Bahamas
Nassau is the capital of The Bahamas and the gateway to some of the clearest water on the planet, a pastel-painted harbour town of colonial forts, rum distilleries and conch shacks, joined by bridge to Paradise Island and the vast Atlantis resort.
Most visitors come for the sea, and they are right to: within an hour of Prince George Wharf you can snorkel coral reefs and shipwrecks, wade with sea turtles, swim beside pigs on Rose Island, meet dolphins on Blue Lagoon Island, or ride a powerboat south to the Exuma Cays for the famous swimming pigs, iguanas and sandbars. Back on land there is more history than people expect, from the Queen’s Staircase, cut from limestone by enslaved labourers in the 1790s, to the flamingos of Ardastra Gardens and the fried fish and conch salad of the Arawak Cay Fish Fry. This guide shows which trips are worth booking, which ones sell out, how Atlantis day passes really work, how to get around between downtown, Paradise Island and Cable Beach, and where to stay, from a Four Seasons hideaway to a good-value suite steps from the water park.
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre
A shady tropical garden and small zoo just west of downtown Nassau, famous for its marching flamingos, the national bird, plus lory parrots you can hand-feed and native reptiles and mammals.
Aquaventure at Atlantis Paradise Island
The giant water park at Atlantis on Paradise Island, with rolling river rapids, high slides, eleven pools, a kids’ water park and white-sand beaches, sold here as a full-day pass with lunch, a lounger and a towel.
Exuma Swimming Pigs Powerboat Day Trip from Nassau
The bucket-list day out of Nassau: a fast powerboat to the Exuma Cays to swim with the famous pigs, meet rock iguanas at Allen Cay, see nurse sharks at Compass Cay, lunch at Staniel Cay and wade a white sandbar.
Bites of Nassau Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour
Nassau’s best-loved food tour: three hours on foot through downtown with five tastings and a cocktail at family-run restaurants, a chocolate stop at Graycliff and a visit to John Watling’s Distillery.
The giant water park at Atlantis on Paradise Island, with rolling river rapids, high slides, eleven pools, a kids’ water park and white-sand beaches, sold here as a full-day pass with lunch, a lounger and a towel.
The bucket-list day out of Nassau: a fast powerboat to the Exuma Cays to swim with the famous pigs, meet rock iguanas at Allen Cay, see nurse sharks at Compass Cay, lunch at Staniel Cay and wade a white sandbar.
A small-group half-day boat trip from Nassau to Rose Island and its neighbours, with snorkeling gear included, a beach stop and the option to meet the swimming pigs of Green Cay without the long ride to Exuma.
A three-hour boat adventure from downtown Nassau that packs swimming pigs, sea turtles and a snorkel over the reef into one morning, with drinks, snacks and landing fees included.
A scenic boat ride across Nassau Harbour to Blue Lagoon Island, a private cay where you stand on a shallow platform to meet Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, then linger on its calm beaches.
Nassau’s best-loved food tour: three hours on foot through downtown with five tastings and a cocktail at family-run restaurants, a chocolate stop at Graycliff and a visit to John Watling’s Distillery.
Nassau’s classic reef trip with the island’s best-known dive operator: about three hours of snorkeling over coral reefs and wreck sites off the southwest coast, ending with a Caribbean reef shark stop.
A shady tropical garden and small zoo just west of downtown Nassau, famous for its marching flamingos, the national bird, plus lory parrots you can hand-feed and native reptiles and mammals.
A shaded limestone gorge of 66 steps carved by enslaved labourers in the 1790s, climbing from downtown Nassau to Fort Fincastle and the Water Tower on Bennet’s Hill, free to visit.
Nassau’s favourite place to eat: a strip of brightly painted shacks and two-storey restaurants west of downtown, serving fresh conch salad, fried fish, cracked conch and cold drinks into the night.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$Paradise Island (Atlantis)
The iconic twin towers of Atlantis, joined by the famous Bridge Suite, with Aquaventure, The Dig aquarium and the casino on the doorstep and water park access included for every guest.
Rates on Expedia →Paradise Island (East)
Paradise Island’s most exclusive address since 1962: a 107-room Four Seasons resort on a long white beach, with Versailles-inspired gardens, a 12th-century cloister, DUNE by Jean-Georges and an adjacent golf course.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Cable Beach (Baha Mar)
The biggest hotel at the Baha Mar resort on Cable Beach, with unlimited access to the Baha Bay water park, six themed pools, a vast casino, a Jack Nicklaus golf course and dozens of restaurants.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Downtown Nassau
Downtown Nassau’s historic landmark at One Bay Street, reopened in late 2023 after a long refit, with its own harbour beach, harbour-view rooms and the cruise port and Bay Street a short walk away.
Rates on Expedia →Paradise Island (Atlantis)
The smart-money pick on Paradise Island: junior suites steps from Atlantis, with free hot breakfast, a pool with a swim-up bar and complimentary Aquaventure wristbands included in the rate.
Rates on Expedia →The practical primer for a first visit to Nassau and Paradise Island: which boat trips and tours to book ahead, how Atlantis day passes really work, how to get around, how many days you need and where the headline sights fit.
Where to stay in Nassau for every kind of trip: Paradise Island for Atlantis and beaches, Cable Beach for Baha Mar, and downtown Nassau for history, food and the cruise port, with the best hotel for each.
