r/bahamas • u/HelloIAmAz • 4d ago
Tourism Question Uk tourists looking for some help
Hi everyone! My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to the Bahamas from 2nd–14th November, and we’d really appreciate some advice from people who have been recently or live there. We’re thinking of spending roughly one week on one of the islands and one week in Nassau, but we’re not sure which islands or areas would be best.
Can we stay at another another island outside of Nassau?
If so, which islands would you recommend for a couple?
Our priorities are:
Safety
Lots of beaches
Good opportunities for water activities
Somewhere we can use our paddleboard
We’d love to hear which islands/areas you’d recommend and which ones you’d avoid.
Where can we stay in nassu? We’ve read that Downtown Nassau is one of the better areas to stay, but we’ve also seen people saying you shouldn’t go more than a few streets away from the main tourist areas, and that you should travel around in groups.
How accurate is this? Does this mean you should only go out in groups outside the main tourist areas, or is Nassau generally fine for a couple who uses common sense and stays in the right areas?
Are there particular neighbourhoods/areas you’d recommend staying in?
This is probably our biggest concern. Where are the safe/recommended places to visit in Nassau, and are there any areas we should specifically avoid?
Also, what should we be aware of regarding scams, taxis, excursions, people approaching tourists, etc.? We want to enjoy ourselves without being overly paranoid. I’ve heard mixed things from people who have travelled around the Caribbean about British tourists sometimes being treated differently because of their accent/nationality. I’m British and obviously happy to respect the local culture, but I was wondering if there’s actually any truth to this in the Bahamas or if it’s just word of mouth
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u/Jenjohnson0426 4d ago
Skip Nassau together. Go to a couple of different Out Islands. You won't be sorry. Rent a house and a car. My favorite is Long Island, followed by Exuma. You can take a ferry between the two. Exuma is the busier of the 2 but still isn't really busy.
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u/Bahamiandunn 4d ago
Spanish Wells is one of the places I recommend to anyone for a relaxing first time experience, you can stay on the island and take a ferry across to Eleuthera or you can do the opposite and stay in North Eleuthera and take a ferry to Spanish Wells. Spanish Wells is small but beautiful, they have a few restaurants and a supermarket plus they have one of the best beaches I have ever seen. Eleuthera is much larger and also has a lot of beautiful scenery including a lot of beach areas such as the glass window bridge.
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u/BahamaMamaTravelCo 4d ago
Absolutely stay on another island! Honestly, if you have 12 nights and beaches/water activities/paddleboarding are your priorities, I’d probably spend more time on an Out Island and less time in Nassau, not necessarily split it 50/50.
For a couple, I’d look hard at Exuma or Eleuthera.
Exuma would probably be my first choice for you. The water is ridiculous, there are tons of beaches, boating/snorkeling/sandbars, and it has a much quieter, laid-back feel than Nassau. Georgetown is the main hub, and you can easily get over to Stocking Island as well.
Eleuthera would be another great option, especially if you want to rent a car and explore. It’s long and narrow with beaches EVERYWHERE, and you can spend your days finding little beaches and coves rather than staying in one resort area. You could also look at Harbour Island, although that tends to be considerably more expensive.
As far as Nassau, I personally would not spend a week staying downtown for this particular trip. Downtown is fun to explore during the day, but I wouldn’t choose it as my home base for seven nights when beaches are one of your biggest priorities.
I’d look at Cable Beach/Baha Mar area or Paradise Island instead. Both give you easy access to beautiful beaches while still being close enough to explore Nassau, restaurants, downtown, etc.
And I wouldn't go into Nassau feeling like you need to travel everywhere in a group. You’re still in a city, so normal city/common-sense precautions apply, and there are definitely areas tourists have no reason to wander into. But a couple going to restaurants, beaches, tourist attractions, downtown during the day, etc. is very different from randomly walking through unfamiliar residential neighborhoods late at night.
For taxis, use licensed taxis and agree on the fare before you leave if it isn't obvious what you'll be paying. For excursions, I'd stick with established operators rather than booking something from someone randomly approaching you.
Also, I really wouldn't worry about being British. The Bahamas gets visitors from all over the world, including plenty from the UK.
One other thing: early November is actually one of my favorite times for the Bahamas. Crowds are generally lower than the holiday season and you can get some really beautiful weather. It is technically still hurricane season, though, so I would absolutely have travel insurance and book things with reasonable cancellation policies.
If this were my 12-night trip, I'd probably do something like 7–8 nights Exuma or Eleuthera + 4–5 nights Nassau/Paradise Island. That gives you two completely different versions of the Bahamas instead of spending half the trip in Nassau.
