81 Epic Things To Do On Nassau, Bahamas Ultimate Travel Guide

Our family recently spent an Epic 2 weeks in the Bahamas in the Nassau/New providence area, this also includes paradise island. We are family travel writers that have created the Ultimate Nassau and Bahamas travel guide so that you can see exactly what you should do in the Bahamas. Our guides are really straight up and we are not funded by any organization to push their product, just the best real information you can find on the internet.

Our family consists of 4 people 2 adults and 2 kids, I hope to get to know all of you over time.

The Bahamas is easily one of the most beautiful places we have ever visited. The waters are bright blue, almost fake looking. And the beaches are white sand. There are tons of fun things for both adults and children to do in the Bahamas from beach days to high end restaurants. Something for every person and price range.

The Bahamas was definitely one of our more expensive vacations, but also one of our most memorable. Some of the best pictures we have ever taken happened in the Bahamas!

101 Things to do in the Bahamas. Ultimate Nassau and Bahamas Guide

81 Things you can do in the Bahamas, Nassau/New Providence/Paradise Island

1. Baha Mar Casino

The casino at Baha Mar located on Nassau’s cable beach is the most beautiful casino I have ever seen. There are restaurants and bars all around it and they are decently priced. There is also off track betting in this casino. If you like to gamble and want to see something really spectacular, check this place out. We got there right in time for a fire water show they have going throughout the night. It is a huge flame shooting out of a fountain! The kids thought it was so cool.

2. Fine dining at the Baha Mar

Baha Mar is a monster hotel owned by a Chinese company, it is the biggest competitor to Atlantis in the Bahamas and they have literally thought of everything. The restaurants in this hotel cater mostly to wealthy people as they are very expensive, but also very high end. Even the Chinese restaurant was high end dining. I popped into every restaurant here just to check it out and they all looked great. With the kids we ended up at the Swimming pig most of the time and the food was excellent.

Fine Dining at the Baha Mar

3. Take epic beach pictures on Cable beach

Cable beach is really beautiful, I stayed here for a week and the pictures I got in this area were unbelievable. It is just so picturesque here with bright blue water and a white sand beach. The water colour is the brightest I have ever seen. Baha mar hotel is located on this beach and they have build a huge pier here perfect for those amazing photoshoots. Best of all the pier is free to access. The grounds here are also really beautiful, decorated Bahama style. There are several food trucks and outbuildings that are really colourful here. Tons of instagramers come here just for photoshoots.

4. Find the perfect insta post at sandy pointe beach and resort

I like to explore around, on a jog one day I discovered a really pretty place called Sandy point . The beach was small and they have a nice restaurant there oceanfront. At the south end of the beach there is a really cool white pier. This is an amazing place for pictures or just to chill in. There are some chairs set up there. I was the only person on Sandy pointe beach, it is pretty remote. At the far end by the pier you will see a hammock in between two trees, follow the path and you will walk right into the resort area, under a decorated bridge. Things get really cool from here as the resort and the grounds here are beautifully decorated.

Sandy Point Resort in New Providence Bahamas

5. Aquaventure waterpark at Atlantis

Aquaventure is one of the most heavily advertised things to do in Nassau/Paradise island. I popped over there while I was in Atlantis, it was large with several slides and a lazy river. The price tag on this though is not worth it in my opinion, I would only make an attempt to go here with my family if I were staying in Atlantis and got free tickets to the waterpark.

Aquaventure at Atlantis Bahamas

6. Jogging around Nassau

This was actually how I discovered a lot of the hidden gems and parks. Every morning I do a jog, some of the nicest jogs I did were on Paradise island to Cabbage beach, Cable beach to the golf course and around downtown Nassau and Junkanoo. You will really learn a lot this way and it is very safe.

Jogging around Nassau, Bahamas. Things to do with kids

7. Rent a car and drive around the island

One of our best days was when I rented a car and drove around the island. I went to every site and beach in and around the main island of New providence as well as Paradise island. The car costed $65 USD for 24 hrs and I saved this for the day before I was leaving to the airport so that I could drive myself to the airport and save on a cab ride.

8. Get to know the locals

One of the things that drove me nuts in the Bahamas was that I saw more tourists than locals most of the time. When we travel to new countries it is one of my goals to learn local traditions and culture. I found the best way to do this in the Nassau and New Providence are was to hang out at the fish fry.

9. Party or dine at the fish fry

The fish fry is a night or evening place to eat. It has around 30 restaurants serving Bahamian dish’s and western dish’s. It is something to see and also a great place to go for drinks! They will have some restaurants blasting reggae music and others that are quiet on a canal. This is where the locals eat and it is the cheapest food you will find on the island. On my last 2 week trip I went to the fish fry 5 times to eat it was so good.

Partying at the fish fry in Nassau , Bahamas

10. Do an all inclusive at Melia

The Melia hotel located on Cable beach is an all inclusive resort and a party hotel. They have a nightclub on site, multiple restaurants and pools! I stayed right beside the Melia and noticed that average age group was around 25-50.

11. Party at a local nightclub

There are local nightclubs and there are tourist nightclubs. The tourist clubs are super expensive but also very high end. The local clubs are inexpensive and are a great way to meet local people. The Bahamians are very friendly people for the most part and like to include outside people.

