How would you like to spend your vacation in The Bahamas? Relaxed on a pink-sand beach, with an icy glass of rum in hand? Or stuck in a hotel that's not quite what you wanted and dining every night in restaurants that you suspect are just tourist traps? With this guide, you easily design the vacation that's right for you and discover the best of what the islands have to offer -- we've done the work for you.

back to top

The Islands In Brief

The most developed islands for tourism in The Bahamas are New Providence Island, site of Nassau (the capital) and Cable Beach; Paradise Island; and Grand Bahama, home of Freeport and Lucaya. If you're after glitz, gambling, bustling restaurants, nightclubs, and a beach-party scene, the big three islands are where you'll want to be. Package deals are easily found here.

Set sail (or hop on a short commuter flight) for one of the Out Islands, such as Andros, the Exumas, or the Abacos, and you'll find fewer crowds -- and often lower prices, too. Though some of the Out Islands are sometimes accessible only by boat, it's worth your while to go the distance if you like the idea of having an entire beach to yourself. This is really getting away from it all.

back to top

New Providence Island

New Providence isn't the largest of the Bahamian Islands, but it's the historic heart of the nation, with a strong maritime tradition and the largest population in the country. Home to about 125,000 residents, it offers groves of pines and casuarinas; sandy, flat soil; the closest thing in The Bahamas to urban sprawl; and superb anchorages that are sheltered from rough seas by the presence of nearby Paradise Island. New Providence has the country's busiest airport and is dotted with hundreds of villas owned by foreign investors. Its two major resort areas are Cable Beach and Nassau, the capital.

The resort area of Cable Beach is a glittering beachfront strip of hotels, restaurants, and casinos; only Paradise Island has been more developed. Its center is the Marriott Resort & Crystal Palace Casino. Often, deciding between Cable Beach and Paradise Island isn't a choice of which island you prefer, but a choice of which hotel you prefer. It's easy to sample the beaches, cuisine, nightlife, and gambling of both islands, since it takes only about 30 minutes to travel between the two.

Nassau, the Bahamian capital, isn't on a great stretch of shoreline and doesn't have as many first-rate hotels as either Paradise Island or Cable Beach -- with the exception of the Bahama Hilton, which has a small private beach. The main advantages of Nassau are colonial charm and price. Its hotels may not be ideally located, but they are certainly cheaper; some offer very low prices even during the winter high season. You can base yourself here and commute easily to the beaches at Paradise Island or Cable Beach. Many non-beach types also prefer Nassau because it's the seat of Bahamian culture and history. It's also the shopping mecca of The Bahamas (many Floridians come here just to shop). Paradise Island and Cable Beach have shops, as well, but they can't compare to those in Nassau.

back to top

Paradise Island

If high-rise hotels and glittering casinos are what you want, along with some of the best beaches in The Bahamas, there is no better choice than Paradise Island, directly off the coast of Nassau. It has the best food, the best entertainment, terrific beaches, casinos, and the best hotels. Its major drawbacks are that it's expensive and often overcrowded. Boasting a colorful history but also a host of unremarkable architecture, Paradise Island, inch for inch, is still probably the most intensely marketed piece of real estate in the world. The sands and shoals of this elongated and narrow island protect the wharves and piers of Nassau, which rise across a narrow channel only 600 feet away.

Owners of the 685-acre island have included brokerage mogul Joseph Lynch (of Merrill Lynch) and Huntington Hartford, heir to the A&P supermarket fortune. More recent investors have included Merv Griffin. The island today is a carefully landscaped residential and commercial complex with good beaches, lots of glitter (some of it tasteful, some of it way too over-the-top), and many diversions.

back to top

Grand Bahama Island

The island's name derives from the Spanish term gran bajamar ("great shallows"), which refers to the shallow reefs and sandbars that, over the centuries, have destroyed everything from Spanish galleons to English clipper ships on Grand Bahama's shores. (Although many of their onboard treasures were pillaged, others in deeper waters still await discovery by scuba divers.) Thanks to the tourist development schemes of U.S. financiers such as Howard Hughes, Grand Bahama boasts a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Sparely inhabited before the 1950s, it has experienced a population boom since the 1960s. Casinos, beaches, and restaurants are plentiful. Visitors can escape the island's towns and head across casuarina-dotted scrublands to explore the island's isolated western end.

