Bahamas Holidays

They reach only 206 ft at their highest; with a land area of little more than 5,000 square miles. But the 700 islands and cays of the Bahamas are not really about land – except, of course, for their fabulous beaches. Here it’s the sea that calls the tune and sets the style, amid islands scattered across 500 miles of the clearest waters in the world. They make an offer that no self-respecting watersports devotee could reasonably refuse.

 

Nassau, the cheerful little Bahamas capital, resides on New Providence Island, neighbour to Paradise Island. Together they offer a distinct blend of international glamour and tropical ease. Here you can happily do everything - or nothing!

 

Island Adventure

Head for the water – where virtually every conceivable watersports theme is on offer, as well as power-boat trips to one of the Out Islands. This is the place to head for it you are looking for really exciting diving.  Add to this the vibrant local culture and you have a holiday experience not to be missed. On land, Nassau, the capital of The Islands of the Bahamas and its thriving commercial centre, retains its colonial appeal. In the historic heart of Nassau, the British heritage is much in evidence in the pastel-coloured Georgian architecture and quaint wooded offices and shops scattered along lively Bay Street. Hire a horse-drawn surrey and take a leisurely tour of old Nassau while your driver regales you with the local lore.

 

Nightlife & Party with Locals

There’s no end to the after-hours options on Nassau and Paradise Islands – whether you want a sophisticated nightclub or big-time revues and shows, a jumpin’ dance club with disco and live action or a laid-back jazz. Then you can live dangerously at a choice of casinos: Paradise Island Casino (the Caribbean’s largest) and Crystal Palace Casino on Cable Beach.

 

World's Best Scuba Dive Sites      

Scuba diving here ranks with the best in the world, with beautiful coral reefs (where chances are you’ll meet turtles and stingrays) and wreck sites. The western end of Nassau/Paradise Island provides the most pristine waters, prolific with undersea life and amazing wrecks.

 

World Class Golf Courses

When you’re in the mood to tee up you’ll find irresistible greens for the taking on Nassau/Paradise Islands, where you can play eighteen holes ocean side at the One&Only Ocean Club Golf Course, or take in sweeping views of Cable Beach from the Radisson Cable Beach Golf Course.

 

Family Holidays

The Atlantis Resort is one of the world’s top family resorts - almost a mini-Disneyland. A resort built on a truly spectacular scale featuring the world’s largest open-air aquarium, teeming with over 100 species of fish, unparalleled water rides, pools, beaches, and dolphin interaction. We promise you – the kids will love it.

Our selected Bahamas resorts are located on New Providence Island, also the setting of Nassau – the Bahamas’ flourishing little capital. The island boasts a number of white sand beaches - Cable Beach is the most famous of them and plays host to a wealth of watersports, restaurants, beach bars and entertainment.

 

 

WHAT TO SEE

 

Government House

This imposing pink-and-white Georgian-style structure on Nassau’s Duke Street is the official residence of the Bahamas governor-general.

 

Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Park

Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Park is home to some 50 species of animals, birds and reptiles from around the world and indigenous flora and fauna. Look out for the West Indian flamingoes trained to strut their stuff on voice command.

Nassau Botanic Gardens

With winding trails ideal for leisurely strolls, the Garden’s 18-acres feature 600 species of flowering trees and shrubs.

 

Fort Charlotte

A mile from Nassau, this imposing late 18th century fort comes complete with a waterless moat, drawbridge, ramparts, and dungeons. Ironically though, no shots were ever fired in battle from it!

 

Fort Fincastle & the Water Tower

Perched near the top of the Queen's Staircase, Nassau’s Fort Fincastle began life in 1793 as a lookout post for detecting marauders. Its 126 ft water tower (the island's highest point) offers superb views over Nassau.

 

Pirates of Nassau

The Pirates of Nassau Museum is a fascinating interactive museum with walk-through entertainment and impressive recreations of life in pirate days. Sup at the Pirate's Bar – and plunder the gift store!

Balcony House

A charming 18th-century landmark, this pink house is the oldest wooden residential structure in Nassau, and its design and furnishings recapture the grace of a bygone era.

