Why visit The Bahamas?
Beautiful blue and turquoise ocean waters, casino gambling, diving, golf, fishing tournaments, island seclusion, kayaking, luxury, nightlife, rustling palms, sailing, sandy beaches, scuba diving, snorkeling and tropical sun.
Most travelers visit Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and Nassau/Paradise Island, New Providence. Needless to mention, each island offer it's own unique charm.
Photo Credit: richardrohl2/Pixabay
At a Glance
- Souvenirs to Buy: Jewelry, leather goods, linens, liquor, perfume, and woven goods.
- Local Cuisine to Try: Johnnycake (corn bread). Mollusk (sea snail).
- Local Drink to Try: Goombay Punch (soft drink). Kalik (beer). Nassau Royale (liqueur). Planter's Punch (cocktail). Sky Juice (cocktail). Switcha (lemonade).
Nassau, Bahamas. Photo Credit: neverzola/Pixabay
History
- An estimated 30,000 Lucayans lived on the islands at the time of Christopher Columbus' arrival on October 12, 1492.
- George Washington called The Bahamas "Isles of Perpetual June", today known as "Isles of June".
- In 1648, Eleutherian Adventurers migrated from Bermuda. The English Puritans sought freedom and survived on "Eleuthera" salvaging goods from shipwrecks.
- During the 18th Century, Nassau was a Pirate Refuge.
- In 1718, Britain made the Bahamas a crown colony under the governorship of former privateer Woodes Rogers.
- In 1807, the British abolished slavery. Before then, approximately 40 cotton plantations existed to employ 1,200 slaves.
- In 1920, the island was a hub for Rumrunners Smugglers.
Photo Credit: Forest Simon
Fun Facts
- Consists of around 700 islands and more than 2000 Atlantic Ocean islets.
- The name Bahamas derives from Spanish "baja mar", which means "shallow sea".
- On 7/10/73 they gained their Independence from Great Britain but remained a Member of the British Commonwealth.
- The country's highest point (207 feet) is Mount Alvernia on Cat Island.
- The Bahamas is one of three countries to officially use the word "The".
- In 1907, "Cable Beach" was born after the transatlantic cable was laid under the sea connecting Nassau to Jupiter, Florida.
- "Lyford Cay", is a private gated community northwest of New Providence known to be home to celebrities and the wealthiest people.
- In 1998, the popular mega-resort Atlantis opened.
- More than 1,000 wrecks are thought to lie on the ocean floor from the great era of gold-transporting sailing ships.
- The Abacos is known to have more boat mooring points than hotel rooms.
- Eleuthera boasts some of the world's sweetest pineapples.
- Andros Barrier Reef is the world's sixth longest.
- According to local lore, there are two mythical creatures on Andros. Lucas, half-octopus, half shark a gigantic who swallows vessels in their entirety, and Chickcharney, a feathered three feet tall with one eye and three-toed claws.
- You may enjoy reading, The Old Man and the Sea and Islands in the Stream, written by Ernest Hemingway.
- You may be inspired by movie scenes such as James Bond in For Your Eyes Only, The Spy Who Loved Me, Thunderball, and Never Say Never Again, or the diamond thieves After the Sunset (2004).
- The famous "swimming pigs" reside on Big Major Cay. They were rumored to have been left by Sailors who never returned for them after their shipwreck.
Exuma, Bahamas. Photo Credit: Yolanda Rolle/Pixabay
Special Holidays/Occasions
- Annual Events: (January) Junkanoo, New Year's Day Sailing Regatta, (February) Mid-Winter Wahoo, Farmer's Cay Festival, (March) Bacardi Billfish Tournament, Sea Level Music & Arts Festival, (April) Bahamas Family Island Regatta, Bahamas Billfish Championship, Bahamas White Marlin Open, Tortuga Music Festival, (May) Long Island Regatta, (June) Bahamas Summer Boating Fling, Eleuthera Pineapple Festival, (July) Annual Racing Time, Independence Week, (August) Cat Island Regatta, (September) All Abaco Sailing Regatta, (October) Great Bahamas Seafood & Heritage Festival, North Eleuthera Sailing Regatta, (November) Annual One Bahamas Music & Heritage Festival, and Bimini Big Game Fishing Club All Wahoo Tournament.
- Holidays: New Year's Day, Majority Rule Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Labour Day, Independence Day of Bahamas, Emancipation Day, National Heroes Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Photo Credit: Ralph Häusler/Pixabay
Good to Know
- On some islands, a car rental may actually be a golf cart.
- Freeport is the island's city and free trade zone.
- Southern Islands are less frequently visited, drier and more desert-like.
- Junkanoo, is an annual street festival with lots of music, dance, art held on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Other popular festivities include: Pineapple Festival (Eleuthera), Crab Festival (Andros), Fishing Tournaments & Regatta (Abacos), National Out Island & Cruising Regattas (Examus) and Fishing Tournaments (Biminis).
- Swimming with dolphins is popular in Nassau, Grand Bahama or Bimini.
- Beyond the major tourist islands bank services may be limited.
- It's illegal to sunbathe nude on beaches. Only a few select resorts permit topless.
Eleuthera, Bahamas. Photo Credit: Lisa Codella/Pixabay
Hurricane Season is June - November.
- Coolest Season: November - April
- Humid & Hottest: August
- Peak Season: Late November - Mid April
- Rainy Season: May - October
- Shoulder Season: September
Photo Credit: Robin Smith/Pixabay
Your Must-See & Do
- Attractions: Abaco National Park (Abaco), Ardastra Gardens Zoo (New Providence), Botanical Gardens (Nassau), Inagua National Park (Great Inagua), Lucayan National Park (Grand Bahama Island), Mount Alvernia (Cat Island), Port Lucaya Marketplace (Grand Bahama Island), Queen's Staircase (Nassau), Royal Victoria Garden (Nassau), Straw Market (Nassau)
- Beaches: Harbour Island (Eleuthera), Taino Beach (Grand Bahama Island), Treasure Cay (Great Abaco Island)
Photo Credit: cgordon8527/Pixabay
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Atlantis Bahamas, Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas. Photo Credit: schliff/Pixabay
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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Subject to change without notice.
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