Beginner's Guide to the Bahamas

Dreaming of an island getaway? We share tips and tricks for traveling to the Bahamas, including what to do, accommodations, how to get around, and more!

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We are travel enthusiasts who do not claim to be professionals! Instead, we are two Halifax, NS natives with travel blogs who somehow found one another on the internet, and now, we have a podcast!!

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• 10:24 (Cont.) Beginner's Guide to the Bahamas

Transcript

0:00

Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Travel Mug Podcast. It is the time of year that many of us are starting to plan how we will escape the winter here in North America. There's been some chilly mornings here, Meggan? There have there have. Yes. So Halifax recently added a direct flight from Halifax to Nassau, and I thought this is a great time to cover a beginner's guide to The Bahamas. Now The Bahamas are actually made up of over 3000 islands, cays and islets but we're specifically gonna focus on Nassau and Paradise Island and then Freeport and Grand Bahama Island, mostly because that's where I've been and they are two of the most popular spots to visit. But we're also gonna talk about a few other places. To go, but Meggan, let's start off with a short history. Let's do that. So let's start off with the good news. On July 10th, 1973, The Bahamas gained full independence from the United Kingdom, like many places in the world that were colonized prior to the landing of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the islands were populated by the Lucayan people, a branch of the Arawak people. So the Lucayan came from other Caribbean islands between 300 and 800 ad they of course, were thriving until they were enslaved and shipped off. And by the early 15 hundreds, disease and hardship led the islands. Being deserted and the Lucayan in The Bahamas were no more. The islands became a British colony officially in 1718, and many British loyalists moved to The Bahamas, bringing with them enslaved Africans, establishing plantations and helping shape what the island was becoming. Slavery was then abolished in 1838. Now in the 1920s is when tourism started to become popular to The Bahamas and after World War II, things really started picking up, leading to present times where it is a beautiful place to visit with a lot of history that should be remembered as it did help shape what The Bahamas is today. Awesome. Thank you. So couple things to know before you go to The Bahamas. The currency in The Bahamas is the Bahamian dollar, which is always a one-to-one conversion with the US dollar. For this reasons, most businesses will take American money. But just be aware that you might get Bahamian coins for change, just so you know. It makes sense. It makes sense. Yeah, so cars drive on the left in The Bahamas, so you might not wanna run a car if you're not comfortable with this. I also read that a lot of the cars come from like North America, so the drive. Yeah, would be uber confusing. yeah, Wow. Yeah. That would be a real mind mess. Yes. Yeah. And then, yeah, also just be careful when you're crossing the streets. Uh, look. All of the ways, every way possible. June through November is hurricane season, and there have been a few major hurricanes in recent years that have damaged these islands. So just be aware, uh, you might not want to plan a trip during those months. that makes sense. I have to tell that to people now for even Nova Scotia, so definitely The Bahamas. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so how to get there. Let's talk about airports. So The Bahamas has 20 international airports, and you can find nonstop flights from many cities in the us, Canada, and other Caribbean islands. ships is another option. So I visited The Bahamas, uh, on a cruise ship, and there are many, many, many, many cruise lines that you can take. Nassau and Freeport are two of the most visited ports, but many of the cruise ships also have private islands in The Bahamas. Some of those 3000 things we were talking about earlier. So you might visit one of those as well. Both Nassau and Freeport have port Docks. So you walk right off the ship. You don't have to tender, which is the best way to get off a ship, in my Well, yes, definitely. Definitely. I, when I've only been on one cruise, but I was the same whenever it was like little boats to take you in. I'm like, oh, do I have to? yeah. Well, we were supposed to visit, um, I went with Norwegian cruise line and we were supposed to visit their private island in The Bahamas and we couldn't,'cause it was a tender port and the waves, they