The Bahamas welcome over 5 million visitors every year, and most of them are American. It’s no surprise, either.
The Bahamas are tropical, they’re located near Florida, and the population speaks English. From an American perspective, that sounds like a great vacation.
However, there’s more to the Bahamas than pleasant weather and convenience. It’s a beautiful place with a host of activities to brighten up your day.
You can even visit several different places in the Bahamas, each of which has its own advantages. We’ll talk about some of the best places to visit in the Bahamas in the paragraphs below.
1. Andros Island
Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas and is home to many different attractions. It also boasts the lowest population of all the islands.
In addition to the ample space this provides, Andros offers some of the core activities that make up a Bahamas vacation. It’s a great place for bonefishing, snorkeling, and diving. This island even houses one of the largest reefs on this side of the planet.
On the subject of diving, Andros is home to the world’s oldest dive shop. This shop is the perfect place for your inner history buff.
Much of Andros is dominated by wetlands, which is a great place to see flamingoes.
2. Grand Bahama
This may sound like the name of a swanky hotel, but it’s actually another great island in the Bahamas. There are a lot of great things to do in Grand Bahama.
Visitors are often introduced to tour guides who show them around the island. It’s not just the guides who are friendly, either. Many of the local businesses are shops that sell crafts to tourists.
If you’ve finished the tour and aren’t one for shopping, we suggest heading to a restaurant. Grand Bahama is known for having exquisite food, and plenty of restaurants that serve it.
Naturalists and animal lovers will love Grand Bahama for the wildlife, including a few species of bird endemic and exclusive to the Bahamas.
3. The Abacos
We had to put the Abacos on our list of the best places to visit in the Bahamas. This chain of islands offers everything to see from traditional villages to a host of awesome wildlife.
The wildlife, and one creature, in particular, is the reason the Abacos is on the list. The Abacos are home to a group of swimming pigs. If you’re looking for really fun things to do, you can even swim with them.
Those concerned about animal welfare need not worry. These animals aren’t being exploited or mistreated so that they’ll swim. The truth is that nobody knows why the pigs started swimming.
One theory is that farmers put them there in an attempt to start a business. The farmers lived on another island, so they were forced to travel by boat to feed the pigs. The legend goes that the pigs learned to associate boats with food, and would excitedly swim out to meet those boats.
4. Atlantis
Unlike the other entries so far, Atlantis is not an island. It’s a resort located on an island appropriately known as Paradise Island.
Atlantis is the island’s main attraction, and for good reason. It’s home to one of the largest waterparks in the world.
On the subject of water, Atlantis also contains aquariums and offers visitors a chance to swim with dolphins.
There are also plenty of restaurants that offer several different types of food.
If you’re the type who enjoys gambling, there are places for that here as well. You can even find some pretty high stakes games.
Keep in mind that the hotel is quite pricey, and many claim the prices are unfairly calculated, and that other aspects of the hotel are also unscrupulous. These reports are somewhat uncommon, but it’s always best to be careful.
5. Eleuthera
Eleuthera is the most historic island in the Bahamas. English settlers came there in the 17th century, and people still live there today.
There’s more to this island than just history. The island offers miles of seemingly-endless beaches, and many of them are often empty or almost empty. Having a stretch of beach to yourself is quite the advantage.
This island is also famous for its pineapples. They’re the biggest crop there, and the locals put some of them into their baked goods.
The Bahamas is also home to its fair share of caves, and Eleuthera is no exception. Some of Eleuthera’s noteworthy caves are Preacher’s Cave, Hatchet Bay Cave, and Cathedral Cave. You may even get to see some interesting wildlife there.
Please note that the caves are not for those who are afraid of bugs, snakes, bats, or similar creatures.
6. Long Island
No, we’re not talking about the one in New York. This Long Island is an 80-mile landmass in the Bahamas that’s home to some of the most beautiful beaches the country has to offer.
Visitors are welcome to take advantage of this. The island offers tons of opportunities for diving, swimming, and even boating. If you have a bathing suit or boat or similar equipment you’re looking to try out, Long Island might be your best bet.
Best Places to Visit in the Bahamas
The Bahamas offer a whole host of amazing things to do, which is why it’s such a popular vacation spot. We’ve shown you what we think are some of the best places to visit in the Bahamas, but there’s much more than that. We encourage you to do more research on your own if you’re interested.
If you want more travel information and advice please feel free to take a good look around the site.