Grand Bahama's Freeport/Lucaya resort area is another popular destination for American tourists, though we think it has a lot more tacky development than Paradise Island or Cable Beach. The compensation for that is a lower price tag on just about everything. Freeport/Lucaya offers plenty of opportunities for fine dining, entertainment, and gambling. Grand Bahama also offers the best hiking in The Bahamas and has some of the finest sandy beaches. Its golf courses attract players from all over the globe, and the island hosts major tournaments several times a year. You'll find some of the world's best diving here, as well as UNEXSO, the internationally famous diving school. Grand Bahama Island is especially popular with families.

back to top

Bimini

It's one of the smallest islands in The Bahamas, and it lies close enough to Miami (just 50 miles away) to be distinctly separate from the other islands of the archipelago. Bimini is divided into two islands, with a total area of 9 square miles. The smaller of these, North Bimini, is better developed than South Bimini. Luxurious yachts and fishing boats are always docked at the island's marinas. Throughout Bimini, there's a slightly run-down Florida-resort atmosphere mingled with some small-town charm (think old-time Key West, before the cruise-ship crowds ruined the town). Because of its proximity to the Florida coast, Bimini is also a center for drug smuggling.

The setting for Ernest Hemingway's Islands in the Stream, Bimini attracts big-game fishers. For the casual sightseer, it has only minor appeal, but if you'd like to follow in the footsteps of such famous fishers as Zane Grey and Howard Hughes, Bimini is your island. Its sportfishing is among the best in the world. It's also an excellent center for yachting and cruising, and it offers some of the best scuba diving in The Bahamas.

back to top

The Berry Islands

Lying between Nassau and the coast of Florida, these islands, which cover only about 30 square miles of land, attract devoted yachties and serious fishermen. Composed of about 30 islets and cays and rows of barely submerged rocks, they have extremely limited tourist facilities and are geared mostly toward well-heeled anglers, many of whom hail from Florida. Most of the full-time population (about 700 people) lives on Great Harbour, the largest island, which measures only 6 by 2 1/2 miles. We think the Berry Islands are a lot classier and far less dangerous and drug-infested than Bimini.

back to top

Andros

Andros is actually two islands, connected by a series of canals and cays called bights. It's the largest landmass in The Bahamas (104 miles long and 40 miles wide). Andros attracts divers and fishing enthusiasts, as well as casual sightseers.

The population numbers 8,180, although most of the island is uninhabited and unexplored. The main villages are Nicholl's Town, Andros Town, and Congo Town; all are accessible by frequent boat and plane connections from Miami and Nassau. Lodgings range from large resorts to small, plain guest houses that cater mainly to fishermen.

The world's third-largest barrier reef lies off the coast of Andros, and divers come from all over the world to explore it. The reef plunges 6,000 feet to a narrow drop-off known as the Tongue of the Ocean. Bonefishing here is among the best on earth, and Andros is also known for its world-class marlin and bluefin tuna fishing.

The natural wonders of the island have much to offer even those visitors who aren't interested in fishing or diving. Known as the "Big Yard," the central portion of Northern Andros is largely a dense forest of mahogany and pine where more than 50 varieties of orchids bloom. Southern Andros boasts a 40-square-mile forest and mangrove swamp -- home to a variety of birds and animals, including the Bahamian parrot and the non-poisonous Bahamian boa constrictor, known as the "fowl snake." Any hotel can arrange a local guide to show you the attractions.

back to top

The Abaco Islands

Though this "island" is often called Abaco, it is actually a cluster of islands and islets. With some 650 square miles of land, it is the second-largest grouping in The Bahamas. It is a mecca for yachties and other boaters who flock here year-round -- particularly in July when the Regatta Time in Abaco race is held at the Green Turtle Yacht Club. (The Exumas, below, are also favorites with the yachting crowd.) For hundreds of years the residents of the Abacos have been boat builders, although tourism is now the main industry.

