The 14 Best Things to do in The Bahamas – Lonely Planet

With its turquoise waters, pillowy sand beaches and laid-back island attitude, everything really does seem better in The Bahamas.

With 16 major islands and 100,000 sq mi of some of the worlds clearest water, theres no shortage of island adventuring to be had whether its hitting the waves for a snorkeling expedition or unwinding with a frosty rum-laden beverage in hand.

If youre a water sports enthusiast, The Bahamas is a great destination for indulging in your passion. Snorkeling and scuba diving adventures await, with deserted islands and intimate coves providing an undisturbed peek at the marine life enjoying the warm, clear waters that surround the islands.

But if youd prefer to keep your itinerary close to shore, theres plenty to explore there as well. Need proof? Heres a list of the top things to do while in The Bahamas.

The 40-acre Lucayan National Park is one of the largest underwater cave systems in the world, two of which are open to the public for swimming and exploration. Located east of Freeport over on Grand Bahama Island, Lucayan is an ecological treasure, playing host to all six of Bahamas vegetation zones.

Before cooling off in the caves waters, walk or ride a horse along one of the park's paved paths and experience its mangrove swamps, rocky coppice landscape and singular hardwood forest.

Sharpen your negotiating skills and snag a few locally-made souvenirs at Nassaus frenzied Straw Market, located next to the tony boutique shops on Bay Street. Youll find vendors with individual stalls hawking all manner of wares, from straw purses and wood carvings, to touristy tees and hats.

Haggling isnt just acceptable in this open-air market, its encouraged. The Straw Market is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.

Who says careening down waterslides at breakneck speeds and giddily screaming the whole way through is strictly for kids? The Aquaventure attraction at Atlantis Paradise Island offers 141 acres of high speed water slides, winding lazy rivers and 11 swimming pools set amongst the ruins of Atlantis. Access to Atlantis is free for overnight guests of the resort, but you can pick up a day pass if youre staying elsewhere.

Atlantis isnt the only attraction on Paradise Island walk around to the east side of the island and youll discover the public entrance to Cabbage Beach, a two-mile stretch of pristine sand framed by swaying palm trees.

If the waters are a bit choppy, seek out one of the beachside huts where youll find a masseuse waiting to administer a muscle-melting massage set to the crashing waves of the ocean beyond.

Top 14 beaches The Bahamas

No, your eyes havent been taken over by an Instagram filter the sand on Pink Sands Beach in Harbour Island is indeed pink. The rosy pink hue is courtesy of microscopic coral insects with bright pink and red shells.

In a slightly grim twist, the waves crush their shells and mix the remains with the sand and coral on shore, creating the soft pink hue. The sand here is almost always cool, making the three-mile stretch of beach perfect for daytime strolls or sunbathing.

If you havent guzzled a daiquiri or three, did you really visit The Bahamas? Avoid falling victim to that question and get yourself to the Daiquiri (Daq) Shack, an open-air wooden hut known for its boozy blended concoctions using fresh tropical fruits and healthy pours of rum.

The island has many pretenders to the throne, but the original is located on Cable Beach. Look for the one with all of the visitor photos and business cards stapled to the walls and then after tipping your bartender, add one of your own.

When is the best time to go to The Bahamas

A former pirate hangout and playground for the rich and (in)famous, the luxuriously ornate grounds of the Graycliff Hotel have courted all manner of interesting characters for nearly 300 years.

While best known for their cigars, the mansion also houses one of the worlds largest wine cellars, and yes, a five-star restaurant. Think: high-end takes on traditional Bahamian cuisine. But make sure to call ahead for reservations the restaurant tends to be fully booked weeks in advance.

After youve checked the daiquiri off your Bahamas bingo card, your next stop is conch. Fried or fresh, the most popular spot to grab the islands unofficial dish is at the Fish Fry in Nassau. The collection of wooden shacks house individual vendors hawking fried and fresh conch along with Bahamian staples like plantains and rice.

The Fish Fry is open seven days a week, but its Friday and Saturday nights that invite a party-like atmosphere fueled by rum-spiked drinks and music.

The Cricket Club is where British ex-pats get their fill of Premier League Football, pints of Guinness and plates of Yorkshire pudding (along with a legit bangers and mash). Post up at one of the tables on the upper-level balcony and watch a cricket match on the pitch below. The balmy Caribbean breezes and ice-cold beer are just the things to take the edge off a sizzling tropical day.

Whats a visit to a Caribbean island without a bit of rum? John Watlings Distillery has been producing the sugar cane molasses-based liquor since 2003. The distillery uses coconuts to filter their juice, which might seem tropically gimmicky on the outset, but actually does the job.

Situated on the lush two-acre Buena Vista Estate, the distillery is open seven days a week for tours and tastings dont forget to pick up a half gallon of one of their estate cocktails to go.

Do you need a visa to go to The Bahamas?

While The Bahamas has plenty of natural beauty to keep you entertained, the island archipelago also has a decidedly glitzy side, and its on full display at the Baha Mar complex in Nassau.

Comprising the SLS, Grand Hyatt, and Rosewood resorts, the Baha Mar Casino ties all the properties together and can add largest casino in the Caribbean to its resume. Join the well-heeled crowd with a good-luck cocktail before hitting up one of the 119 live table games, 1,000 slot machines or placing a bet on a televised live sports game.

Thunderball Grotto is an underwater cave system best known for its star-turn in a James Bond movie. Located just west of Staniel Cay, the craggy aquamarine pool is perfect for a day of diving, swimming and snorkeling while channeling your inner international spy even if for just a few minutes.

Only a short 30-minute boat ride from Nassau, Rose Island is home to Sandy Toes, the quintessential Bahamian beach bar. Located on the shores of a secluded tropical island, you can opt to spend the day snorkeling in the surrounding crystal clear waters or romping around with the islands nine resident pigs (if thats something that interests you).

Afterwards, grab a frozen daiquiri from the bar and kick back in one of the islands rope hammocks.

Time to put your mask and fins to good use the barrier reef on Andros Island is the third-largest on the planet and offers a one-of-kind peek at the colorful array of marine life that inhabits the Caribbean waters. Known as the Big Yard, Andros is largely unpopulated, allowing much of the natural Bahamian terrain to remain wild and undisturbed.

But its the 190-mile barrier reef that steals the show, with its submerged shipwrecks, underwater blue holes, and schools of parrotfish, speckled scorpionfish, and blue tangs.

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The 14 Best Things to do in The Bahamas - Lonely Planet