Top things to see in the Bahamas, Baha Mar

12. Visit Beautiful Cabbage beach

Cabbage beach is located on Paradise island. It is a 20 minute walk from the famous Atlantis resort. Cabbage beach is stunning and very different to the famous Junkanoo beach It is quiet with very few tourist. The sand is thick and the beach is long. Although there are not a lot of amenities at Cabbage beach, there is still couple of restaurants nearby. This is one of the best beaches near Nassau, and our family loved it here. It was really clean and there is no glass or rocks around the beach. I was most relaxed at cabbage beach and so were my kids. We also took some of the most beautiful family pics here.

Cabbage Beach on Paradise island Bahamas

13. Play tennis

Many of the resorts have tennis courts onsite, this trip I borrowed some rackets and balls from the lobby and started teaching Rayden how to play tennis. It was awesome and a great distraction if it is cooler outside and you are not going to the beach.

Learn to Play tennis in the Bahamas

14. Listen to smooth reggae music at the green parrot

The green parrot is one of the best restaurants in Nassau and there is another location on paradise island. It is an open air outdoor restaurant boasting great food and live music. The local people love going to the green parrot and this place allows you to experience local food and culture. When we were there, there was a local band playing cool reggae music and us and the kids danced and ate. We loved it.

15. Scuba Diving one of the many reef

The reefs around the Bahamas are very healthy unlike many places in the world. There are tons of reefs right near shore and you can also go on reef dives with shark dives combined.

Stuarts cove was the company we went diving with and we booked 3 trips with them.

16. The ultimate shark dive with Stuarts Cove

There are very few places in the world that you can safely swim with sharks. I went on the shark dive with stuarts cove and it was crazy. As soon as we went down on the first dive we were surrounded by reef sharks. There must have been 20 of them. On our second dive I had seen so many sharks, that i was looking for smaller things. The last dive was at the colosseum. It is basically rocks formed in a circular pattern. A diver hold on to each rock, and the dive master goes in the centre of the colosseum and feeds the sharks. THis creates and absolutely crazy underwater frenzy and 30+ sharks will be fighting for the food.

After the do the feeding in the centre, the dive master will go close to each rock the divers are at and will feed the sharks right in from of you. The sharks will get so close to you that they will touch you. I was freeking out, but I knew that this was a once in a lifetime experience. It was the most memorable dives I have ever had.

Now that being said if you plan on doing this dive you really have to make sure you are doing it with a professional company like stuart coves. If not it could be dangerous.

17. Visit Blue Lagoon Island

Blue lagoon island is the single greatest day trip you can do if you are going to Nassau. Even if you are on a cruise you can experience blu lagoon island for the day as they have transfer right to your ship port.

The island is located a 30 minute boat ride from paradise island (where Atlantis is located). They pick you up in a huge ferry that goes back and fourth all day. The total cost is around $75 USD for an adult admission and $50 for kids. Under four is free.

Blue lagoon island is a coved off paradise in the middle of the ocean. When you get there your boat will take you into a cove and you will notice right away that the water is shallow and perfectly still.

You will find that this place caters to tourist, as it has beach chairs and hammocks all over the place as well as restaurants and bars overlooking the beautiful white sand beaches. Some of the cool things you can do here are swimming with the dolphins, a sea lion experience, shark experience, sting rays and much more. There is also a water park onsite as well as kayaks and paddle boats.

The blue lagoon island is very safe and there are life guards all over the place and staff to cater to your needs. You can even hike the islands diverse landscape and they have created paths through a local flora and fauna. It was a really cool experience that we will never forget.

Our kids really loved the beach here because the water did not move and it was so shallow.

Blue Lagoon Island Bahamas

18. Swimming with the Dolphins At Blue Lagoon Island http://www.dolphinencounters.com/

We did the dolphin experience on the island while we were here. There are a few options for this, you can either swim with the dolphins or do the dolphin experience.

During the dolphin experience we took both of our kids and we entered the ocean on a platform. One of the best thing about the dolphin experience here is that the dolphins are in the ocean not in a pool, it is much healthier on their system and they are in their own element making them much happier.

You will enter the water and stand on a platform, the water will be waist high. Then the dolphin will approach you and interact with you. You will be allowed to touch it and a guide will have the dolphin perform some tricks for you. The dolphin will make jokes and splash at you. It is a once in a lifetime experience that I highly recommend. The blue lagoon island is one of the best places in the Bahamas to do a dolphin interaction.

Swimming with the Dolphins Bahamas. Bahama Blog

19. Beach day at Rose island

Rose island is another island not far from the mainland Nassau. There are ferries that go out to the island daily, and when you arrive you will be greeted with a tropical oasis. I preferred blue lagoon island to rose island, as there was just more to do there, but rose island was also very beautiful.

20. Shopping at the cruise port

There are shops all around the cruise port selling souveniers, jewelry and other things. The shopping in this area is negotiable and you can pick up some really good deals, especially towards the end of the day when the cruise ships leave.

21. Have some authentic Bahamian Food

There is so many amazing Bahamian dishes that I had to write an entire article about the Bahamian foods you have to try. This place is a foodies dream, with dishes ranging from seafood to breads. Not only is the food unreal in the Bahamas, but their drinks are also extremely tasty. Make sure when you are orderdering, you let them know if you cannot eat spicy foods as some Bahamian foods can be hot!

Some of the most common Bahamian foods you should try are , conch salad, conch fritters, Jerk chicken, cracked snapper and much more.

