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The Bahamas is an archipelago of around 700 islands and 2,400 cays scattered across shallow turquoise banks so bright they are visible from orbit. Nassau and Paradise Island hold the resorts, casinos and cruise traffic, but the country really opens up in the Out Islands: the swimming pigs and sandbars of the Exumas, the pink sand of Harbour Island, the diving walls off Andros, and the Abacos for sailing. It is also one of the world's premier destinations for bonefishing and shark diving.
Capital
Nassau (on New Providence)
Population
~410,000
Area
13,878 km² across roughly 700 islands
Time Zone
EST (UTC-5), EDT (UTC-4) in summer
Currency
Bahamian Dollar (BSD), pegged 1:1 to the US dollar, which is accepted everywhere
Languages
English
Main Airports
NAS (Lynden Pindling, Nassau), FPO (Freeport), GGT (Exuma)
Visa
Visa-free for EU, UK, US and Canadian passport holders, typically up to 90 days
Best For
Exuma cays, diving and snorkelling, boating, pink sand beaches
Typical Cost Level
Expensive
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EU, UK, US, Canadian and most Commonwealth passport holders can enter visa-free, typically for up to 90 days, though US citizens are usually granted 240 days. You will need a passport valid for the duration of your stay, a return ticket and proof of accommodation. An online immigration and customs card is normally completed before arrival. Note that a passport is required even for US citizens arriving by air.
December to April is the dry season and the peak period, with warm days around 25°C, low humidity and minimal rain, though the sea is at its coolest and northern islands can be breezy. May and June offer good weather before hurricane season builds. June to November is hurricane season, with the greatest risk from August to October, when many visitors stay away and prices fall considerably. Junkanoo, the national street parade, runs on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
The swimming pigs live on uninhabited Big Major Cay in the Exumas, and most visitors reach them on a full-day boat excursion from Nassau, which takes around two hours each way by fast boat and usually includes sandbars, nurse sharks and iguanas. Alternatively fly directly to Staniel Cay or Great Exuma and take a much shorter local boat trip. Day tours from Nassau are long and can be rough in wind, so consider staying in the Exumas if the cays are your main reason for coming.
Nassau and Paradise Island suit shorter trips, first visits and anyone wanting resorts, restaurants, casinos and easy flight connections, but they are busy with cruise passengers. The Out Islands deliver the postcard version: Harbour Island for pink sand and boutique hotels, the Exumas for boating and sandbars, Andros for diving and bonefishing, the Abacos for sailing. They are quieter and more expensive to reach, usually needing a connecting flight from Nassau.
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Entry rules, stay length and passport validity by nationality.