Visitors will find everything from luxurious accommodations to rather bare-boned inns. With the exception of Harbour Island in Eleuthera, there is more New England charm here than anywhere else in The Bahamas. Loyalists who left New England after the American Revolution settled here and built Cape Cod-style clapboard houses with white picket fences. The best places to experience this old-fashioned charm are Green Turtle Cay and Elbow Cay, which are accessible from Marsh Harbour. Marsh Harbour itself houses an international airport and a shopping center, although its hotels aren't as good as those on Green Turtle Cay and Elbow Cay (Hope Town).

Many islands are undeveloped and uninhabited. For the best of both worlds, visitors can stay at resorts on Walker's, Green Turtle, and Treasure cays, and charter a boat to tour the more remote areas.

back to top

Eleuthera

Long and slender, this most historic of the Out Islands (the first English settlers arrived here in 1648) is actually a string of islands that includes Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, a chic destination. The length of the island (110 miles) and the distances between Eleuthera's communities require access via three airports (Rock South, Governor's Harbour, and North Eleuthera). The island lies about 60 miles west of Nassau; frequent flights connect the two. Eleuthera is similar to Abaco, and visitors are drawn to the miles of barrier reef and fabulous secluded beaches.

Gregory Town is the pineapple capital of the island chain. A bit farther south is Surfers Beach, one of the best surfing spots in The Bahamas. Several accommodations are available in this sleepy, slightly budget-oriented section of Eleuthera. The only major resort along the entire stretch of Eleuthera is Club Med at Governor's Harbour. Other inns are more basic.

At the southern end of the island, Rock Sound is in a slump, waiting to see whether the fabled Cotton Bay Club will ever reopen. Until this island and the nearby, once-exclusive enclave of Winderemere Island get going again, there's little reason to visit. Head for Harbour Island instead.

Off the coast of Eleuthera, Harbour Island offers excellent hotels and food, picket fences, and pastel-colored houses that evoke Cape Cod. The beaches on Harbour Island are famed for their pink sand, tinted that color by crushed coral and shells. Another offshore island near Eleuthera, Spanish Wells has extremely limited accommodations, and the residents -- descendants of long-ago Loyalists -- aren't as welcoming to visitors.

back to top

The Exuma Islands

Just 35 miles southeast of Nassau, this 365-mile-long string of islands and keys -- most of them uninhabited -- is the great yachting mecca of The Bahamas, rivaling or even surpassing Abaco. These waters, some of the prettiest in The Bahamas, are also ideal for fishers (bonefishers especially). Many secluded beaches open onto tranquil cays. Daily flights service the Exumas from both Nassau and Miami.

Its center is George Town on Great Exuma. The Exuma National Land and Sea Park, which is protected by The Bahamas National Trust, encompasses much of the coastline. The park is accessible only by boat and is one of the major natural wonders and sightseeing destinations of The Bahamas, with an abundance of undersea life, reefs, blue holes, and shipwrecks. Portions of the James Bond thriller Thunderball were filmed at Staniel Cay. Each year in April, George Town hosts the interisland Family Island Regatta, a major event on the yachting calendar. A few good inns are centered mainly at George Town, and the locals are very hospitable. Otherwise, you'll practically have the archipelago to yourself.

back to top

The Southern Bahamas

This cluster of islands on the southern fringe of The Bahamas is known for its remoteness and mostly undeveloped tourist industry. Most of the islands, however, have excellent beaches, good fishing, and dive sites. With an eel-like shape, Cat Island is only a few miles wide and 48 miles long. A lush, sleepy island in the southern Bahamian backwater, it's a great place to get away from it all. The most crowded time to visit is during the annual Cat Island Regatta in summer, which attracts some of the top yachties from Florida and The Bahamas.

