The Out Islands offer the most specialised and least-packaged experiences in the Bahamas. Most are not general holiday destinations: they reward visitors who come specifically for what each island does exceptionally well, diving, bonefishing, birdwatching, or genuine remoteness.
Water Activities
Cat Island
Cat Island has shark diving via an operator called Shark Exp and resort-based diving through Greenwood Beach Resort. The Mermaid Hole, an inland blue hole accessible after a 20-minute hike, adds a land-based element to the diving experience. Kiteboarding and surfing are also available on the island.
San Salvador
San Salvador has about 50 named dive sites, including Vicky's Reef for reef diving and Hole in the Wall for wall diving. The island is small and remote, which keeps dive sites uncrowded. Riding Rock Inn is the established dive-focused accommodation, with visiting dive groups making repeat trips over many years.
Rum Cay
Rum Cay holds the wreck of the HMS Conqueror and the Santa Maria Teresa, a 360-foot Spanish battleship sunk in 1898, both diveable. The island's coral reefs and marine life also attract snorkelers and fishermen. Most visitors use Long Island as a base and reach Rum Cay by boat or charter flight.
Berry Islands
The Berry Islands sit above the Tongue of the Ocean and offer varied diving across nearly 30 cays, most uninhabited. Hoffman's Cay Blue Hole is 600 feet wide with a 20-foot cliff above the water, making it one of the more dramatic inland blue hole entries in the Bahamas. Great Harbour Cay and Chub Cay are the main inhabited islands. The annual Chub Cay Invitational Fishing Tournament is the anchor fishing event for the island group.
Acklins and Crooked Island
Acklins and Crooked Island offer bonefishing on remote flats, snorkeling, and diving within a 500-square-mile lagoon called the Bight of Acklins. Bonefishing lodges provide personal fishing guides. Acklins also contains the largest known Lucayan Indian settlement in the Bahamas, which adds archaeological interest to the island for visitors inclined toward it.
Inagua
Inagua National Park covers almost half of Great Inagua and protects a flamingo colony of over 80,000 West Indian flamingos along with 140 species of native and migratory birds. It is the dominant wildlife experience in the southern Bahamas. Little Inagua, the largest uninhabited cay in the Caribbean, is a protected sea turtle habitat accessible only by boat. Birdwatching tours on Inagua are available in half-day and full-day formats.
Ragged Island
Ragged Island has bonefishing on what local sources describe as unparalleled flats, with additional catches of grouper, snapper, barracuda, tuna, and kingfish available. One-day water expeditions depart from the island. Most visitors base themselves on Long Island and reach Ragged Island by boat or charter flight. Hog Cay, just north of Ragged Island, offers birdwatching, bonfires, and picnic spots.
Fishing Regulations
A sport fishing permit is required for all non-Bahamian-owned vessels. A fly fishing license is required for anyone over 12 years old. Two or more anglers on the flats must use a certified Bahamian guide, and only Bahamian-registered vessels may fish the flats. Bag limits as of mid-2026: 18 pelagic fish (dolphin, wahoo, kingfish, tuna combined); 10 lobsters when in season; 6 conchs (shell must have a well-developed flaring lip); 60 pounds or up to 20 demersal fish (snappers, groupers). Visitors cannot sell or trade fish caught. All billfish must be released unharmed outside tournaments. Shark fishing is prohibited. Spearfishing is prohibited within 200 yards of any Out Island coast, and spearguns are prohibited throughout the Bahamas. Verify current regulations before fishing, as rules change.
Land and Cultural
Cat Island
Cat Island's highest point, Mt. Alvernia, rises 206 feet above sea level, making it the tallest point in the Bahamas. The Hermitage, a small monastery built by Father Jerome in 1939, sits at the summit and is reached by a short climb. Arthur's Town, the island's capital, is the birthplace of actor Sidney Poitier. Cat Island residents maintain basket-weaving and bush medicine as living cultural practices, and the island's People-to-People ambassadors can arrange shared meals and authentic Bahamian dining experiences with local families. The island also has an eight-mile pink sand beach.
People-to-People Programme
The People-to-People Programme pairs visitors with screened and certified local volunteer ambassadors for cultural exchange at no cost. Over 800 ambassadors participate across nine Out Islands: Abaco, Andros, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Eleuthera, Freeport, Harbour Island, and Long Island. Hosts are matched by age, occupation, hobbies, and interests. Visitors do not stay with host ambassadors. Register online or by calling (242) 356-0435/6/7, and allow at least two weeks before arrival for matching. Visitors can contact their ambassador before arrival by web, phone, or mail as of mid-2026, verify current registration process before relying on this.
Rake 'n' Scrape
Rake 'n' scrape is the Bahamas' most distinctly local musical form, built around goatskin drums and hand saws played as melodic instruments. Cat Island is considered its heartland.
Inagua
Inagua's Seafood Fest and the Inagua Heritage and Salty Festival are the island's anchor cultural events. Verify current dates.
Mayaguana
Mayaguana is the most isolated and least developed inhabited island in the Bahamas. Land crabs served with grits, rice, or dumplings appear at festivals in Betsy Bay, Abraham's Bay, and Pirate's Well.
Ragged Island
People-to-People volunteers on Ragged Island offer locally prepared dishes including grilled fish, steamed fish, cracked conch, free-range mutton, and turtle soup. Local boat builders remain active in Duncan Town.
Day Trips
Rum Cay is best visited as a day trip from Long Island by boat or charter flight, with the HMS Conqueror wreck and reef diving as the primary draw.
Ragged Island is similarly accessed as a day trip from Long Island. Hog Cay to the north can be combined into the same outing.
Practical Notes
- A sport fishing permit is required for non-Bahamian-owned vessels. Apply online before departure. A fly fishing license is required for anyone over 12.
- All billfish must be released unharmed outside of sanctioned tournaments. Shark fishing is prohibited throughout the Bahamas.
- The People-to-People Programme is free and available across multiple Out Islands. Register at least two weeks before arrival.
- Out Island conditions change. Verify current operator availability, site accessibility, and programme formats through recent sources before finalising plans.