Turquoise shallows, pink sand and many islands.
The Bahamas is an island nation of hundreds of cays and islands in the Atlantic, east of Florida. It suits travellers looking for beaches, boating, snorkelling and resorts. It is known for clear turquoise water, swimming pigs in the Exumas and pink sand on Harbour Island. Most visitors start in Nassau and then fly or ferry to the Out Islands.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
The Exumas are a chain of small cays with sandbars and very clear water. Boat tours visit the swimming pigs, iguanas and Thunderball Grotto.
Big Major Cay is known for pigs that swim out to visiting boats. It is usually visited on a day tour.
Harbour Island has a long beach with pale pink sand off Eleuthera. Dunmore Town has pastel colonial houses and golf carts instead of cars.
This is a large protected marine park with reefs and empty islands. It is one of the region's oldest marine reserves.
Downtown Nassau has colonial buildings, the Queen's Staircase and old forts. Bay Street is the main shopping strip near the cruise port.
Paradise Island is linked to Nassau by bridge and is home to big resorts. Cabbage Beach is its long white sand beach.
Dean's Blue Hole is one of the deepest known blue holes in the world, next to a sheltered beach. It is used for freediving events.
Andros is the largest island, with a long barrier reef and many inland blue holes. It is known for bonefishing and diving.
The park protects one of the world's longest underwater cave systems, mangroves and Gold Rock Beach. Boardwalks lead through the forest.
Thunderball Grotto is a limestone cave you can snorkel into, with light shafts from above. It appeared in James Bond films.
At the Glass Window the island narrows so you can see the dark Atlantic and the calm turquoise Bight side by side. A bridge spans the gap.
Abaco is popular for sailing, with small settlements like Hope Town and its striped lighthouse. Many areas rebuilt after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
Bimini is the closest island to Florida and is known for fishing, diving and shallow flats. A ferry runs from Florida.
Clifton protects plantation ruins, Lucayan sites and coastline on New Providence. Underwater sculptures lie offshore.
Inagua is home to a huge breeding colony of West Indian flamingos. It is remote and visited mostly by birders.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
Main gateway with history and resorts.
beaches, gateway · Open the city guideBase for the Exumas.
islands, boating · Guide comingCharming Harbour Island village.
beaches · Guide comingGrand Bahama parks and beaches.
beaches, nature · Guide comingAbaco sailing base.
boating · Guide comingThe best base for Exuma boat days, Pig Beach and Thunderball Grotto.
boating, snorkeling · Guide comingPastel village and a long pink-tinted beach on the Eleuthera side.
beaches, relaxing · Guide comingA calm Eleuthera settlement good for exploring the island's coves and bridge.
quiet, road trip · Guide comingBimini's main settlement with a fishing tradition and short hops from Florida.
fishing, island · Guide comingA small Abaco settlement with lighthouse heritage.
boating, history · Guide comingA Cat Island base near Mount Alvernia.
quiet stays · Guide comingBusy capital island with resorts.
Nassau, Paradise Island, Clifton
Chain of cays and sandbars.
Pig Beach, Thunderball Grotto, Land and Sea Park
Long thin island with pink sand.
Pink Sands Beach, Glass Window, Dunmore Town
Northern islands for diving and sailing.
Lucayan National Park, Hope Town
A chain of cays with the clearest water and top boating in the country.
Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Pig Beach, Thunderball Grotto
A boating region with small cays, lighthouses and sailing harbours.
Hope Town, Marsh Harbour, Elbow Cay
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: December to April. Dry, sunny and warm, outside hurricane season.
Hurricane season runs from June to November, with highest risk around August to October; the southern islands are a bit warmer in winter.
January. Busy season. Higher prices, bigger crowds.
74°F daily high, 73°F average, 1.5 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
US State Department Level 2 (exercise increased caution) mainly for crime in parts of Nassau and Freeport; resort and Out Island areas are calmer.
Inter-island flights and ferries work but are costly and not always frequent.
Rooms, food and boat trips are expensive.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check current visa and entry rules on the Bahamas Department of Immigration (immigration.gov.bs), and your own government's travel advice, before you book, as rules change. |
| Plugs | Type A, B; 120 V, 60 Hz |
| Tap water | varies |
| Tipping | A 15 percent gratuity is often added; check the bill. |
| Payments | US dollars are accepted at par alongside the Bahamian dollar, and cards work in resorts. |
| Emergency | 911 or 919 general |
| Etiquette | Bahamians are friendly and greet with good morning or good afternoon. Beachwear is for the beach, not town. |
| What to wear | Beachwear is for the beach and pool. Cover up in towns, shops and churches. |
| Driving | On the left |
| Between cities | Bahamasair and small carriers fly from Nassau to the Out Islands, and Bahamas Ferries runs slower sea routes. Taxis and rental cars or golf carts are used on islands. |
| Main airports | NAS, FPO, GGT, ELH, MHH |
| Ride apps | Uber (limited, check availability), Taxis are the usual choice |
The Lucayan people lived here when Columbus arrived in 1492, and they were soon devastated by enslavement and disease. British settlers arrived in the 17th century, and Nassau was once a haven for pirates. Slavery was abolished in 1834 and many Bahamians descend from enslaved Africans. The country gained independence from Britain in 1973 and remains in the Commonwealth.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.