Tradition holds that San Salvador was the first landmass that Christopher Columbus reached during his voyage to the New World in 1492. (Modern scholars disagree, saying that Columbus landed somewhere more southeast.) Only 500 residents lived here before several new hotels were built (including a Club Med). With its newfound fame and good beaches, the island is sure to undergo further development.

The appropriately named Long Island stretches for 58 miles and despite a beautiful landscape that encompasses high cliffs in the north, wide and shallow beaches, historic plantation ruins, and native caves, it has remained thoroughly off the beaten track. It's not always easy to get here; there are two minor airports with arrivals from Nassau, but flights are not daily. Both the Stella Maris Resort Club and the luxurious Cape Santa Maria Beach, with its clubhouse and cottages set on a strip of gorgeous white sand, offer fishing and water sports.

Acklins Island & Crooked Island are hard to reach, have very limited tourist facilities, and appeal to people who want to escape civilization. The clear waters offshore offer good snorkeling and diving, and you'll have the fine sandy beaches almost all to yourself. The islands, which encompass about 190 square miles, are populated by a mere 1,000 souls. Accommodations are available on Crooked Island only.

Set very close to the eastern tip of Cuba, Inagua Island is the most southerly island of The Bahamas and the third largest in the nation. Pink flamingos thrive here. For the serious bird-watcher, there is no place like Inagua Island in the Caribbean. Inagua is hard to reach, but you can fly here. A handful of simple, no-frills inns provide overnight accommodations, but the island is a little lacking in terms of places to eat or get a drink.

back to top

Visitor Information

Good sources to try before you leave home are your travel agent or The Bahamas Tourist Office nearest you. They're on the Web at www.bahamas.com; or call 1-800-BAHAMAS, and they have branch offices at the following locations:

Chicago: 8600 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 820, Chicago, IL 60631 ([tel] 773/693-1500)

Dallas: World Trade Center, 3102 Oaklawn Ave., Suite 700, Dallas, TX 75210 ([tel] 214/560-2280)

Miami: 1 Turnberry Place, 19495 Biscayne Blvd. 809, Adventura, FL 33180 ([tel] 800/688-4752, or 305/932-0051)

Los Angeles: 3450 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1204, Los Angeles, CA 90010 ([tel] 800/439-6993)

New York: 150 E. 52nd St., New York, NY 10022 ([tel] 212/758-2777)

Toronto: 121 Bloor St. E., Suite 1101, Toronto, ON M4W 3M5 ([tel] 416/968-2999)

back to top

Weddings

You might prefer a wedding beneath a palm tree instead of a snowbound setting in your hometown. Any large resort in The Bahamas, as well as the Ministry of Tourism's People-to-People program, will help you arrange the details. Contact the Ministry of Tourism at P.O. Box N-3701, Nassau, The Bahamas ([tel] 242/302-2034).

Here's what's required: Both of you must be in The Bahamas at the moment you apply for your wedding license, the price of which is $40. If both of you are single and U.S. citizens, you must obtain an affidavit to that effect from the U.S. embassy in Nassau. The price of this is $10; you'll have to appear in person with proof of identity, such as a passport. If it's applicable, you'll also need to show proof of divorce. If all of the above-mentioned requirements are met, you can be married anytime after 24 hours of your arrival in The Bahamas. No blood test is necessary.

back to top

Entry Requirements & Customs

To enter The Bahamas, citizens of the United States coming in as visitors for a period of less than 8 months need to bring proof of citizenship, such as a passport or a birth certificate with photo ID. (We strongly recommend that you bring a passport anyway, since you're traveling to a foreign country.) Onward or return tickets must be shown to immigration officials in The Bahamas.

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas does not require visas. On entry to The Bahamas, you'll be given an Immigration Card to complete and sign. The card has a carbon copy that you must keep until departure, at which time it must be turned in. You'll also have to pay a departure tax before you can exit the country.