22. Yoga at the beach

While I was there I noticed that some of the hotels, like the Baha mar would offer yoga at the beach. Although I did not join them, it could be a very relaxing thing to do while you are in the Bahamas. The beaches are absolutely stunning here and I can see how this would help you zen out and relax!

Top things to do in Nassau

23. Deep Sea fishing

The deep sea fishing in the Bahamas is excellent, and there are several fishing tour operators to choose from ranging in price from $75 USD and up depending on how long you go out for and how luxurious your boat is. Every year the Bahamas has fishing competitions that cater to an international crowd and records are continuously set in this part of the world.

Some of the fish you will catch if you are deep sea fishing around Nassau is white marlin, wahoo, tuna, sailfish, maui maui and blue marlin. These are big fish and put up an awesome fight.

24. Speed boat tours

If you are planning on doing an inter island tour, then you should know that a speedboat is the absolute fastest way to get around the islands. Some people enjoy these boats so much, they just go out for a ride on them. The boats are large and can pick up major speed. It is a thrilling ride!

25. Shop for real estate

I am obsessed with the show Bahama life, it is a dream of our to be able to retire in a beautiful place like this. So while we were there we kept our eyes open to areas that we could live. What I found is yes, the Bahamas can be expensive, but there is a lot of well priced real estate here still.

26. Snorkelling tours with Stuart Cove’s

Rayden and I went on his first actual snorkel tour with stuarts cove, they take out all ages. First of all the boat was large and very safe for both adults and children, Stuarts cove provides wet suits and snorkel gear if required.

They took us to 3 spots to snorkel including a beautiful reef, then a sunken plane and statue and lastly on a shark snorkel. It was really one of the most well planned out snorkel tours I have ever been on. They change up the landscape for you to keep you really engaged.

I am really careful about the companies I do this activity wit, especially because I have my kids involved. Stuarts cove is the safest company in the Bahamas to snorkel with.

Snorkelling tour in the Bahamas. Stuart Coves

27. Teach your kids about the local flora and Fauna

Some of the places we went offered tours in local forests where they teach you about the plants that grow in the Bahamas, many of which were originally from other countries! It is pretty neat to see how the flora here changes and evolves over time.

Versailles Garden on Paradise island Bahamas.

28. The Queens Staircase

The queens staircase is located a 25 minute walk from the cruise port and is one of the sites that are free and that I would highly recommend. There is a waterfall here and kids playing music. Our kids loved it. The staircase is a man made by slaves over a hundred years ago, it is a marvel to see that men could build such a large scale thing in the rocks. We took a bunch of pictures here, climbed the stairs and left. You will not have to spend longer than 30 mins at the stairs. You might want to package doing this with visiting some of the forts.

Queens Staircase Nassau Bahamas

29. Fort Fincastle

There are a few forts in the Nassau/ new providence area. Fort fin castle is the largest and most popular fort in Nassau. If you plan on going there you can hop in a cab from the cruise port and visit this place for around $10USD. The fort was built out of limestone in 1793 on Bennets hill to protect Nassau and the harbour. If you are looking this place up online it is also known as viscount fin castle. You can do a paid tour to this fort, or you can hop in a cab there and see it for free. I don’t like being dragged around by a rapid tour company and prefer to do things on my own time.

30. Junkanoo Beach Day

Junkanoo beach is a lot of fun for all age groups. It is the busiest beach in Nassau and has more restaurants and amenities compared to any other beach on New providence. We spent a lot of time at this beach as it was across the street from one of the hotels we stayed at. The sand at the beach is not the greatest, but the great food and music makes up for it. Junkanoo beach is a short walk from the cruise port, when you get there you will notice a bunch of really colourful outbuildings that are extra instagram worthy. Those are all restaurants serving all kinds of local and western foods. There is enough to do here to spend an entire day from watersports to shopping and eating!

I would go to junkanoo beach every morning during my jog and watch the cruise ships port. The overall vibe at Junkanoo beach is a lively party kind of vibe. If you have kids and want a more quiet beach with no intoxicated people, try cabbage beach or cable beach.

Junkanoo Beach, Nassau Bahamas

31. Pirate ship tour

If you are in the harbour where the cruise ship port, you might notice a large pirate ship in the water. This is a pirate ship tour where you can actually be on the boat. It includes a lunch or dinner and the pirate experience. Your kids will love this tour.

32. Set sail on a sailboat

The Bahamas is on of the best places in the Caribbean to go sailing. This is due to the calm waters and good wind here. You can rent a sailboat in Nassau or paradise island and cruise all around the island. As you can imagine this ranges big time in price depending on the boat and length of time you want to cruise. You can get a luxury boat staffed if you want or rent something small for a day.

33. Free diving

The underwater landscape around Nassau is awesome for free diving, with drop offs and reefs close to the shoreline. Freeding around new providence is best by boat, but would also be really good around jaws beach where you can free dive with sharks.

34. Learn how to dance Caribbean Style

The bigger hotels will have dancing classes in their nightclubs as well as on their beach. You can also learn to dance Caribbean style by going out to local places and meeting Caribbean people. One of our favourite places to do this was at the green parrot restaurant, they have live band and locals like to hang out there.

