Bahamas Travel Information
Traveling to the Bahamas includes many important elements that can best be handled by a professional travel agent or tour operator with extensive local knowledge and travel experience. They will organize your trip in the Bahamas in the best possible way.
Scattered over a vast area and lapped by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the Bahamas are a symbol of relaxation and luxury. Christopher Columbus first set foot on the San Salvador Islands in 1492. Later, British settlers began to explore the island and it became a colony. After gaining independence in 1973, the Bahamas began an intense development of tourism and banking. One of the richest countries in the region, it is often called ‘The Caribbean Switzerland’. Today, the Bahamas is one of the most popular tourist areas in the world.
Nassau is the capital of the island, located in New Providence. It is a modern city, famous for its mix of avant-garde building design and old colonial architecture. Virtually nothing remains of a noisy little town once occupied by pirates, but there are extensive business areas, markets and duty-free shops offering goods from all over the world. By the mid-20th century, the number of international tourists arriving in Nassau had reached one million visitors. Tourism in the city was also boosted by the construction of the bridge to Paradise Island and the renovation of Cable Beach.
The city’s historic center, a sprawling area around Rawson, has many well-preserved 18th-century buildings. In that period the Houses of Parliament, the House of Assembly and the Supreme Court with a beautiful Garden of Remembrance were built. Nearby is a marble statue of Queen Victoria and the famous Straw Market. A mile from the city center, on top of a hill, is Fort Charlotte, named for the wife of King George III.
The famous Playa Cable, not far from downtown, is an area of luxury hotels, beautiful sandy beaches, restaurants and sports facilities. In front of the beautiful beach, are the islands of North Cay and Long Cay. These are excellent sites for snorkeling and picnicking. A luxurious complex of Venetian-style villas sits at the end of Cable Beach. The fashionable tourist area on Paradise Island is connected by a long bridge with the capital.
The marine areas around Nassau are widely known for their fishing and water sports facilities. The long, deep reefs and shallow west coast are teeming with marine life. Grand Bahama is located in the north of the Bahamas and is the second most visited region in the country. Its main places of attraction include snow-white beaches, extensive pine forests and rich Cuban wildlife.
Freeport is the most popular area on the island. It is a modern city and a paradise for outdoor activities. Here there is a variety of golf courses, tennis courts, diving and fishing centers. The city’s Garden of Eden cultivates more than 5,000 varieties of exotic plants. To the south of the city, there is a luxury tourist area, the Lukayyan National Park, the world’s largest system of underwater caves and mangroves.
Andros Island is a deserted place, covered with thick palm forests, thickets of mahogany and pine, and mangrove wetlands. Andros is rarely visited by tourists. The town’s sights include a lighthouse and beautiful Somerset Beach. Red Bay Town is located on the northwestern tip of Andros and is considered the ultimate refuge for nature lovers.
Eleuthera is a small island that is traditionally considered an elite destination. Luxury resorts and clubs are intertwined with ancient towns, magnificent sandy beaches and ultra-modern sports facilities. Highlights include the quaint town of Dunmore, Pink Sands Beach, the reefs of Harbor Island, and several great dive and snorkel sites.