Bahamas holidays: Nassau, the Exumas and how to choose an island
Around 700 islands in water so clear the boats seem to float. The Bahamas is both the big resorts of Paradise Island and quiet islands where you have the beach to yourself.
The Exumas
Photo: Royce Fonseca / Unsplash
The Bahamas at a glance
The boat stops over a sandbar in the Exumas, and the water is so shallow and clear you can see every starfish on the bottom. The Bahamas is an island nation north of the Caribbean, just south-east of Florida, with around 700 islands and cays. Only a few dozen are inhabited.
The currency is the Bahamian dollar, pegged to the US dollar, and the two are used interchangeably. For more islands, see our Caribbean guide.
Which island suits you?
Nassau and Paradise Island, for resorts and nightlife
The capital has the airport, the cruise port and the big resorts, with Atlantis on Paradise Island and Baha Mar on Cable Beach. Right if you want everything in one place.
The Exumas, for boating
A chain of more than 350 small cays with sandbars, the Thunderball Grotto and the swimming pigs at Big Major Cay. Hire a boat with a skipper for a day.
Harbour Island and Eleuthera, for calm and pink sand
Harbour Island has the long Pink Sands Beach and a little town of pastel houses. Eleuthera is long, narrow and almost empty.
Andros, for fishing and diving
The largest island is known for bonefishing and one of the world's largest barrier reefs. Read more about bonefishing in the Bahamas.
Nassau
Photo: Matt Benson / Unsplash
When to go
December to April: dry and around 25 degrees. Peak season.
May to July: warmer and cheaper.
August to October: the height of hurricane season. Book flexible rates.
Good to know
British Airways flies direct from London to Nassau. Other routes go via the US.
Between islands you take small planes or ferries from Nassau.
Prices are high, especially for food on the smaller islands.
Check US transit rules if you connect there.
Where to stay
The Ocean Club on Paradise Island and Rosewood Baha Mar on Cable Beach are the best-known luxury hotels near Nassau. On the smaller islands, Coral Sands on Harbour Island's pink beach and The Cove Eleuthera are fine places to stay. All four are in our Bahamas hotel guide, along with six more. Kamalame Cay on Andros and Rock House on Harbour Island are not in the guide. For everything included, see our all-inclusive resorts in the Bahamas.
Frequently asked questions about the Bahamas
When is the best time to visit the Bahamas?
December to April brings the most settled weather. May to July is a good balance of weather and price.
Which Bahamas island is best?
Nassau and Paradise Island for resorts, the Exumas for boating and Harbour Island for calm and the pink beach.
What currency is used in the Bahamas?
The Bahamian dollar, worth the same as the US dollar. Both are accepted everywhere.
How long is the flight from London to the Bahamas?
Around nine and a half hours direct to Nassau.