Lay of the Land
The Bahamas consist of 700 tropical islands plus another 2,400 baby cays, but most visitors tend to focus on only a handful of them. New Providence (home to the capital, Nassau) measures only 7 miles by 21 miles, but two of every three Bahamians live there. It can be broken into three parts: Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas; Paradise Island, connected to the "mainland" by a couple of bridges; and all the rest—which takes in resort areas like Cable Beach, high-end gated communities, several nature preserves, and lots of small communities and settlements. To the north of New Providence is Grand Bahama, the second most popular destination, with some beautiful dive sites, white sand beaches, and pine forests. If that's what you came for, keep going until you reach the Out Islands (sometimes called the Family Islands), which are scattered east of Nassau; the farthest is Inagua, one hour and 30 minutes by plane. The closest Out Island to Nassau is picturesque Eleuthera, only 20 minutes away, with its pink beaches and the ever-more-famous cay Harbour Island nestled off its northwest shore. A mere 50 miles east of Miami are the little Bimini islands, the largest are North Bimini and South Bimini. The south island is practically deserted while the northmost island, especially in the area of Alice Town, is another big destination for the spring-break set. The curved 130-mile chain of the Abaco islands, to the east of Grand Bahama, is a very different prospect, known for its small inns and marinas. Southwest of the Abaco Islands is the largest island in the Bahamas, 2,300-square-mile Andros. More like a giant lump of complex fretwork than a single land mass, Andros can be divided into North Andros, South Andros, Central Andros and Mangrove Cay. Most residents and all the tourist accommodations are concentrated along the east coast. Southeast of Andros are the Exuma islands, a 120-mile strip of 365 cays. The two main islands are called Great Exuma and little Exuma, which form the southern tip.
WHEN TO GO
Thanks to a reliable climate whose heat is tempered by constant gentle trade winds, the Bahamas really don't have an off season. However, with temperatures generally around the 70s and 80s, there definitely is a high season during mid-December to mid-April. The rainy season, from May to November, is hardly a problem, with short tropical storms being the norm, along with some risk of hurricanes. This means that summer isn't off limits for travelers—and in fact it's a fine time to visit, with the water temperatures resembling those of bathwater.
HOW TO GET THERE
Currently, you can fly to Nassau's Lynden Pindling International Airport, ten miles west of the capital (242-377-0209), from several U.S. cities on seven carriers: US Air, Continental, Delta, Jet Blue, Spirit, American, and Northwest. There are many direct flights from Miami and Fort Lauderdale to the larger islands, such as the Abaco and Andros islands, and from Atlanta to smaller islands such as Exuma and Eleuthera—which may eliminate lengthy waits for connections at Nassau, not the world's best-equipped airport. For interisland travel, try small local airlines such as Western Air (242-329-3167; www.westernairbahamas.com), private plane charter companies (among them Flamingo Air, New Providence; 242-351-5922; www.flamingoairbah.com), or a ferry service (242-323-2166; www.bahamasferries.com). You can also board an interisland mail boat departing from Nassau on weekly round-trips to and from all the islands—a relatively inexpensive (around $35 to $140), very authentic, but very slow experience. For a detailed schedule, go to www.bahamas.com.
GETTING AROUND
When you arrive at Lynden Pindling International, there's only one way into town—taxi—unless you ask your hotel to arrange transportation. Taxi fare is $22 to Nassau and $28 to Paradise Island. If you want a driver to meet you, Silverline Tours is very dependable (212-202-2567 or 242-362-0861; www.silverlinetours.net). Most visitors get around New Providence and Grand Bahama by taxi, but other options are jitneys (small buses) for $1 a ride, horse-drawn carriages, or rental cars (agencies on-site include Avis and Hertz). In the Out Islands, where rental cars are scarcer, the options are taxis, golf carts, or bicycles. Driving in the Bahamas is British-style—on the left side of the road—which is why so many visitors leave the driving to others. Another option for getting to your destination is to charter a seaplane (which can also be rented for half- or full-day eco-tours). Safari Seaplanes, for example, is an internationally recognized company that services the Out Islands (866-272-5728; www.safariseaplanes.com).
TOURIST INFO
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
P.O. Box N-3701
Nassau
Bahamas
Tel: 800 224 2627 (toll-free)
Tel: 242 302 2000
Fax: 242 302 2098
tourism@bahamas.com
NEED TO KNOW
Language: English
Capital City: Nassau
Population: 302,000
Area: 5,400 square miles
Telephone Calling Code(s): 1
Electricity: 120V, 60 Hz
Currency: As of May 26, 2010:
1 Bahamas Dollars = $1.00 US Calculate Other Amounts
Entry Requirements: The Bahamas does not require visas for citizens of the United States. A valid passport is sufficient for an eight-month stay.
GOOD TO KNOW
Books and Movies
To get a taste of Bahamian history stretching back to Columbus, dip into The Story of the Bahamas, by Paul Albury. Buccaneers of America, by John Esquemeling, offers an entertaining 17th-century eyewitness account of the sordid carryings-on of the peg-leg and parrot set. The Lucayans, by Sandra Riley, relates a more somber tale about the extermination of the indigenous population by ruthless Spanish conquistadors, long before affluent crowds and megaresorts ruled the islands. A Saga of Sea Tragedy and Sunken Treasure, by Dave Horner, tells the true story of two treasure-toting galleons lost near the Bahamian seas. The sun, sand, and crystalline waters that attract vacationers is also a lure for movie producers, and a slew of films have used the Bahamas as the setting or as an anonymous (often underwater) backdrop, ranging from the Beatles' Help in 1965 to Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End in 2007. James Bond seems to have a soft spot for the islands: Thunderball (1966), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Never Say Never Again (1983), and Casino Royale (2007). Other recent movies set in the Bahamas are Holiday in the Sun (2001), Into the Blue (2005), and After the Sunset (2004), with Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek.
Cuisine
Like that of other Caribbean islands, the cuisine of the Bahamas focuses on seafood (including conch, crab, grouper, and lobster) with fresh fruit, rice, and grits—but without the hot chiles or fusion flavors of, say, Jamaica. Tourist fare here is likely to reflect the Bahamas' specialties, though obviously with an upscale, Continental, hotel-friendly twist and lots of fruity rum libations.
Good Buys
The islands of the Caribbean are very similar when it comes to shopping potential. The main attractions are inevitably duty-free goods—jewelry, watches, electronics, makeup, fragrance, liquor, and tobacco at good markdowns. Bahamian specialties include seashell jewelry and wood carvings.
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
January: 1, New Year's Day
June: First Friday, Labor Day
July: 10, Independence Day
August: First Monday, Emancipation Day
October: Second Monday, Discovery Day
December: 25, Christmas Day; 26, Boxing Day
Spring: Friday before Easter, Good Friday; Easter; Monday after Easter, Easter Monday; eighth Monday after Easter, Pentecost Monday
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