were too rough that day. That's a bummer. is a, uh, problem that happens. is indeed. There are also other boat options, Meggan. There are, there are two international ferry ports departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, going into the ports in Freeport and Bimini, uh, with around three sailings per week. So these are passenger ferries and no vehicles or pets are allowed. The fastest route is from Florida to Bimini with a sailing time of around two hours, and the least costly route is from Florida to Freeport. With around two sailings per week, it is always best to check up to date prices, but is as of this recording, the ferry from Florida to Bimini is approximately $893 plus booking fees. And the ferry from Florida to Freeport is approximately $825 plus booking fees, which seems like a lot for such a short distance. It It does. Especially, and not taking a car either. do. Well it's funny 'cause I do wanna mention that potentially the Freeport ferry does accept vehicles because it was mentioned,, that prices depend on how many passengers and vehicle type, yet the site says no cars are allowed on The Bahamas ferries. So if you are serious about driving via ferry, just do your research and confirm that a hundred percent.'Cause I found it a little bit conflicting. Yes, that is quite confusing. Indeed, indeed. So just check that out for yourselves. Yeah. Yeah. Alright, Meggan, so where to stay? An always important topic. Definitely. So let's talk all inclusive resorts. So The Bahamas definitely has all inclusive resorts if this suits the type of trip you're looking for. So prices will depend, of course, like anywhere on the time of the year with shoulder seasons usually costing less. And those seasons are April to June and September to December, of course. During hurricane. hurricane Yes, yes, yes. Yeah. So they have a lot of resort types, such as Sandals and Riu that you can find in other warm destinations, including both family friendly and adults only. Not all resorts are all inclusive, including Atlantis, which Jenn will talk about a little bit later. So either work with a travel professional to book and get exactly what you want, or just be really thorough when you're booking to ensure that the resort has the inclusions that you are looking for, 'cause no meals included when you think you're going to have them, would be very disappointing. Yeah. Dry season there is December to April with very comfortable temperatures between 21 to 29 degrees Celsius during the day, which is seventies to mid eighties, so that could be a really great time to go as well. December to April. Yeah, for sure. And like you said, like there's a lot of hotels and rentals all over the place. I of course stayed on the cruise ship, so I do not have a specific recommendation for you, but I do wanna talk briefly about Atlantis. Because it's pretty well known, pretty popular, and it was one of the options that our travel age agent gave us for winter 2026 when we were doing our research. So Atlantis is a resort on Paradise Island, which is technically part of Nassau. resort actually spans 154 acres and includes a waterpark, a marine habitat, golf course, casino, over 20 restaurants. And also Atlantis is made up of five different hotels. It's wild, all of which have different vibes. Naturally. Yeah. Of course. Yeah. So like you said, it's not a, a traditional, it's not an all-inclusive resort. Access to the waterpark, beaches and pools are included, but food and drink are not included. So it's nice that the waterpark is at least included. there's that. Yeah, so you do not necessarily have to stay here to take advantage of all that There is to do there. You can book a day pass that offers access to the waterpark, some of the beaches and some of the pools, and it access to the marine habitat. The prices vary by day and season, but seem to range between 190 and 250 US dollars per adult. day. Per day yeah, for a day pass. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So when I was on the cruise, there were options to do this as an excursion where they would like transport you to and from Atlantis for the day. Uh, we did not do it, but uh, yeah, it's, it's not cheap to go hang out for the day, but it is an option. I mean, float your boat, whatever you wanna do. Spend your money however you wish. exactly. So I would love to know. What to do, obviously besides getting there, besides where you're gonna stay, then people wanna sort of figure out what they can see and do. So do talk to us about that. Yes. All right. Let's talk about Nassau and New Providence Island. So Nassau is on New Providence Island. Nassau is the capital of The Bahamas and the largest city. So here are some things to do. Obviously not a comprehensive list as we always talk about in our beginner's guides, they are a jumping off point. let's start with Fort Charlotte. So it was built in 1789 by the British, although it's never been used in battle, there are costumed tour guides that are happy to give you a complete history of the fort. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12 plus tips for the tour guides if you choose to do that. That's very reasonable. It is. It Go see some history people. Right. I love that kind of Yeah. Yeah. one of my Well it sounds like, do. it sounds like, oh my goodness, I can't think of the name 'cause I'm that age. What's it in Cape Breton there? What's the place? Louisbourg? Yeah, it sounds kind of like that. Yeah, what's that What's that place called? Excellent. Alright, next up is Junkanoo beach, also known as the Western Esplanade Beach. It's the only beach that you can walk to from the cruise port. So the walk is about 15 minutes. It's not the prettiest beach in The Bahamas, I will say, but like it's a good place to spend an hour or two relaxing before you go on to the next thing, which is exactly what we did. Uh, there. So next up is the Bay Street shop. So Bay Street's the main shopping street in Nassau, and it's definitely the spot for like tourist souvenirs. It is definitely tourist trappy central, but like it's worth a wander and there are some gems to, uh, to see. More shopping at the straw market. It has an entrance on Bay Street. It's the only place where you can negotiate the price if that is your thing. It is literally stuffed to the rafters with handmade items, straw purses, hats, wood carvings, conch shell jewelry. There's so much in here to how do you feel about the whole negotiating the price? Is that your jam? Oh, it is absolutely not my jam No, it makes me feel so uncomfortable. I'd like to leave please, I'm like, here, I'll just pay you more than you're asking for. No, no, no. just so I don't have to bargain. What did it, what Did whatever you want. I will give you. Oh, gross. Yes. My father loves it. He thrives off it. It makes him so happy. And I'm just like, whew. No. No, I mean people love Yes, It is not my no. It makes me uncomfortable. Same. so next up is the Pirates of Nassau Museum. So it gives you a look inside the real pirates of the the Caribbean. It's weird though, 'cause you know, you pronounce it Caribbean when I'm talking about the islands, but when you're talking about the movie, it's the Caribbean. I never thought of that before. Yeah, wow. would never say Pirates of the Caribbean when you're talking about the movie. That's crazy. good. Very, Hollywood has trained us. I know. Um, so you can learn about the infamous black beard and the Golden Age of Piracy. It's an interactive museum. It's pretty small, but it is close to the cruise port. It was on Bay Street, if I remember correctly. So next up is the Queen's staircase. It's located inside Fort Fincastle. It was hand carved out of limestone by slaves, uh, in 1793 and 1794. They were later named in honor of Queen Victoria, and it's commonly referred to as the 66 steps., However, only 65 steps remain now, I dunno what happened to the last step. The, the lore of the last step. No idea. So, Fort Fincastle is free, but donations are appreciated. And last up, uh, that I'm gonna talk about here is Parliament Square. So if you're interested in some colonial architecture, you don't wanna miss it. It was built in 1815 by the loyalists and these Flamingo Pink buildings, they're beautiful, are the House of Assembly, the Senate, and the Supreme Court and some offices. So it's on Bay Street. So you'll find them when you're walking by. Excellent. I love all that. It's, it's like of course touristy stuff, mixed with a little beach mixed with a little history. All of the sort of things that you could maybe also on Bay Street, it sounds like sort of fit in during a quick cruise stop visit or you know, take a day or two if you are staying there. But let's talk about Grand Bahama. Alright. Yes. Let's island hop over. So the first one I'm gonna talk about is Garden of the Groves. This was one of my favorite stops that we visited. It's a 12 acre botanical garden with walking trails. The gardens have native plants and birds and. I wasn't scared of the birds. I would love the birds. know you would. It also has a church and a small souvenir market and cafe. We took the guided tour that walked us through the gardens. They discussed local plants and their uses in medicine and the local history of the area. We did have lunch in the cafe, and I do have to recommend the local Goombay punch to drink. It's a locally made