Bahamas

BAHAMAS OVERVIEW

Languages: English
Airport: International Airport (Lynden Pindling International)
Population:343,000
Time Zone: North American Eastern
Currency: Bahamian Dollar
Entry Requirements: A passport is required to enter or leave the Bahamas from the US

WHERE TO STAY

There are many different resorts in the Bahamas to fit every traveler’s style and budget. The Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino has newly renovated rooms and suites with private balconies. This property offers opportunities to scuba dive, snorkel, and swim with dolphins. Enjoy the Vegas-style casino or venture into historic downtown. You could also stay at the all-inclusive Paradise Island Harbour Resort which includes accommodations, three full meals per day, unlimited house-brand drinks, daily activities, and nightly entertainment. Just a short walk away from Atlantis, you can enjoy the resort’s water park for a fee or head over to Marina Village for a little shopping. At Breezes Bahamas, super-inclusive means that all your meals, drinks, entertainment, and activities (with professional instruction) are included and tipping in never permitted. You can also experience many unique activities like mixology classes, merengue and reggae lessons, afternoon tea, and body painting competitions.

POPULAR CUISINES

While you can find nearly any type of international cuisine your heart desires in the Bahamas, there are so many local dishes you just have to try when you visit. If you love seafood, you’ve come to the right place. Fresh crawfish, crab, grouper, and red snapper are always plentiful and are among some of the local favorites. Conch, a mollusk, is often turned into chowder, stew, salad, fritters, or deep fried and called “cracked conch.” For breakfast, Bahamians often eat boiled fish with grits. Some other specialties include peas n’ rice, made with pigeon peas, pork or bacon, tomatoes, celery, rice, and spices. Johnny cake is a simple pan-cooked bread served with many dishes and after dinner, Bahamians love their desserts. Some popular sweets include coconut and pineapple tarts, bread pudding, and guava duff which consists of the fruit being folded into the dough, boiled, and served with a sauce.

CLIMATE

The Bahamas have a tropical maritime climate, which means that weather is generally good year-round. There are two seasons, summer and winter, which last from May through September and October through April, respectively. The average temperature is usually between 75*F and 84*F during both the winter and the summer and the official hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. The relative humidity averages around 65% year round and the rainy season lasts from May through October.

INSIDER TIPS FROM OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS

Bahamians are often very polite in their daily dealings with others. Travelers can make a good impression by simply saying “good morning” and asking how someone is doing before inquiring about directions or any other information. It is also polite to refer to a waiter as “sir” or “miss” and you should leave behind the public displays of affection at the hotel. Bahamians also embody a casual attitude surrounding time, so don’t get upset and just go with the flow.

Eleuthera, Harbour Island, and Cat Island are famous for their pink sand beaches, which get their color from a sea creature that live in the coral reefs offshore. Fancy a fish fry? Live it up like the locals do with a weekly fish fry and absorb the flavors, sounds, and smells that are sure to be swirling around you. If you happen to be traveling around the holidays, definitely check out Junkanoo, the Bahamian version of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval and New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. On Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), you’ll be sure to see parades and parties around every corner. Participants wear colorful costumes and come up with choreographed dance routines which they perform for the passerby. Additionally, spring break season usually occurs throughout March and into mid-April, and you should expect lots of beach parties and music entertainment. Then, the off-season lasts from late spring to late fall so if you’re looking to save some money, this is when you should go. Many hotels offer discounts anywhere from 20% to 60% off!