Bay Street is the central urban hub. From the cruise ship port, you can also cross the bridge to Paradise Island, which is entirely dedicated to vacation tourism.
Click here for a boat trip to Pig Beach from Nassau…
- A short boat ride from the city can also take you to the stunning Blue Lagoon Beach
- In Nassau, there are attractions such as the Ardastra Gardens, Queen's Staircase, and a series of British forts from the 18th and 19th centuries
- A short drive from the city also reveals the Clifton National Heritage Park and the popular Jaws Beach.
For those looking to deepen their island adventure, consider flying or sailing from Nassau to the charming Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island, or visiting the Lucayan National Park on Grand Bahama Island to the north.
Staniel Cay is a must-visit stop for a day trip from Nassau, famed for the legendary Pig Beach.
Diving and Snorkeling in the Bahamas
The Bahamas are a diving and snorkeling paradise. These underwater activities are perhaps the most popular among tourists, besides the resorts and beaches. The islands themselves are reefs, and just beneath the surface lies an entire world or underwater jungle of reefs, corals, tiny fish, and all the joy of diving.
Click here for a guided tour and snorkeling, including turtle watching and coral diving…
Diving and snorkeling on the islands vary between tourist and professional options. There are numerous basic snorkeling and diving areas that are part of the tourist experience on the islands. Many resorts have a beach section dedicated to diving and snorkeling, complete with guidance and staff support.
Across the islands, there are many more complex natural diving sites requiring full operations. There are underwater caves that have become popular destinations for divers, accessible by boats from companies specializing in the field.
Click here for a glass-bottom boat ride, banana boat ride, and snorkeling…
The popular diving site on the island is Thunderball Grotto, a natural cave on a small island near the luxury island of Staniel Cay. Also nearby is Pig Beach, a hugely popular attraction where tourists can swim with a group of pigs in the water.
The most challenging dive site in the islands is Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island, which is more than two hundred meters deep.
Nassau
The city of Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the large island nation. The city and its suburbs are home to over three hundred thousand people, a significant portion of the country's population. Nassau has a Caribbean character, and it's a decentralized city, so there's nothing that can be defined as a center.
Click here for a guided tour of all Nassau's main sites…
In every district or neighborhood, there is a shopping center, but most of the activity on the island is at its beaches anyway. The heart of the city is what's known as Nassau's downtown, along Bay Street and Junkanoo Beach. The street lies on the strait separating New Providence Island from Paradise Island, which hosts luxurious vacation resorts. At the eastern part of the street is Fort Montague, a reminder of the city's past as a pirate hub.
Just a bit west lies Arawak Cay, an artificial island that during the day seems dull and serves as a warehouse for the port. But every evening, it comes to life with tourists and locals flocking to its vibrant scene of bars and nightlife. The island boasts a row of excellent seafood restaurants, bars, and clubs.
Click here for a Jeep tour from Nassau following the Caribbean pirates…
Junkanoo Beach
Junkanoo Beach is the downtown hub of Nassau and the most attractive spot to visit in the heart of the big city. It's the busiest and most popular beach in the Bahamas, not because of its rather standard appearance, but simply due to its prime location right on the city's cruise port. Located on Bay Street, it is an integral part of downtown, surrounded by a plethora of businesses, restaurants, shops, a flea market with a Caribbean vibe, bars buzzing at all hours, and more.
Click here for a guided jet ski at Nassau's beach…
Paradise Island
Paradise Island is the heart of the Bahamas' vacation area and one of the perfect places for a holiday in the vast space of the Caribbean Sea Triangle, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean. On the small island opposite Nassau, there's a collection of resorts ranging from four-star to deluxe five-star, centered around the massive Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas resort, which has become one of the country's icons.
Cabbage Beach on the northern part of the island is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas and certainly one of the busiest with vacationers. The entire southern part of the island is reserved for yacht and cruise ship docks, and that's where the bridge connecting the island to Nassau is located. The island also features a huge golf course and a large water park – Aquaventure.
Cable Beach
Cable Beach competes with Paradise Island for Nassau's vacation goers. It's not large but boasts extraordinary beauty with resorts, restaurants, bars, and an especially lively and fun vibe. Just east is Goodman's Bay Park Beach, dedicated entirely to leisure, with big resorts of all levels, a popular water park, and more restaurants and bars.