Outside of a bar at the cruise port in Nassau Bahamas. Things to do

35. Eat Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken is probably the easiest local food to eat in the Bahama’s. The flavour is amazing and everyone seams to like it. Jerk chicken is a bbq style chicken served with a smokey and spicy jerk sauce. It is normally served with 2 or 3 sides including rice and peas, cold slaw, or bahamian mac and cheese. Make sure if you are ordering this and do not like spicy that you specify mild. One of my favourite spots to eat jerk chicken is right in the middle of Junkanoo beach. You will see the smoke coming off of the BBQ and the loud music coming from the shack I am recommending! It should cost you around $11 for this compared to some other places priced at $25 USD. You cannot find good jerk chicken anywhere near cable beach so have it when you are in downtown Nassau. The other good place for jerk chicken is anywhere in the fish market.

36. Swim with Manta’s

Swimming with manta rays is a chilling experience that lets you get up close and personal with these rare sea creatures. You can swim with mantas at blue lagoon island or in Atlantis. This is a cool thing you can do safely with kids. There is actually an out island near Nassau where you can swim with the manta’s and feed them in the wild. Because they are fed everyday by human, they let you get up close and hand feed them. You can experience this on one of the popular tours like swimming with the pigs.

Stingrays at Atlantis Bahamas

37. Shore fishing

I like to bring my own collapsible fishing rod with me whenever I am on vacation. I spoke to some locals and they suggested some places that are good for shore fishing including sandy shore beach area, and love beach. Those are apparently the 2 best on the island and have long docs so that you can get out a little deeper. In my experience frozen shrimp is a good bait to use in the bahamas.

This is one great way to relax an spend time. It is also free so your only expense will be the bait and transportation. I hopped on the #110 bus from cable beach with my son and my father in law and we hopped from beach to beach. Moving around this way will help you find some of the hidden gems the area has.

Shore fishing In the Bahamas. Things to do in Nassau

38. Water biking at blue lagoon island

Water Biking is the new version of paddle boating. You may have seen this online, but in person the water bike is much larger and way more fun. This is only really fun when the water is pretty calm so that you can control the water bike easily. The water bike has 2 huge air filled plastic tires that helps it stay afloat. You and a partner are at the top riding like a bicycle.

You can do this a few places in the Bahamas including Junkanoo beach and Atlantis, but it is the best at the blue lagoon island because of the extremely still shallow water.

39. Spearfishing Hawaiian Sling style

The hawaiian sling is a type of spear you can spearfish with. It is the type of spear I take with me because of its light weight, its portability and its effectiveness. The sling I take with me on vacation breaks down into 4 parts, easily fitting into my suitcase. Any time I use it, I will always come out of the water with some fish. The water in the bahamas is really great for spearfishing because of its clarity and abundance of fish.

40. Drink a Kalik Local Beer

The best local beer is called Kalik, there is also another local beer called sands but their manufacturing facility was wiped out by hurricane Irma when I was there last.

I was still told by all of the locals I spoke to that the Kalik beer was always the best. Kalik tastes a lot like Corona. It is a light tasty beer served at every restaurant you go to in the Bahamas.

Beer is very expensive in Nassau and Kalik is also the cheapest because it is not imported.

Kalik Beer in the Bahamas. Food and drink

41. Swimming with the Pigs Near the Exumas

The Exumas are a small island stretch around the mainland with each island having it own uniques tour feature. There are several tours that will take you out to the island where the pigs are swimming around in. This is an instagram famous tour, but I think it is really gross. The pigs crap all over the water and you will be in the water with them. It can also be dangerous for kids as the pigs are know to bite people. It is definitely neat to see, but I would save my money for something else. Plus the pictures pretty instagram models take with these pigs are good enough for me lol.

42. Day trip to Harbour Island and see the Pink Sand Beach

There are day trips out to the pink sand beach daily from Nassau. This is a site to see as the sand is actually pink! This is due to the sand being made from crushed coral who’s colour is naturally pink. People often wonder why some tropical fish are so colourful, it is because you are what you eat and coral can be beautifully coloured.

43. Outdoor Waterpark at Blue Lagoon Island

There is an inflatable waterpark in the shallow waters of the blue lagoon island. It is not huge but it gave our kids at least an hour or 2 of entertainment on the island.

Waterpark at Blue lagoon island Bahamas. Top things to do

44. Try local fruits like Guinip

Although I grew up in Canada, my family introduced me to a seasonal fruit called Guinip at a very young age. Guinip can usually be found in the local market in the Bahamas and is one of the tastiest fruit you will ever have. The fruit is wrapped in a skin that you will have to break. Inside is a juicy tasty round fruit to eat. If you are in the Bahamas and you want to try something awesome and local, make sure you try this.

45. Sea Lion Experience at Blue lagoon Island

There are around 12 trained sea lions at the blue lagoon island, and you can get unclose and personal with them for a cost. You can also just watch them from a very short distance for free as we did from the island. There is a viewing area and the sea lions will give you a free show if you cheer them on!

Sea Lions in the Bahamas

46. Drink a local favourite cocktail the Bahama Mama

The Bahama mama is a sweet alcoholic cocktail originating in the Bahamas. It is popular all over the world, but in the Bahamas, this is the drink of choice. It is made with rum, coconut water, grenadine orange juice and pineapple juice. As you can imagine by the taste, it is super strong and tasty. I had a few of these and had to ask them to make it lighter on the sweetness. It is the sugar in the grenadine that escalates the sweetness.

47. Meditate with the sounds of the ocean

You can do this by yourself, or you can do it with a group. There are companies in Nassau that do this as well as the hotel. My recommendation is to take this activity into your own hands and find a quiet place to focus on yourself and zen out. Although it will not be instructed, I have done it by myself and have found that it can be an uplifting experience, helping you to navigate your own mind. Most recently I have been getting my kids to do this with me, I tell them to close their eyes and think of things that make them happy. This has brought a high level of satisfaction and appreciation in our lives for each other and what simple things we have.