Bahamian Customs allow you to bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 1 pound of tobacco, plus 1 quart of wine and a quart of "spirits" (that is, hard liquor). You can also bring in items classified as "personal effects," and all the money you wish.

back to top

Money

The currency is the Bahamian dollar (B$1), which is pegged to the U.S. dollar so that they're always equivalent. (In fact, U.S. dollars are accepted widely throughout The Bahamas.) There is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency a tourist can bring into the country. Most large hotels and stores accept traveler's checks, but you may have trouble getting a personal check honored.

ATMs are linked to a national network that most likely includes your bank at home. Cirrus ([tel] 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com/atm/) and PLUS ([tel] 800/843-7587; www.visa.com/atms) are the two most popular networks; check the back of your ATM card to see which network your bank belongs to. Use the 800 numbers to locate ATMs in your destination.

back to top

When To Go & Weather

Throughout March and into mid-April, it's spring-break season for vacationing college and high-school students. This season is filled with beach parties, sports events, and musical entertainment, but if the idea of hundreds of partying fraternity kids doesn't appeal to you, beware. When you make your reservations, ask if your hotel is planning to host any big groups of kids.

The temperature in The Bahamas varies surprisingly little, averaging between 75F and 85 in both winter and summer, although it can get very chilly, especially in the early morning and at night. The Bahamian winter is usually like a perpetual May, so that's naturally the high season for North Americans who are dying to escape snow and ice in their own hometowns. Summer brings broiling hot sun and humidity, with a much greater chance of rain in the summer and fall.

The curse of Bahamian weather, the hurricane season, lasts (officially) from June 1 to November 30. But there is no cause for panic. More tropical cyclones pound the U.S. mainland than hurricanes devastate The Bahamas. Hurricanes are actually fairly infrequent in The Bahamas. However, when one does come, satellite forecasts generally give adequate warnings so that precautions can be taken.

back to top

Safety

When going to Nassau (New Providence), Cable Beach, Paradise Island, or Freeport/Lucaya, exercise the kind of caution you would if visiting Miami. Whatever you do, if people peddling drugs approach you, steer clear of them as if they had the bubonic plague. Americans and other foreigners have gotten into a world of trouble in The Bahamas by purchasing illegal drugs.

Women, especially, should take caution if walking alone on the streets of Nassau after dark, particularly if those streets appear to be deserted. Pickpockets (often foreigners) work the crowded casino floors of both Paradise Beach and Cable Beach. See that your wallet, money, or other valuables are secured.

If you're driving a rental car, always make sure your car door is locked, and never leave possessions in view in an automobile. Don't leave valuables, such as cameras and purses, lying unattended on the beach while you go for a swim. If you have valuables with you, especially jewelry, don't leave them unguarded in hotel rooms. Many of the bigger hotels will provide safes. Keep your hotel-room doors locked. Bahamian tourist officials often warn visitors, "If you've got it, don't flaunt it." This will minimize the possibility of your becoming a victim of crime.

You're less likely to get mugged in the Out Islands, where life is generally more peaceful. There are some resort hotels that, even today, don't have locks on the doors.

However, drug dealers frequent many of the Out Islands, especially Bimini, because of their proximity to Miami. Take special care if you plan to vacation here. Transporting illegal drugs between Bimini and the Florida coastline is so commonplace that every day the boating set sees bales of marijuana floating on the water as they make the crossing. The marijuana is dumped when vessels are spotted by the coast guard as they approach American territorial waters.

back to top

Tipping

Many establishments add a service charge, but it's customary to leave something extra if service has been especially fine. If you're not sure whether service has been included in your bill, don't be shy -- ask.

Bellboys and porters, at least in the expensive hotels, expect a tip of $1 per bag. It's also customary to tip your maid at least $2 per day -- more if she or he has performed special services such as getting a shirt or blouse laundered. Most service personnel, including taxi drivers, waiters, and the like, expect 15% (20% in deluxe restaurants).

back to top