The Best Bahamas Island for Every Traveler

There are about 700 islands and cays within the Bahamas, and each is beautiful and wonderful in its own way. But there isn't time to explore every one of them unless you plan to spend years here, so here are the best islands in the Bahamas for every type of traveler.

Atlantis is essentially the Disney of the Bahamas. It's a truly massive resort, with 141 acres of water parks. But everyone in the family will be happy here, with a Tom Weiskopf-designed oceanfront golf course, a casino, 11 pools, 5 miles of beaches and some of the best kids' clubs in the world. Atlantis also has the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, containing more than 50,000 animals within 250 marine species.

Stay at Pigeon Cay Beach Club, which consists of eight cottages nestled on its own 3-mile beach. It's an oasis away from crowds, noise and everything else that could possibly interrupt your time together. The beach is 10 feet from each chalet, and the focus here is slowing down in this intimate, quiet setting.

Close to Nassau, this island has a bunch of great snorkeling spots. Start with Devil's Backbone, where you can check out shipwrecks. Then, if you're an experienced swimmer, head to Current Cut, where you'll go through a narrow channel with an incredibly fast current. You'll be snorkeling through two islands: Eleuthera and Current, which are 300 feet apart. The tide will throw you through the channel while you spot stingrays, mako sharks and reef fish. Finally, swim to Pineapple Dock for more shipwrecks.

Okay, so this isn't specifically a single island, but you're an adventurer and you can't possibly think about staying on one island for your vacay. Hop onto this chartered yacht, where you can change islands throughout the Bahamas daily, or even pack in a few per day. The destinations are totally up to you and you can discuss your interests with your captain before setting sail.

Make a reservation at Dune restaurant in the Ocean Club, where French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichtcen will whip up an Asian-French fusion. Come for lunch to try their burgers, too. Other notables here are Cafe Matisse and Sapodilla. For local Bahamian cooking, don't miss Crabs and Ting, Curly's Restaurant and Lukka Kairi restaurant.

It's hard to go wrong when choosing a beach in the Bahamas, as they all tend to have lush, soft sand and clear water. But some are more crowded, some have views of shops rather than nature and some are just perfectly tucked away so you get the ideal amount of privacy. My favorite is this pink-sand beach, which sits along the island's eastern side. It's just past a few private villas and small hotels, and it's protected by a coral reef, so the water is incredibly calm.

This island literally looks like a fish hook, and you'll be spotting lots of those here. In fact, this island inspired Hemingway to write "Old Man and the Sea" and "Islands in the Stream." It's great for fisherman and is also the place to be for divers. You'll be able to see hammerhead, turtles, stingrays and even dolphins.