48. Take a nap

Vacations are for rest and relaxation. Sometimes on vacation we focus on things that are not really that important, like seeing and doing everything a country has to offer. In my home country I don’t even do that, and life with work etc is so busy. It is important that you take the time during your vacation to chill and feel awesome and energized when you get back to work and regular life. When I am in Nassau and the Bahamas, I crack the bedroom window so that I can hear the sounds of the waves and feel the cool breeze. Alternatively, if you can find yourself a hammock you will have a kick ass sleep! One day on the blue lagoon island, I was so relaxed from doing activities that my son and I both fell asleep in a hammock. for me it was one of my best memories in the Bahamas, as simple as that is.

Napping in a Hammock in the Bahamas

49. Read a book with a beautiful Bahama blue Ocean Background

I love to read when I am on vacation, my preference is no fiction books that have to do with life or work. You would think that you would want to read fiction, but when I am away it allows me to think from an outsiders perspective at my life and goals. Slow the pace and learn to relax with a good book.

50. Take unbelievable family Photos

The Bahamas ocean is one of the brightest and lightest blue ocean water I have ever seem. This is partially due to the sand being bright white, lighting up the water. It is also because the Bahamas does not have a lot of mountain runoff because there are no real mountain ranges here. When there are mountain leading to the ocean, there is always dark ruff from leaves and dirt flowing into the ocean like a waterfall. This makes the water murky.

Some of the best photo’s I have ever had were because of the ocean background. The other reason the Bahamas is the ideal photo spot is because of the decor in the building and the colours. Everything is bright here. The hotels are also so beautiful and extravagant, they literally have instagram photo spots made just for the guests to post!

Family Photos in the Bahamas. Cabbage Beach

51. Snuba with Stuart Cove’s

Snuba is a blend of scuba diving and snorkelling where they take you out on a boat and drop you down into the ocean on a beautiful reef. You will have full view from a a huge mark that goes over your entire head that they pump air into. A lot of people try this as a stepping stone to scuba diving. It is one of the easiest ways to see the bottom of the ocean because there is no learning curve like there is snorkelling and scuba diving. This company Stuarts cove is the best place in New providence and Nassau to go Snuba diving!

52. Shop At the Straw Market

The straw market is an indoor/outdoor open air souvenir market located right across the street from the cruise port. When you are there you will find anything and everything that says Bahamas on it, its actually really fun and inexpensive. Our kids were both allowed to pick out 2 items and we negotiated on each of these. The vendors are mostly women trying to make a living, so we never negotiate that hard, just enough to make it fun!

Sometimes there are events in the alley beside the straw market as it is all ocean front. While we were there, they had a street party there with food vendors, music and a mini street party!

Nassau Straw Market, Bahamas Shopping

53. Eat A Conch Salad

The conch salad is a super tasty dish that is served cold, enough for 2 people. The cut the rubbery (calamary like) conch pieces up into small pieces, then they add vegetables, peppers and fruit with salt and fruit juice to the dish. The result is a flavour explosion! In the 2 weeks I was there last, I had a conch salad every single day. Not only is it a fresh cool dish on a hot day, it is also very healthy, giving you protein and you fruit and veggies in one plate. Thinking back this is the healthiest thing I ate regularly while I was on our Bahamas trip.

Things to do in the Bahamas. Eat Conch Salad

54. Eat at the Fish Fry

The fish fry is located a 5 minute walk from Junkanoo beach right in Nassau. If you are getting off of a cruise you will be taking a right out of thee cruise area. You will pass the beach and keep walking along a sea wall until you get to an area with loads of restaturants. You are there and this is the most authentic and cheapest place you can eat on the entire New Providence island. I recommend this area for dinner as it is not open in the morning. Enjoy your beach day and do this last, because in the evening this place really wakes up with people, music, live bands and the best restaurants on the island!

55. Hop on the Jitney Bus and go on a fun island ride

The Jitney buses are the best way to get around the island fast. There are buses that go by all day everywhere on the island, you can literally take a full island tour on the jitney buses. When you are in Nassau you will find that the taxi service is ridiculously priced, they charge per person and have high starting fees with no meter. The jitney will cost you $0.75-$2 in each direction you are going depending on your age. Originally I thought that this would have been complicated, but it was actually very easy and they are very accommodating to the tourist. The jitney buses in Nassau are located across the street from the cruise port. There will be tons of drivers there trying to get a fare, bypass them and you will see the jitney stand. It is a fun way to immediately be around local people.

56. Kayaking

Kayaking is one of our favourite water sports that we do with our kids. It is also a great way to explore the island and secret spot to explore. A kayak is similar to canoeing, however you are on a much smaller sleeker floating boat with a 2 sided oar. There is usually a spot for either one or 2 people on the kayak. It is as safe easy activity for adults and kids.

If you plan on Kayaking in the Bahamas, just make sure you are wearing a lifejacket and that the water is relatively calm. The people renting these want to make a quick buck and will not consider your safety in some places. Watch the beach flags to sea if it is safe to go out.

Kayaking at Blue Lagoon Island Bahamas

57. Catamaran Cruise

This is a really fun activity that you can do. A catamaran is a large yacht style bot with a large main deck that can hold a lot of passengers. There are usually cool hang out spots on the boat for relaxation, like a mesh over the water at the front of the boat. The boat itself has 2 hulls making it ver stable and secure on the water.