soda. I went to school with some Bahamians, and as soon as you said Gumay punch look, a memory popped into my brain. I've. Yep, I've heard of that before because of them, so that's cool. It's delicious. All right, so Port Lucaya Marketplace. It's another shopping s spot. It's got some chain stores, but there were also some local artisans there as well. Uh, we bought a Christmas from a local artist named Gina. Her store was called Coconut Treasures, so if she's still there, be sure to stop by. Um, her. Son or nephew I think was going to university in Halifax. So we had a little, uh, good chat and conversation, Nice. that was really interesting. Uh, so next up is Lucaya Beach. So this speech is a short walk from the Port Lucaya marketplace. That I just mentioned, and it's really, really beautiful. The beach used to be part of the memories Grand Bahama Resort, which was unfortunately damaged by a hurricane and they never repaired it. Um, but it can be super crowded apparently when I Googled, but it wasn't when we were there, but it was early January, so that might not be the, uh, The opportune time. time to visit, although we had a beautiful day. Okay, so last up is the Bahamian Brewery. So if you love some local beer, you can take a tour of the brewery for $15 per adult. 45 minute tours, they're offered Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to

2: 16:57

00 PM So you're drinking early? It is an early day, Yeah, of course. The tour ends at the in-house bar where you can sample the beers. as you should. As you should. So let's talk about beaches, because I know I've mentioned just two beaches that I visited, but likely if you're planning a trip to The Bahamas, it's for some beach time. to give you a few more options, I consulted a Travel + Leisure article titled The Eight Best Beaches in The Bahamas, according to a local. I'll link that in the show notes if you wanna go check it out for yourself. I didn't include all of them in this episode because some of them were only accessible by like private boat or like completely off grid, which I didn't really think was the vibe that most of our listeners are going for. Uh, but if you are, go check out the article. Get your boat and get going. Yeah. Okay. So first up for a stunningly Instagramable Beach, head to Pink Sand Beach, which has, Meggan, Pink Sand, as you probably guessed I did. I did. I got that one right. Yes, so the beach is on Harbor Island and the sand beach sand doesn't get as hot as other beaches. And if you want the best pinkest photo, get your camera out right after the tide goes out and the sand is still wet. That makes sense. Hmm. Alright, so Cape Santa Maria on Long Island, boasts extremely soft sand, beautiful sunsets and turquoise water. What more could you want? Honestly, Meggan, I just wanna go and pack my bag like I know it is Even, it isn't even that cold here and I'm ready. I know. I'm like, I'm ready. Alright, next up. Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island. This beach is a popular spot. It's close to the Atlantis Paradise Resort. They offer water, sports, beachside restaurants, and tranquil water. So a good option if you're already in that area. Uh, Gold Rock Beach on Grand Bahama Island is part of the Lucayan National Park. So with a day pass, you can take advantage of this stunning beach. And the last one I'm gonna mention is Love Beach on New Providence Island, it's about 20 minutes away from Nassau, so you can take the local bus or taxi. It's close to the airport and a great place apparently to try some snorkeling because it's close to 40 acres of protected Coral, Excellent. Do you, do you snorkel? We've never discussed. I, I have in my youth Mm-hmm. but not in adulthood, and I don't know how good I'd be at it now. think the same, like I'm sure I put a snorkel mask on as a child, but I think in my brain, the breathing through the mouth with my nose covered, I think it causes me a little bit of anxiety. Yeah, I think you'd have to Yeah. And my tub or something the bathtub. Yeah. I don't wanna go out into the open ocean first time. All right, so let's talk about before we move on, Big Major Cay, AKA pig beach or pig island. Big Major Cay is an uninhabited island, but it is known as the original spot where you can swim with pigs. However, there are other spots on other islands as well. So swimming with the pigs is one of the experiences that comes up the most when you Google what to do in The Bahamas. I'm sure most people have seen the pictures of people in the water. crystal clear water with these pigs. So I personally haven't experienced it, but I think it's worth thinking about the realities of swimming with pigs. They can be