When you imagine a coral island with pink or white sand beaches and a crystal blue sea it’s probably something very like The Bahamas you are picturing in your head. This place really is that beautiful. The pink sand (such as that at Pink Sands Beach, on Harbour Island), comes from a marine animal with a bright pink shell.
The Islands and Cays have the finest powdery pink sand and fantastic snorkelling and diving sites including the Rose Island Reef just 3 miles from Paradise Island or Goulding Cay Reef 30 minutes from Nassau.
In the 18th Century Nassau was a centre for Pirates so let your inner Jonny Depp go wild – in fact the infamous “Blackbeard” (real name Edward Teach) was based here – he used to tie hemp into his beard and light it before battles – the sight of his burning beard scared many into surrendering before a single shot had been fired.
Insider tip
Aquaventure Water Park at Atlantis, Paradise Island. If you’re not staying at Atlantis the hotel you can get a day pass that gets you entry to the Water park and the Aquarium. This is one of the Top Ten Waterparks in the World – spread over 140 acres and featuring over twenty million gallons of water! There’s even a mile-long river ride with rolling rapids and wave surges – it’s just beyond amazing. Passes run from $150 to $165 depending on time of year.
Events and festivals
Junkanoo Boxing Day Parade - This Festival actually runs from Boxing Day (Dec 26th) to New Year’s Day (Jan 1st) and takes place in Nassau. The locals dance through the streets to the sounds of Maranga drum beats in “Parades” – it’s considered one of the best Street Festivals in the World
Popular things to do and see and unmissable experiences
The Tiki Bikini Hut near Nassau. This Beach Bar on Junkanoo Beach 15 minutes’ walk from Central Nassau is the Bar of your dreams. They do 3 beers and 3 shots for $10 which is a great start – the music is local and the views are to die for. Its ramshackle in just the way you want it to be and just off the radar enough that it’s not full of Cruise passengers but a mixture of locals and savvy visitors.
Climate
Temperatures average 25 degrees in Winter when its cooler and drier to 35 degrees in Summer
Other information
- Best time of year to travel: There simply isn’t a bad time to visit The Bahamas. The weather is great all year round and they get over 300 days of sunshine annually. June is the perfect time to visit as prices are low and the Islands uncrowded
- Currency: Bahamian Dollar but US Dollars are also widely accepted
- Flight time from UK: Approximately 9 hrs
- Visa and passport information: A visa is not required for Nassau