There is a boat port on Paradise island that you can catch a catamaran cruise on for around $100 USD. Some of the catamaran cruises will stop at the out islands like the swimming with the pigs beach and iguana island!

58. Slave Museum

Better known as the pompey museum of slavery and emancipation is a building dedicated to the irradiation of slavery in the Bahamas. coated right by the cruise port in downtown Nassau this brightly painted building is full of historical moment in slavery that led to the Bahamas becoming a free country. I think it is important to understand history and how the places you visit got to where they are. The museum should only take you 30 minutes to go through, so it will not take away from you beach day. You will come out with a respect for the culture you would not have had you not gone there.

Museum Of Slavery In Nassau Bahamas

59. Play at the park on Cable beach

We stayed for a week at Cable beach in New providence and I discovered the park while on a jog along the beach. The park is ocean front and has a track, a large field, and a kids play park in it. Located to the east of the Baha mar hotel, this is a quiet part of the beach perfect for relaxation. There are a lot of trees here providing shade. And there are a few vendors selling food and drinks. This is the part of Cable beach that the locals hang out at. We like to get away from the hustle and bustle so that we can just chill, if that is what you are looking for then this is what you are looking for!

60. Golfing in Paradise

Right across the street from cable beach park is the Cable beach golf course. It is an 18 hole course in Paradise and services the Radisson hotel. The public can play there for around $50 Bahamian dollars for 9 holes. The course looked really nice to me as I walked by with a lot of water features and well taken care of greens. I saw a couple of negative reviews online stating that the greens were not well kept, but from what I saw it was very good.

61. Beach BBQ

You can have a beach BBQ in the public parks. There are metal bbq’s set up as well as benches and picnic tables. I love doing this, especially if I catch the fish or crab myself.

62. Watch the Marching Flamingo at the Zoo

At the Ardastra garden and zoo located in Nassau there is a special feature called the marching flamingos. The owners at the zoo have trained these super bright pink flamingos to march like they are in the army. It is really funny and kids will get a kick out of it.

The flamingos at the Ardastra gardens march 3 times a day, 10:30am, 2:15pm and again at 4pm. The cost to visit the Ardastra gardens is $10 USD and there are Nassau city tours that include this for as little as $55USD per person.

Pink Flamingos Bahamas

63. Stop and eat a fresh cold coconut

At the side of the roads there will be vendors selling ice cold coconuts. They will try to charge the tourist $5 but you can offer them $2 or $3 and they will give it to you. If you want you can also get them to add rum. If you are at junkanoo beach in Nassau there is a vendor right there at the end of the beach close to the sea wall. It is pretty cool the way he quickly cuts the coconut open with his dull machete!

Having a coconut in the Bahamas. Nassau

64. Visit a National Park

The national park on New Providence is called Bone fish national park, there are no bonefish here but it is called that for some reason. The national park is beautiful and a little off the beaten path. I recommend renting a car and driving there. It costs nothing and there are trails and lakes to explore in the area. Being in the national park is very different to the beach landscape the Bahamas are known for.

65. Check out Jaws Beach

Jaws beach is actually the same beach the movie jaws was filmed at. It is set on the south west side of the island and is a very quiet area. There are no stores here so make sure you bring water and snacks. With a lot to do here including some of the best snorkelling you can do from the beach due to the reef close to shore. There is also a lake right behind the beach and some bridges and small trail to explore. We spent a couple of hours here exploring around.

Jaws Beach, New Providence Bahamas

66. Heritage Park and beach

67. Get married in Paradise

The Bahamas would be an amazing place to get married, we kept saying that if we were going to renew our vows this would be one of the most beautiful places to do it. The reason for this is because the hotels are so beautiful and so is the outside landscape. You can tell by the pictures we post that the water is one of the brightest blues in the world and the beaches are bright white sand. It isn’t the cheapest place to get married but the combination of the landscape and the hotels will give you epic pictures that will last a lifetime!

68. Eat Guinip

Guinip is a local fruit that I have only ever seen in the Caribbean. It is a soft jelly like fruit in a shell that you can easily remove. As a child my family would bring this home and it was always a real treat. This fruit is seasonal and if you are at one of the fruit stands in Nassau, you should buy a bunch and try it out!

69. Visit the Most Colourful hotel and eat oceanview! The Windrose Spa

One day as we were driving along the coastline on New providence, we saw a super colourful hotel from the road. Across the street was a parking lot, so I pulled in to take a quick picture. Little did I know I had found a hidden gem. I approached the hotel and asked if I could come in for a picture. Beyond the from desk there was a restaurant that overlooked the ocean, it was one of the most beautiful settings I found on New Providence!

I ran back to the car and told everyone that we were stopping for lunch. The windrogse spa is advertised as a spa, but it is a great place to stop in for lunch and also a very private hotel for honeymooners. The accommodations are private cabanas with their own sand decks all looking over the ocean. There is a dock a pool and stunning restaurant all on site. As soon as I sat down in this place I felt relaxed. A lot of the other hotels in the Bahamas are in busy areas, this gets you away from it all. It was the most colourful hotel I have ever seen and it is very well kept. The colours I believe are instant mood enhancers and a reminder that you are on vacation.