Click here for a culinary tour in Nassau that follows rum production and Caribbean delicacies…
Clifton Heritage National Park
Clifton Heritage Park is one of the most popular sites in the Bahamas. Located on the coastline at the western tip of New Providence Island, it's a short drive from Nassau, which overlooks most of the island. The park provides museum-like information on the history and settlement in the Bahamas, including chapters dedicated to pirates, who are part of the islands' tourism DNA.
The park boasts stunning beaches with trails, paths through tropical vegetation, and beaches perfect for snorkeling. In the northern part of the park is Jaw's Beach, which got its name from scenes in the movie “Jaws: The Revenge” filmed there in 1987, the fourth in the iconic film series.
Click here for all the information on opening hours and entrance fees…
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre
Not far from Junkanoo Beach to the west, in the western outskirts of Nassau, lie the beautiful Ardastra Gardens which have become a popular attraction when visiting the city. The gardens are located near Fort Charlotte, teeming with cannons. The gardens were established in 1937 as a nature reserve and zoo, and to this day they are a small slice of tropical paradise.
The reserve hosts dozens of species of cataloged tropical plants, among which dozens of species of tropical animals roam. The flamingos have become the stars and symbol of the gardens, spending time in the pools and artificial ponds and interacting sympathetically with visitors.
Click here for the gardens' opening hours and entry costs…
Queen's Staircase
The staircase, named after Queen Victoria, is one of the most fascinating historical sites in Nassau. The 66 steps connect Fort Fincastle with the city port. They are nestled in an area full of tropical vegetation, carved into a low limestone cliff. The unusual sight of the stairs embedded in a tropical thicket is a hallmark of the city.
Blue Lagoon Island
The Blue Lagoon is one of the most beautiful islands in the Bahamas and one of the most legendary beaches in the Atlantic Ocean. The island lies five kilometers north of Paradise Island, just a short boat ride from Nassau. Unlike Paradise Island, which is entirely dedicated to resorts and recreation, the Blue Lagoon or Salt Cay, is purely a beach destination.
The entire western part of the reef is a natural beach with tropical vegetation, spanning only a few dozen meters from shore to shore. The eastern part is very developed for beach activities, with docking options for cruise ships and ferries. Access to the Blue Lagoon beaches from Nassau is available in a package that includes a cruise and the beach stay fee.
Rose Island
The little paradise is just a short boat ride east of Nassau. The narrow and long island is a very popular day trip destination from Nassau, just under a half-hour boat ride. The island features lovely natural beaches and wildlife. Rose Island is a delightful nature reserve that allows an in-depth exploration of the tropical nature of this island nation.
Click here for a sailing trip to Rose Island…
Everything to See and Do in the Bahamas
Staniel Cay
The most popular day-trip sailing destination from Nassau is the small island of Staniel Cay and its adjoining cays. Only about one hundred and twenty people live on the cay, forming a strong base for the developed tourism industry. The island is home to the yacht club that serves as the island's development base, but the main attraction is actually Pig Beach. This beach has almost become synonymous with the Bahamas, based on a herd of pigs that have taken over the beach and swim joyfully with visitors on the cay.
Another significant attraction in the area is Thunderball Grotto, a stunning natural cave that has become one of the most attractive diving spots in the Caribbean. In the cave, you can deeply experience the richness of the coral reefs, but diving here is for professionals and requires close supervision.
Lucayan National Park in Grand Bahamas
This impressive national park is located just a twenty-five minute drive east of Freeport, the capital of Grand Bahamas. It is a well-kept (relatively) tropical paradise, but the most stunning part is the natural beach – Gold Rock Beach. The beach starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series as the secluded beach where Captain Jack Sparrow got stranded after being abandoned.
Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island
Pink Sands Beach is one of the most beautiful spots in the Bahamas. It stretches along the entire eastern shoreline of Harbour Island, a short flight or boat ride from Nassau. You can reach the beach with a domestic flight to North Eleuthera Airport and then a short ferry ride. The beach, true to its name, consists of stunningly beautiful pink sand, with a charming inhabited island behind it featuring small hotels, restaurants, and bars.
Driving south from the coast, you can visit the Glass Window Bridge on Eleuthera Island. The bridge runs along a thin strip and resembles the Florida Keys highway. The southern part of the island has stunning tropical nature, beautiful natural beaches, and rock formations.
Click here for a day trip from Nassau to Pink Sand Beach and Pig Beach…
