The Best Nightlife

Cable Beach: Cable Beach has a lot more splash and excitement than Nassau, its neighbor on New Providence Island, and wandering around Cable Beach is also much safer than exploring the back streets of Nassau at night. The main attraction is the Nassau Marriott Resort & Crystal Palace Casino ([tel] 242/327-6200), with an 800-seat theater known for staging glitzy extravaganzas and a gaming room that will make you think you're smack dab in the middle of Vegas. One of the largest casinos on the islands, the Crystal Palace features 750 slot machines, 51 blackjack tables, nine roulette wheels, seven crap tables, and a baccarat table (we think the Paradise Island casino has more class, though). Despite all the glitter, you can still find cozy bars and nooks throughout the resort if you'd prefer a tranquil evening.

Atlantis Paradise Island Resort & Casino: Paradise Island has the flashiest nightlife in all of The Bahamas, hands down. Not even nearby Nassau and Cable Beach can come close. Nearly all of the action takes place at the incredible Atlantis Paradise Island Resort & Casino ([tel] 242/363-3000), where you'll find high rollers from Vegas and Atlantic City alongside grandmothers from Iowa who play the slot machines when family isn't looking. It's all gloss, glitter, and show biz, with good gambling (though savvy locals say the odds are better in Vegas). For a quieter night out, you can also find intimate bars, discos, a comedy club, and lots more in this sprawling behemoth of a hotel.

Freeport: Although the giant casino in The Resorts at Bahamia ([tel] 242/350-7000) ranks third behind Paradise Island and Cable Beach, most of the nightlife in Freeport/Lucaya revolves around this glittering Moroccan-style palace, one of the largest casinos in either The Bahamas or the Caribbean. You get not only high- and low-stakes gambling, but also splashy Vegas- (or at least Reno-) style shows at the resort's Casino Royale Showroom. For real Bahamian entertainment, however, head for the Yellow Bird Show Club, in the Castaways Resort at the International Bazaar ([tel] 242/352-6682), for conga drums, steel drums, fire dances, and glass-eating.

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