Windrose Spa, Bahamas most colourful hotel

70. Visit a spa

There are private spas as well as hotel spas all over the Bahamas. Our favourite and of course most convenient would be the spas in the larger hotels. They really go all out on these making them a very zen like experience. Both Atlantis and Baha Mar have massive spa areas to cater to wealthy guest. They are pretty expensive, and I believe that is why some people venture out of the hotel to the smaller private spas. Keep in mind when making this decision that transportation is very expensive in the Bahamas and the private spas are hit or miss for many things including cleanliness.

71. Massages at the beach

Many of the hotels around Nassau and Paradise island will offer massages at the beach service. Some of the hotels that offer this are Atlantis, Baha Mar, the Riu, The windrose, four seasons and of course sandals.

You can also get a beach massage pretty well priced at Junkanoo beach. If you are on a cruise and want this service, that would be your best bet!

72. Bob Marley Hotel and restaurant near cable beach

The Bob Marley hotel was pushed on us by locals around cable beach a few times, and I had to check it out to know why. This place is a great stop for a drink, go in the evening when they have a live band and make sure you call them first. I would not stay here as the rooms are not the greatest and the amenities they offer are also not great. I believe they pay local people a commission for driving tourist into the hotel. It is located close to cable beach on a busy road. Once you get inside, you will realize that it is actually ocean front! This hotel, I would almost call a motel is private and best visited for a live band and dinner experience.

Directing traffic in Nassau, Bahamas

73. Primevil Forest National Park

As we were driving along one day, I discovered Primevil forest. It is in a pretty remote part of the island close to Clifton Heritage park. The primeval forest os a national park on New Providence full of local plant and animal life. There are paths to walk on and sinkholes all over the park. They charge a fee for entry, I only recommend this place if you are with a group.

First of all you are basically paying to hike and you can do this for free anywhere in the Bahamas. Second of all there are some sketchy looking people working there and I would not want to go alone. Only go here if you really love hiking through the woods and with a group!

You can get some pretty cool pictures here, but similar pictures can be taken at the park near jaws beach for free.

74. Andros reef

Andros Barrier reef is also known as the tongue of the ocean, is a deep reef 190 miles long. It has the third largest amount of living organisms on the planet in, and as you can imagine it is stunning! I am big into scuba diving, and I can tell you this is a very healthy reef. You can find over 200 species of sea life on the reef at various depths.

The reef is great for snorkelling in the shallow parts, mid diving on beautiful reef and deeper dives with sharks!

75. Clifton Heritage Park

Clifton heritage park is a park on New Providence island that is in the remains of an old cotton plantation. It is located ocean front and it is one of the best places on the island to go fishing. When you get to the park there is a large parking lot suggesting that this place gets busy. I saw hardly anyone there when I was there. There are paths leading around an old abandoned village and to the beach. The beach here is great for snorkelling and fishing as this is located very close to a reef. I found this place to be expensive for what you actually get out of it, not really worth it. Right close by is jaws beach where you get a nice beach for free and you will be able to swim in a similar reef. Don’t waste the money.

76. Visit the forts

There are three main forts that you can visit in the Nassau/ New providence area. Many of the tour companies will take you out to these forts if you want to see them. The three main forts here are Fort Charlotte, Fort Fincastle and Fort Montagu

Paradise island family pictures. Bahamas Forts

77. Shop at the straw Market

The Straw market is located across the street from the cruise port. It is an open air mall with small privately owned stands selling knick backs and souvenirs. It is a fun place to walk through and buy some local goods for cheap. You can negotiate with the stand owners,

78. Visit the Caves

Visiting the Caves on New Providence should only be a quick stopover, not a day plan. We drove by the caves and stopped in the parking lot right off the coastline highway on new providence. They are good for a quick picture, but they can be easily missed if you are driving by. I don’t know why they call them the caves when they should be called the cave. It is not as big as they make them seem on the island. You can actually go inside and it is pretty neat. I took a few picture inside the caves. Just be very careful as the rocks are all moist here and there is stagnant water inside the cave. I did not let my kids go inside because of this. In my opinion the caves should be re-inforced, just in case they come down on some unsuspecting tourist.

Caves in New Providence, Bahamas

79. Bahamas casinos

There are some huge sagas like casinos in the Nassau area of the Bahamas located in the Baha mar hotel and in Atlantis. They have modern games and table games including high limit if you can afford it. I can’t lol but I still threw $50 bucks into a rapid roulette game and walked out winning 20 bucks! Yeah I am cheap but i’d rather spend the money on more experiences. If you enjoy casino’s these are some of the best you will find. The hotels themselves have tons of things to do inside and should be visited if you are in the area anyways. You do not have to be a hotel guest to go here.

80. Shop at the Fusion Super Plex mall

Do not waste your time on this if you are on a cruise. The fusion superplex mall should only be visited if you are staying on New providence for a good period of time. 2 weeks plus. This is a newer mall, with many north american mall amenities including an Imax movie theatre!

There is nothing special about this mall and the prices are not great. It is more for local people.

81. Sex on the beach

I had to add this as I know some of you may be thinking about it in the back of your mind. The Bahamas has a lot of very secluded beaches where you can fulfill this bucket list dream! Just don’t try to do it in busy junkanoo beach, there are too many people there and you might get caught.

82. Versailles Gardens Bahamas

Located a 15 minute walk east of Atlantis on Paradise island, this is a beautiful place to take pictures.

Versailles Garden Bahamas

84. Hotel Pool day!

The hotel pools are a great way to spend a hot day in the Bahamas!

