The white sand beaches and brilliant turquoise waters of the Bahamas didn’t tempt Christopher Columbus to stay long when he first landed in the New World. But modern travelers have discovered these beautiful islands, with their clear water, cooling tradewinds and abundant marine life.
Today’s treasures include excellent fishing, golf and watersports, with accommodations that range from swank hotels at world-class resorts to secluded coves.
Those making landfall in the islands can choose from several distinct experiences. Visitors looking for the standard resort amenities should head to Nassau (on New Providence Island) or Freeport and Lucaya (on Grand Bahama Island).
Splashy Nassau, the biggest city and main port, is awash in pink colonial buildings, bustling street markets, five-star resorts and opulent casinos. In Freeport and Lucaya, the Bahamas' second-largest port, options range from frolicking with dolphins to perusing duty-free goods in ample shopping complexes.
Those more interested in deserted beaches, sailing and a generally slower pace will want to visit some of the many Out Islands, most of which are thinly populated or uninhabited.
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Sights—Rawson Square; Straw Market; Queen's Staircase; Fort Charlotte; Pink Sands; Hope Town; The Glass Window; Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park.
Museums—Pirates of Nassau; Pompey Museum; Ardastra Gardens & Zoo; Rand Memorial Nature Centre; Albert Lowe Museum.
Memorable Meals—Green Shutters Inn; Graycliffe Hotel & Restaurante; seafood at Nipper's Beach Bar & Grill; gourmet nouvelle fare at The Landing.
Late Night—Leave your bra at the End of the World Saloon; drinking Goombay Smash at Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar; learn some local moves at the Vic Hum Club.
Walks—Strolling Bay Street; hiking in Abaco National Park.
Especially for Kids—dolphin encounters at Blue Lagoon Island.
The northernmost island of the Bahamas lies in the Atlantic Ocean, about 50 mi/85 km off the southeast Florida coastline—not in the Caribbean, as is popularly thought. The balance of the archipelago, about 700 islands and 2,000 islets called cays (pronounced
keys), spreads south and east toward Hispaniola. With a total landmass of more than 5,000 sq mi/13,000 sq km spread over 100,000 sq mi/260,000 sq km of water, the Bahamas chain is larger by far than any of the Caribbean island groups and occupies an area almost as great as the Caribbean Sea. Besides New Providence and Grand Bahama Island, only about 30 of the other islands are inhabited.
As for topography, don't expect to see mountains and waterfalls—these islands are very flat. They are also largely dry, lacking any kind of streams or rivers. Because of this, no runoff sediment is deposited into the sea, resulting in the amazingly clear waters that surround the islands, which mostly occupy two shallow marine plateaus separated from each other, and from North America and the Greater Antilles, by deep ocean trenches.
The Lucayan Indians had the islands mostly to themselves until Columbus showed up in 1492 and claimed them for Spain. But the Spanish were in search of gold, silver and valuable trade goods, and the newly acquired Bahamian real estate provided few of those things. The Spanish soon moved on without really colonizing the islands.
By the mid-1600s, England claimed the region, and British colonists began to settle New Providence and a few other islands, while pirates utilized remote coves scattered throughout the vast island chain. Many ships foundered in these treacherous waters. Salvaging shipwrecks became an established part of the local economy, and communities were known to purposely ground ships by lighting beacons.
Beginning in the late 18th century, the history of the Bahamas was closely intertwined with that of the U.S. After the Revolutionary War, British Loyalists moved to the islands from New England and the Carolinas, both to remain under British rule and to escape the patriots' reprisals—they principally settled Eleuthera and the Abacos cays. Later, slaves from the southern U.S. fled to the Bahamas to gain their freedom. During the Civil War, Confederates used the islands as a center for blockade running, and during Prohibition, the islands were a base for rumrunners.
When the Bahamas became independent in 1973, they remained part of the British Commonwealth, and the lasting legacy of the British connection is strikingly felt in Bahamian cultural, legal and parliamentary traditions, and in the bobby-style uniforms that the Bahamian police officers wear. Nevertheless, the islands have been influenced by heavy doses of U.S. tourism and television, which is evidenced by the new architecture, clothing, music and restaurants.
The Bahamas offer a wide choice of attractions including stunning beaches, historical sites, gambling, nightlife, shopping, restaurants and fabulous hotels, plus superb golf, sailing, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sea kayaking and boat excursions.
Visitors who want an island experience in a different country but want to minimize the unfamiliar will probably enjoy the Bahamas. The islands provide a taste of the tropics, but the use of English and the lack of poverty (relative to other countries in the region) will mitigate any culture shock.
Conch (a dietary staple) and love vine (a bush tea) are both believed to have aphrodisiac effects.
One local belief says that if you get sand in your shoes during your visit, you will return and eventually stay.
The potable water in New Providence is shipped from Andros, with two vessels going back and forth between the two islands daily. The water is extracted from natural underground aquifers.
The flamingo is the national bird of the Bahamas, and the southern island of Great Inagua is home to the Western Hemisphere's largest breeding colony. The ratio of flamingos to people on that island is 61:1.
The name Bahamas derives from the Spanish baja mar, which means "shallow sea."
Geologically speaking, the islands were born of the sea and are made of limestone, which is primarily formed of cemented skeletal remains of trillions of marine organisms accumulated on the seabed over millions of years.
The highest point in the Bahamas—at 206 ft/63 m above sea level—is the peak of Mount Alvernia on Cat Island.
Eleuthera still derives most of its income from producing pineapples, introduced from South America in the 18th century. The first pineapples planted in Hawaii came from Eleuthera.
Several companies in the Bahamas will provide everything you need to get married underwater. In some ceremonies, a bottlenose dolphin serves as the ring bearer.
Kalik beer gets its name from the sound made by the cowbells used in the island's Junkanoo music.