 

Graycliff

Built in the 1700s by a privateer and later Nassau's first inn, the renovated British colonial style Graycliff estate brought the rich, the famous and the royal to Nassau. Elegant rooms appointed with antiques and art treasures, a five-star restaurant and impeccable service all make the Graycliff an extraordinary place to visit.

 

The Retreat

Nearly 200 species of exotic palm trees grace the 11 verdant and tranquil acres of The Retreat, headquarters of the Bahamas National Trust.

 

The Cloisters

At the top of the Versailles Gardens of the One&Only Ocean Club stand the remains of a 14th-century French stone monastery - imported to the USA in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst before coming some 40 years later to their lovely present setting.

 

Love Beach

Love Beach is one of the island's loveliest beaches with 40 acres of offshore coral and sea fan, together with forests of fern, known as the Sea Gardens (great for snorkeling).

 

Atlantis Resort

With glitzy shopping malls, a cabaret theatre, and endless choices for dining and drinks, Atlantis is as much a tourist attraction as a resort hotel. A series of amazing walk-through aquariums, themed around the Lost Continent, brings you face-to-face with sharks, manta rays and other exotic sea life.

 

 

WHAT TO DO

 

Sports

New Providence Island is a sportsman’s dream. Try parasailing, jet skiing, waterskiing, canoeing, windsurfing, banana boat rides (the kids love them!) and more on Nassau’s crystal-clear seas. Don a snorkel and drift on the surface to explore the many reefs – or take off for some serious scuba-diving. The Bahamas are famous for deep-sea fishing (boat charters are easily arranged), bonefishing, bottom fishing and reef fishing. More than 20 annual fishing tournaments are open to visitors. Golfers - test your skills on top-notch courses on Paradise Island and New Providence Island (see At a Glance section for more information on scuba-diving and golf).

 

Shopping

Nassau’s top shopping attraction for visitors is the bazaar-like Straw Market, with straw goods of all kind, wood carvings and other handiwork. Specialty shops sell Bahamian-made goods, arts, crafts and antiques. Most shops are in downtown Nassau. Here you’ll be tempted by Italian sportswear, duty-free watches, Cuban cigars, emeralds, china, crystal, linen and perfumes.

 

Island-Hopping

Why not take a day-trip to one of Nassau’s neighbouring islands – perhaps by powerboat to Exuma - to see more of the Bahamas’ colourful contrasts?

 

Nightlife

Nassau is really lively after dark, with an array of late-night entertainment options on offer at the large resorts, which between them boast clubs, discos and casinos. You can enjoy world-class extravaganzas with international casts, Las Vegas-style revues, and shows featuring steel drums, limbo and fire dancing, clubs with live bands and all manner of music where the night is waiting to be danced away!

 

Most regular events in the Bahamas tend to be on a smaller local scale – but Nassau also sees two of the islands’ biggest celebrations – Emancipation Day and the famous Junkanoo Festival. These are days when the party mood is inescapable and Nassau really lets its hair down.

 

January

You won’t have to be a sailor to enjoy the spectacle of Nassau’s colourful annual New Year Sailing Regatta, when 30 to 40 locally-built ships set sail from Montagu Bay.

 

July

July 10^th is Independence Day, when fireworks, lights, and beach parties mark this major event in the Bahamas calendar.

 

August

Bahamians look for any excuse to stage a Junkanoo Festival – and the first Monday in August sees Emancipation Day, a celebration of the 1834 emancipation of slaves on the islands. Nassau’s Fox Hill Village is where the four-day revelry kicks off, ending in a carnival-like Junkanoo Festival, complete with pulsating Junkanoo music (a combination of reggae and calypso), a festival lunch, calypso bands, limbo dancing, folk tales, greasy pole and dancing competitions.

 

December

Nassau’s most spectacular Junkanoo celebration takes place overnight on December 26^th and January 1^st, when Nassau’s Bay Street lights up for an adrenalin rush of colours and costumes. It’s a festival unique for its vibrant Afro-Caribbean flavour, reminiscent of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, and accompanied by a clamour of bells, horns, whistles and goombay drums. Plan early for a good vantage point and join in the fun!