Hotel Pools in the Bahamas

Common questions about Nassau Bahamas

What is the weather like in Nassau?

The weather in Nassau is usually very nice, however it can get very windy here. Right now we are here in January and the average daytime temperature has been around 23 degrees celsius. And most days it has been windy.

Baha Mar cabannas on cable beach Bahamas

Is the water cold in the Bahamas?

We found that the water was a lot colder than places like Hawaii or anywhere in south east asia. Our kids are usually in the water all day, but here in the Bahamas during January at least they avoid swimming in the ocean.

Is Nassau Safe?

I spent a lot of time jogging around Nassau by myself and I never once felt unsafe. I guess you can fell unsafe anywhere as there are bad people everywhere. Travelling with kids and my wife I like to be very sure that we are safe at all times. The Bahamas are very safe.

Is the Bahamas in the Caribbean?

Yes the Bahamas are the most northern country in the Caribbean islands.

Bahamas Sunset

Is the food in the Bahamas good?

We loved the food in the Bahamas, we found it fresh and healthy!

Are people nice in the Bahamas?

Yes the people in the Bahamas are really nice. The people around the cruise port and Junkanoo beach can be a little jaded from drunk cruise passengers, but for the most part they are really friendly.

Is Nassau on new Providence island?

Yes Nassau is the main city on New Providence Island

Are there Pick Pockets in the Bahamas?

Yes pickpocketing is a thing in the Bahamas, so be aware. We never had a problem with this, but I have heard from other bloggers that there can be some pick pocketing in the Bahamas.

Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas

When was the last shark attack in the Bahamas?

Although sharks are very common in the Bahamas there are not a lot of incidents of shark attacks in the area. The most recent was on rose island where a man was killed in July 2019.

There have been no incidents of shark attacks on the scuba diving with sharks nor the snorkelling with sharks tours/expeditions.

What is the Population of the Bahamas?

The population of the Bahamas is 395, 000 citizens.

How Many Islands are there in the Bahamas?

There are 700 islands, Cays and Islets in the Bahamas.

Is the Bahamas safe for women?

Yes Bahamas is safe for women, the Bahamian culture is very liberal and the women here are treated very fairly as equals. When you are there some people may honk their horns at you or comment on your beauty, the men can be more forward than in the US.

Bahamas Viewpoint

What is the best way to get around in the Bahamas?

I found that the best way to get around was using their bus system, called the Jitney. It is very inexpensive and also very simple to use. We stayed on cable beach for a part of our trip and you can take the jitney for $1.25 per person or 75 cents per child. These are the mini busses you will see driving around usually 2 tone with a purple bottom. Each bus has numbers on it and you can look up their routes here.

Jitney from cable beach to downtown Nassau.

The best jitney to catch from cable beach to downtown Nassau in the #10, I took this a lot on the trip and it usually passes by every 5 minutes or so. You can alternatively catch the #12, but it has a longer route and will take you twice as long to get downtown.

Best jitney on new providence to get around

The best jitney to sight see is the #12. It has a long route and a lot of it has ocean views. Don’t let the drivers scam you into paying more, as I saw they did to one european couple.

When is the best time to visit the Bahamas?

The best time to visit the Bahamas would be around April-May. The reason I say this is because the water is warmer that time of year. We went is January and the ocean around the beaches were pretty cold.

What language do they speak in the Bahamas?

The locals all speak english in an accent, they call this patois.

Hanging out at the doc at the Baha Mar Hotel in the Bahamas

Common taxi Prices In the Bahamas

There are a few things you should know about taxi rides in the Bahamas. For one they are negotiable, you can usually get some money off if you walk away from a driver or negotiate with them. Also you are charged per person, they will have a set rate and will charge you an additional $4 per person. Children are not included in the $4 extra per person.

Most taxis drive very fast, so make sure your kids are buckled in well. None of these taxis are car seat compatible unless you rent a limo style taxi.

Should I bring my kids car seat to the Bahamas?

I brought our booster seats here instead of the car seats, they are easier to carry around and will fit in most taxis. You really don’t need the car seats here although I still recommend bringing them, especially if you plan on renting a car and driving around the island.

How Much is a taxi from the Airport to Cable beach area?

We paid $40 USD for the ride to cable beach.

How Much is a taxi from the airport to Atlantis?

Our in laws negotiated with the driver and paid $50 for this ride

Bahamas Palm Tree Views, Photography

How much is a taxi ride from cable beach to downtown Nassau?

This ride will cost you $25 USD

How much is a taxi from cable beach to Atlantis?

This ride will cost you around $35 USD

How much is a taxi from the fish fry to Cable beach?

A taxi from the fish fry area to Cable beach is $25-$30 USD

How much is a taxi from downtown Nassau to Paradise island?

Taxi’s from Downtown Nassau to paradise island will cost you $15-20 USD. The driver will have to pay a toll fee that is included in your taxi ride.

How much is a taxi from downtown Nassau to the green Parrot?

This taxi ride will cost you $10 USD

Map of the Bahamas

Bahamas Maps

Map Of Nassau

Map of Nassau Bahamas

Flag of the Bahamas

Bahamas Flag

If you have any more insight or questions about Nassau or the Bahamas, please shoot us an email or comment. We want our Bahama Travel blogs to be the most comprehensive source of information about the Bahamas on the internet.

 

The Rampersauds at Ko Olina Beach in Oahu, Hawaii