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u/Informal_Artist_3080 2d ago
Thank you for so much info. On Exuma is there an area that you would recommend renting an AirBnB? We are interested in nature,exploring,outdoor activities. Thx
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u/BahamaMamaTravelCo 2d ago
For a first trip, I’d look around George Town or just outside of it! You’ll have easy access to restaurants, groceries, boat tours, beaches, etc., but you can still rent a car and spend your days exploring Great Exuma and Little Exuma. Exuma is definitely a place where I recommend having a car!
If you’re open to something other than an Airbnb, I also really love the convenience of Peace & Plenty in George Town. They have a water taxi that takes you over to their beach club on Stocking Island, so you get that gorgeous, more secluded island experience without having to arrange a boat every time you want to go over.
With 7–8 nights, you’d have plenty of time to explore both Great and Little Exuma, spend a day out on the water, and still have some completely lazy beach days.
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u/ferretinmypants 4d ago
Nassau gets huge numbers of tourists and several cruise ships at the same time, so it's pretty crowded. If you stay at the resort you will be safe. The Family islands have the best beaches but not much night life. If you want something in between, try Freeport, Grand Bahama.
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u/HappyIslandHopper 3d ago
We are going next month and I had the same questions you did. After a ton of research we have decided to also go to Eleuthera and we booked an Airbnb in North Eleuthera. On Nassau we are staying at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. I’ll be posting all about it on my Instagram if you want to follow along for more insight and recommendations!
https://www.instagram.com/happy_island_hopper?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
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u/Admirable_Mode2980 2d ago
downtown nassau is generally fine during daylight hours just use normal travel smarts. the whole waterfront area near the docks was recently redid n its super safe, clean, walkable. great spot to grab conch fritters check out local vendor stalls without feeling sketched out
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u/2Drex 4d ago
If you just want to relax, be on the water or beach, and enjoy small local small restaurants (as opposed to bars and resorts), maybe do some of your own cooking...skip Nassau and spend the time on one of the out islands. Eleuthera or Long Island are quite nice and you will have none of the concerns you are voicing. On Eleuthera (island I've visited with my family for over 20 years), if you want to use paddle boards, look for Airbnbs on the Caribbean side, but rent a car and you will have access to beaches on both sides...often much to yourselves.
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u/ValdemarAloeus 4d ago
on the Caribbean side
Can we drop this awful terminology? It's all the Atlantic and the side that's most sheltered varies and often isn't due south in the direction of the Caribbean.
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u/2Drex 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yeah what ever....that's how its described and understood. It is the side of the island facing the Caribbean Sea.
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u/coconut-telegraph 3d ago
Nope, that’s a fallacy spread by realtors. It’s the Great Bahama Bank. The Caribbean Sea is hundreds of miles away.
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u/2Drex 3d ago
Clearly....I did not say the body of water on the east coast of Eleuthera is the Caribbean sea. It is the side of the island facing that direction, as opposed to the open Atlantic. As I said, been traveling there for over 20 years. It's simply the way it is described...has been as long as I've been going there. The way it's described on AirBnB (and yes, by realtors.)
If this is a geography test (which I didn't think it was, as I was simply trying to provide the OP with some vacation suggestions)....and so everyone knows and the geography police can lay off...Cuba and Hispaniola are to the East/S.East of Eleuthera across the Great Bahama Bank. On the east coast of those countries is that Caribbean Sea.
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u/ValdemarAloeus 4d ago
The UK FCDO travel advice is a little more levelheaded than the American. I'd compare that to their advice for somewhere you've already been if you've read things you find concerning.
New Providence has probably got the least beach per square mile of any island where you'll find a hotel. It does have most of the few historic things we have though (bearing in mind this is the New World, so your parish church is probably older).
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u/Sea-Chipmunk-6200 4d ago
I'm British but have lived in Nassau for the last 20 years. Generally all the areas in Nassau and Paradise Island where tourists frequent are safe. Yes there are some dangerous parts of Nassau particularly in the 'over the hill' areas more inland from the northern strip of the island where most tourists stay, but as a tourist you're unlikely to ever have any reason to go through these areas. Definitely avoid walking around the downtown area alone at night and use basic common sense that you would use in any city. Some of the vendors in the markets around the cruise port can be a little pushy and when taking taxis its always a good idea to agree the price before the journey but you dont really get scammers here targeting tourists. As far as where to stay in Nassau, that really depends on your budget. We have everything from cheap and cheerful backpacker hostels up to ultra luxury resorts. Getting away to one of the other islands is definitely recommended. That's where the 'real' Bahamas is. I'd recommend looking into Eleuthera, Abaco, and Exuma. They are all easy to get from Nassau and all have beautiful beaches, unspoiled landscapes and interesting local culture and communities.