Bahamas Travel Guide

Located in the Lucayan Archipelago in the Caribbean, the Bahamas is made up of over 700 different islands. While most of these are uninhabited, there are plenty of sights to see.

The Bahamas provides tourists with incredible natural beauty, the simple charm of island life, and a thriving urban scene. It really does have something for everyone, which is why we highly recommend a visit.

When it comes to getting around The Bahamas, there are no ride-sharing apps, so it is likely that you will end up taking meter taxis. During the day, there are local buses called jitneys which generally cost around 1.50 BSD.

We like these for the daytime because they are very affordable. At night, you’ll have to opt for the more expensive taxis. If you plan to stay on one island for a longer period, you could also look into car rental.

When it comes to traveling between islands, you can either take domestic flights or hop on inter-island ferries. Our personal pick is to take a ferry when possible. Not only is this generally cheaper, but it’s also more of an experience and gets you out on the water.

Important Things To Know

Currency

The currency used in the Bahamas is the Bahamian Dollar (BSD), although most places also accept the American dollar (USD). However, change will be given in BSD.

cruise ships, docks, terminal, New Providence, The Bahamas

National Languages

The national language of the Bahamas is English, but many people speak Bahamianese (also called Bahamian Dialect), an English-based creole language.

Time Zone

The Bahamas uses UTC-5 time, putting it in the Eastern Standard Time Zone (the same as New York).

Note that it does observe daylight savings time. This means that the clock is put forward an hour on 12 March, making the timezone UTC-4. This remains until 5 November before returning the Bahamas to UTC-5.

Climate And Weather

Because of its tropical climate, the Bahamas is generally considered to have two main seasons. There is the hot, rainy season from May to October, and then the cooler season from November to April.

However, even in the cooler season, temperatures range from 70 to 78°F so it is still quite warm. In the hot season, temperatures can reach 80 to 85°F.

The Bahamas is located in the Atlantic hurricane belt, meaning that there is a high likelihood of hurricanes between June and November.

When To Visit The Bahamas

Beach at Montage Cay, Bahamas. (photo courtesy of Montage Cay)

Peak tourist season is from mid-December to mid-April, the cooler season. If you are wanting to avoid some of the crowds, we suggest looking to visit in the off-season. Our favorite time to visit is between May and early June.

This way, you can avoid the crowds without being in the Bahamas during the middle of hurricane season. It is possible to visit during hurricane season, but we would advise doing so with caution.

Because this is off-peak, you will also get much cheaper flights and accommodation.

Another excellent time to visit is when the Junkanoo Carnival is happening. This is on Boxing Day (26 December), New Year’s Day, and every Saturday in July. The biggest carnival in the Bahamas is a sight to see!

Best Places To Stay In The Bahamas

Montage Cay: The Abacos, Bahamas — Montage Cay (Photo via Montage Cay)

Nassau. The country’s capital is a great base as it has flights and ferries to most other islands. It also has the Pirates of Nassau Museum, featuring a replica ship and dungeons. We love this as it is an adventure for the whole family.
Harbor Island. Not only does Harbor Island have quaint pastel houses, but it also has the iconic Pink Sands Beach, with its beautiful pink-hued sand. In fact, it’s our favorite beach in the Bahamas with the exquisite contrast of pink sand and crystal clear water.
Grand Bahama Island. If you’re an adventure junkie, Grand Bahama Island is our top pick for watersports in the area. Here you can jetski, parasail, dive and snorkel to your heart’s content. For the nature lovers, we highly recommend Lucayan National Park, with its gorgeous greenery and massive underwater limestone cave system.