aggressive. They do obviously poop in the water, which gross and like simply put, the pigs aren't meant to swim in the water all day. It's not great for them. this is a must skip for me. A lot of people do it. have to make the choice that's right for you, but I would gently persuade you not to do it. Yeah, this one is like, I would love to, 'cause I love animals, but apparently you're not supposed to feed them from the boat. Therefore, they're not supposed to be as much in the water, but I, I don't know if I actually could go through with it. I love the idea of being close to animals, but this one is an iffy one for me as well. It's not like they're in a zoo, but also, is this what people should be doing? I don't know. Yeah. I mean, I've read a couple of blog posts, so people sharing their experiences who've actually done it, and the couple of blog posts that I've read most of them went away from the experience, feeling a little bit icky about the whole thing, which is I think, how I would feel if I Yeah, did it. So, yeah, it, it, it's there. well it's an interesting one'cause even at the park in Barcelona where I fed the birds. I was like, should I be feeding the birds? They're wild birds. But the man was there and he had it in his hand and he put it in my hand and there I am with birds on me. And I'm like, I guess I'm feeding the birds. So it felt whatever. And like I feed birds from my balcony. They land in my hand all the time. Like, so it's one of those things. But this is, this is different than that. But yeah, I probably wouldn't pay to do that either. yeah, yeah, for sure. But we're, we're not the boss of you, so are not the No. the Nope. Alright, Meggan, let's wrap up this beginner's guide with some fun facts. It feels like it's been a hot minute since we've done some fun It has been. And I, I love a fun fact. I don't know how fun they all are, but they're definitely facts. Um, you know, so the land era area of The Bahamas is in total smaller than the state of Connecticut. that's pretty I know, I know Dean's Blue Hole, which again, just makes me giggle, just the name of it. Dean's Blue Hole is the deepest blue hole in the world, so located near Clarence Town on Long Island, Bahamas. It is a vertical cave sinkhole slash sinkhole that has an entrance below the surface of the water. I don't even understand. I have, I have like a pea-sized brain apparently, Yeah. but this is not to be confused with the pool of the same name at the Grand Hyatt Baja Mar Hotel. So be confused. please don't be confused. Please don't be confused. Now on January 17th, 1977, snowflakes fell for the first time ever in The Bahamas. And the lowest temperature ever recorded there was three degrees Celsius or 37 degrees Fahrenheit. How sour would you be if you'd booked your beach vacation Oh, in January, 1977 and the snowflakes were falling? the worst thing that happened like that for me once is I went to Texas once in February and its snowed. And I thought, that is not why I've come here. And I guess I didn't, I didn't realize that it should. It potentially could be, but I'm like, this isn't what I've heard of this place. no, this is not what I signed up Same as snowflakes in The Bahamas. Um, the nickname of The Bahamas is the Islands of Song due to music being so important over the history of the islands. The Bahamas are in the eastern time zone and the legal age for drinking and smoking is 18. However, there are apparently certain places. Not like resorts, but cruise ports and other places where a lot of tourists go that they can kind of set it to 21 if they need to kind of thing. So you really should check on that, depending on where you're going. Good to know. 85% of the Bahamian population is of African heritage, and there are approximately 310 to 340 sunny days a year in The Bahamas. Sounds I know it sounds, me up. uh, let's, what are we waiting for? Let's go. Well, that is it for this week's episode. We hope we have given you a headstart in your trip planning for The Bahamas, like Jenn mentioned. As always, we can't include all there is to see and do. And what might interest you in your travel, so please do your research. Consult a travel professional if needed as well. They're always there to lend a hand as they are the experts. If you enjoy what we're doing here, please feel free to leave us a review on Apple or Spotify or help support the show through Buy Me a Coffee. The link is in the show notes. It's just a little click. It's just a wee baby Click every little bit helps. Um, and you can find us online at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube at Travel Mug Podcast and our website travel mug podcast.com. And until next time, bye. bye