Cabbage Beach, Paradise Island, Photo: Coolcaesar, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in The Bahamas
The Bahamas, made simple: turquoise shallows, Junkanoo rhythm and seven hundred islands to choose from
The Bahamas is an Atlantic archipelago of around seven hundred islands and cays just off Florida, famous for water so clear it looks lit from below, pink sand beaches, swimming pigs, blue holes and the drums of Junkanoo. Nassau is the busy front door, while the Out Islands, or Family Islands, move at a slower pace. This guide explains how it all fits together so you arrive relaxed.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you goEntry rules, hurricane season, insurance and current travel advice, answered
- ArrivingLynden Pindling International Airport, taxis, ferries and your first night, explained
- Your days on the islandsBeaches, reefs, conch shacks, history and island hopping, planned at an easy pace
- Heading homeUS preclearance, departure timings and a last swim, so the end is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain taxi fares, the two currencies, resort fees, gratuities and Out Island costs so nothing catches you off guard.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
The Bahamas should feel like warm shallow water, not a puzzle. We answer the questions about entry, island hopping, money, hurricanes and safety before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
Many visitors pair a few days in Nassau or on Paradise Island with a quieter Out Island such as Exuma or Eleuthera. This guide shows how to do both without rushing.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your island moodResort energy in Nassau, sandbars in Exuma, pink sand on Eleuthera, family value on Grand Bahama or sailing in Abaco: start with the destinations that fit you.
- Sort the essentialsEntry for your passport, the right season and current travel advice, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for conch stands, beach bars, blue holes, markets and stays across the islands.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to balance island hops, boat days and lazy beach time at a realistic pace.
Everything your Bahamas trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Nassau and Paradise Island, Exuma, Eleuthera and Harbour Island, Grand Bahama and Abaco, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred conch shacks, beach bars, reefs, blue holes, galleries and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Nassau and the Out Islands, and stays on every major island.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each island base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build an island route that fits.
Plan your trip
Island by island
One country, many very different islands
New Providence holds Nassau, the capital, with its pastel colonial streets, the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay and the giant resorts of Paradise Island and Cable Beach. A short flight or ferry away, the Exuma Cays bring sandbars, swimming pigs and nurse sharks, Eleuthera and Harbour Island offer pink sand and old Loyalist villages, Grand Bahama has national parks and easy family beaches, and Abaco is the sailing capital of the country.
- Nassau's forts, Queen's Staircase and the Fish Fry
- Exuma's cays, sandbars and Thunderball Grotto
- Harbour Island's pink sand and Eleuthera's Glass Window Bridge
- Lucayan National Park on Grand Bahama and the Abaco cays by boat
Start with the destinations
See how the islands fit together before you book.
The Bahamas destinationsPlan with care
Island hopping without the stress
Getting between islands means domestic flights, fast ferries or the slower mailboats, and schedules change with weather and season. Our free planner helps you choose a sensible number of islands and order them well.
- Realistic connections between islands
- The right season around hurricanes
- Where to base yourself
Where to go in The Bahamas
From the capital and its resort island to the quiet cays of the Out Islands.
New Providence
Nassau and Paradise Island
The capital of The Bahamas, a colourful harbour city of forts, rum, conch and Junkanoo, joined by bridges to the resort island of Paradise Island.
Read the guidePhoto: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Exuma
Exuma
A chain of more than three hundred cays and islands with some of the clearest water in the world, sandbars, swimming pigs and a relaxed main town.
Read the guidePhoto: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Eleuthera
Eleuthera and Harbour Island
A long, slender island of empty beaches and old settlements, with tiny Harbour Island and its famous pink sand just offshore.
Read the guidePhoto: Imran Anwar, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama
The closest big island to Florida, with long beaches, national parks, underwater caves and relaxed family friendly prices.
Read the guidePhoto: EgorovaSvetlana, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Abaco
Abaco
A chain of cays and Loyalist villages in northern Bahamas, loved by sailors, with calm sheltered water and a candy striped lighthouse.
Read the guidePhoto: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is The Bahamas safe to visit?
Most visits pass without trouble, and the Out Islands are generally very relaxed. Crime is concentrated in parts of Nassau and Freeport, mostly away from tourist areas. The US and UK governments warn about theft, armed robbery in some Nassau neighbourhoods and unregulated jet ski operators, so read your government's current advice before you go.
Do I need a visa for The Bahamas?
Many nationalities, including US, UK, Canadian and EU citizens, can visit for a short holiday without a visa, but the rules and permitted length of stay depend on your passport. Check the Bahamas Department of Immigration and your own government's travel page before booking.
What currency is used in The Bahamas?
The Bahamian dollar is pegged one to one with the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Change is often given in a mix of both. Cards work widely in Nassau and resorts, but carry cash for the Out Islands.
When is the best time to visit The Bahamas?
December to April is dry, sunny and pleasantly warm, and also the busiest. May and early June are a sweet spot. Hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking from August to October, when prices drop but storms are possible.
Which island should I visit first?
First-timers who want easy flights, restaurants and resorts start in Nassau and Paradise Island. If you want the postcard water and a slower pace, add Exuma or Eleuthera. Families on a budget often like Grand Bahama, and sailors head to Abaco.
How do I get between the islands?
Bahamasair and several smaller airlines fly from Nassau to the Out Islands, Bahamas Fast Ferries runs to Eleuthera, Harbour Island and some other islands, and slow government mailboats carry passengers to most inhabited islands. Book ahead in peak season.
Ready to plan your Bahamas trip?
Use the free trip planner to choose your islands, balance boat days and beach time, and pace your route.