Bahamas' Secrets

Insider Tips

The Bahamas has a total of 700 islands, which means you have a few options of islands to choose from when you visit
The Bahamas uses the Bahamian Dollar as its main currency and you can exchange your money at the airport or pull cash
from ATMs on the island (beware of foreign transaction fees)
The cheapest way to visit an island is too fly from Miami or take a cruise from a port in Florida
If you find cheap deals on a cruise remember there are various hidden fees that might occur while on the cruise itself
You can find absolutely breathtaking beach homes on Airbnb which I would recommend over staying at a resort
The sun seems to shine brighter over the Carribean because you’ll have a gnarly sun burn if you don’t keep covered and
fully sun screened throughout your trip
When you take taxis in Nassau, you will typically be charged per person so you can hop in a large taxi regardless of
your group size but be sure to ask the cost per person before taking one
Feel free to pack light because you’ll spend most of your time in a swimsuit! Here is one swimsuit I absolutely love!
Pack water shoes while playing in the ocean

Quick Tip

The Bahamas is a relaxation destination. There isn’t much to do, not a ton to see but if you love beaches, you’ll absolutely have an amazing time. I’ve visited both Nassau and Grand Bahamas. Nassau was the island I liked most, which I’d recommend renting a beach home if possible.

Top Things to Do

1. Lounge Days

So much of the time we use our vacations to explore, travel, learn, and party but we hardly give ourselves a moment to rest. The Bahamas is the perfect travel spot to take your time, relax, and lounge around the beach. The water is absolutely breathtaking and fresh on a hot day. Bring your beach blanket, sunscreen, snacks and drinks to spend your days on the beach. When I visited, we rented a house right next to the beach which allowed our group to go back and forth from our house pool to the ocean. All you’ll need for a perfect day of lounging is a beach towel (also used as a blanket), sunscreen, a koozie for your drinks and of course a nice full coverage sun hat.

2. Straw Market (Nassau)

If you’re a fan of buying authentic gifts you’ll love the Straw Market. This open air flea market-like area is filled with handmade items and gifts for anyone. Since we stayed on the side of the island that was more residential, we had to take a boat (pic below) over to the more touristy side. While at the market we purchased a few hand carved coasters, wall art and a beach bag. They also offer wooden fixtures that are hand carved and made on the spot. If you’ve never negotiated here’s your chance! Negotiation 101: Bring cash and separate it beforehand so the vendors don’t see how much you have in your hand. When a vendor offers you a price (remember they are hard working as well so don’t low ball them) but they will often offer you a high price. You can either suggest a lower price or ask for a discount for buying more than one item. You’d be surprised what you can get when you ask.

3. Gold Rock Beach (Grand Bahamas)

Gold Rock Beach is located near the Lucayan National Park and we were told that scenes from Pirates of the Carribean were filmed there! The waters are clear, warm and shallow, perfect for swimming but also perfect for sharks! Don’t be afraid though, if there’s a shark you see it coming since the water is so clear but make sure and be cautions when you take a swim. When I visited, I was staying at a resort and paid for a tour of the beach. I’m not sure how else to get to the park although if you ask a local touristy restaurant or resort they will offer a few options to visit.

4. Fish Fry (Nassau)

The fish fry is poppin day and night. You’ll find bars, food and a ton of great entertainment. Below I’ll give you some tips on what to order to eat and drink but it’s a great way to just spend an evening dancing and hanging with locals. The friendly neighbors of Nassau are welcoming and a great time but be sure to be safe if you plan to walk around in the evening. It’s still not a safe place to travel between home and anywhere else in the evening.

Top Places to Take Cute Pictures

The Beach

You’ll be fully stunned when you get a glance of the ocean and your pictures will be no less than perfection. The water is clear, the waves are minimal and the sea creatures are beautiful. Nassau had much more clear water than in the Grand Bahamas, but it may have been due to the time we visited. Hurricane season makes a huge difference in the clearness of the waters so I would recommend early August for a visit. Here are a few cute swimsuits perfect for a photo shoot: one piece, two piece, swim trunks

Doing an Activity

There are a ton of fun activities you can do while on any island in the Bahamas. If you stay at a resort, you can snorkel, rent kayaks, banana boat and more. If you aren’t you can always pay for tours or rentals of Jet Skis, surfing, swimming with dolphins or any fun water activity you can think of. The ocean is beautiful and you should take advantage of every opportunity to play in it!

Enjoying a Cruise

Many people elect to take a cruise from a port in Florida to one of the islands in the Bahamas. This is a great option if you’re open to a cruise but you do have to remember that you’ll typically only have a day or so on the island. Cruise ships do although offer a great photo opp! What better place to take cute pics than in the middle of the ocean on a floating bar!

Top Dining & Drinks

Fried Fish

I mentioned the fish fry above as a fun place to eat and drink but it’s also of course the best place to get fish. The fish is served whole, eye balls and all! You can eat every single part of it with the exception of the tail and bones, but I only eat the middle meaty portion. I would order one full fried fish per person with a side of rice, beans and fried plantains if available.

Conch Salad

It’s insanely hot in the Bahamas so anything fresh is the perfect treat. A good old conch salad is like a ceviche but with conch meat which is a sea snail found in the Carribean. Conch salad is made with conch meat, lime, tomatoes, onions and potentially a few other toppings. You can also buy fried conch but I’m much more of a raw seafood fan.

Kalik Beer

When in a new place, drink the local beer! Kalik is the local beer in the Bahamas, and perfect for every hot day on the beach. Be sure to bring a bottle opener when traveling so that you can open your beer and wine on the beach. We would typically buy a few packs of Kalik and keep them cool in a bag of ice while we swim all day.

Bahama Mama

Rum is a drink that flows freely through the Bahamas. Any island, any day, any time a Bahama Mama is a good choice. If you’ve never had one it’s a mixed drink with rum, pineapple, orange juice and more. It’s a refreshing but don’t forget the sugar can make you sleepy and sluggish so don’t drink too many!