Things to Do

Experiences

The Bahamas offers a range of water-based and land-based activities across its islands, from snorkeling the Exuma Cays to exploring Nassau's colonial architecture.

Fishing

The 2nd Annual Bahamas Bonefishing Tournament Series runs September through November 2026 across three islands with over $100,000 in prizes. Events take place in Andros (Sept. 30–Oct. 4 at Andros Lighthouse Yacht Club, Fresh Creek), Long Island (Oct. 14–18 at Stella Maris Resort Club), and Exuma (Nov. 10–15 at Hideaways at Palm Bay, George Town). The catch-and-release tournament targets bonefish, tarpon, and permit with a $500 registration fee per participant. Teams consist of two anglers per vessel with a licensed Bahamian guide, and competitors can earn a GOAT Award for landing all three species in a single day. Events are governed by International Game Fish Association standards.

Acklins Island and Crooked Island feature The Bight, a 1,000-square-mile bonefishing lagoon where shallow waters are often knee-deep five miles offshore.

Wildlife & Nature

Junkanoo is the number one cultural experience in the Bahamas, with a dedicated museum at the cruise port. A People to People program offers free days with locals for shopping, church, church parties, and fish fries.

The Bahamas hosts approximately 168 resident and migratory bird species, particularly around Acklins and Crooked Island. Great Inagua attracts visitors for flamingo viewing and remains an important nature destination.

The archipelago spans 700 islands and 2,000 cays with 100,000 miles of water. Thirty islands are inhabited, and 16 are actively promoted with distinct regional personalities.

Events

Recurring Festivals

Goombay Summer Festivals feature Bahamian music, dance, art, and food across multiple islands. The Eleuthera Pineapple Festival is held in June in Gregory Town with 30+ vendors. The Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championship takes place at Montagu Beach, Nassau, drawing approximately 200 sailors.

2026–2027 Calendar

Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival runs October 21–25 at Baha Mar in Nassau. This fifth-year event includes the FUZE Art Expo, master classes with chefs, and featured performances including OneRepublic.

Abaco Beach Resort Pickleball Tournament takes place November 13–15 at Abaco Beach Resort. The three-day event accommodates all skill levels and includes clinics and wine-pairing dinners.

Rhythm & Roots Festival occurs November 13–14 at Abaco Beach Resort in Abaco. Featured artists include Butter and Grit, Luke, and Laurel. A Friday dinner concert hosts 60–100 guests, and a Saturday oceanfront concert draws 300–400 visitors. Visiting Nashville songwriters mentor local students in afternoon programs. Proceeds support Bahamian music education. Contact Bernadette Hall at (242) 813-8614 or [email protected].

Pomp, Snow & CIRQUEumstance runs November 29, 2026 through January 8, 2027 at Atlantis Theatre on Paradise Island. This Cirque-style holiday production is staged nightly.

Andrea Bocelli Live in Concert performs December 31, 2026 at 9:30 p.m. on the Royal Deck at Atlantis Paradise Island. This open-air concert is a signature New Year's Eve event.

Run Bahamas Race Weekend takes place January 31, 2027 at Goodman's Bay, Nassau, starting at 6:00 a.m. Events include a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and relay divisions.

Bahamas Hope Challenge is an annual cycling, running, and walking event held at participant-chosen pace and distance. Proceeds support cancer treatment for Bahamians. The event takes place at Cocodimama Charming Beach Resort off Queen's Highway, Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera. Contact Ms. Susan Larson at 242-359-1143.

Bigga Mo's Memorial Weekend is held annually on Eleuthera in memory of Muqtasid Thompson. Tickets and products are available at www.biggamosmemorial.com.

Community & Cultural Experiences

The Bahamas will host the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Conference May 18–21, 2027 at the British Colonial Nassau hotel and Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau, marking the first Caribbean destination to host the conference. Approximately 400 delegates are expected to attend. The Bahamas features active ecosystem restoration through coral reef protection and mangrove preservation, with Destination Stewardship Councils operating on seven islands. Nature-based tourism, flats fishing training and certification, and community-based and cultural tourism experiences are available throughout the islands.

Boating Flings, sponsored by The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation, feature flotillas with lead and sweep boats, offering unstructured island time for fishing, diving, exploring, or relaxing.

Water Activities

The underwater world is the main reason most people come. Snorkeling and diving in the Exumas, around Eleuthera's Glass Window Bridge, and at the Andros barrier reef rank among the best in the Atlantic. For most visitors, a good snorkel mask and a boat charter get you further than any organized tour.

The Bahamas consistently ranks at the top of diving destinations for big animal encounters, wreck diving, cave diving, and wall diving.

Guided snorkeling excursions near Bimini offer encounters with Caribbean reef sharks, which typically swim away when people enter the water.

Jet Skis

Skip them. The U.S. Embassy has issued a formal warning against renting jet skis in the Bahamas due to dangerous incidents. Six U.S. citizens were hospitalized with jet ski injuries since August 2024, and sexual assaults by jet ski operators have been reported. U.S. government employees are prohibited from renting jet skis on New Providence and Paradise Islands. Whatever the specific incidents involved, a formal embassy-level warning is a serious signal. Plenty of better water activities exist that don't carry that risk profile.

Great Tides Waterpark

Great Tides Waterpark opened September 4, 2026 on Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line's 270-acre private island. The 6-acre park features 19 waterslides, a 170-foot-tall Tidal Tower, industry-first cliff jumps at Cliffside Cove, and a 28,000-square-foot heated pool called Great Life Lagoon. A separate 9,000-square-foot splashpad serves younger guests. Day passes and private cabanas accommodating up to 6 guests are available for purchase. The park includes a dedicated adults-only area called Vibe Shore Club.

Dining options span Low Tide Smoke (barbecue), Catch of the Cay (seafood), and Tidal Treats (ice cream and desserts). Grotto Bar and Floataway Bar serve drinks, and NCL's "Free at Sea" package covers island beverages for cruise passengers. A two-berth pier eliminates tendering for most visiting vessels.

Specialty Water Experiences

Baby sea turtle releases are available at Atlantis Paradise Island through end of September. The experience includes a visit to the Royal Fish Hospital to learn about green sea turtle conservation, followed by a sunset release of hatchlings into the ocean at "Sea Turtle Highway." Sessions run 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., cost $150 per person, have a minimum age of 6 years, and require participating parents for children under 18. Reservations are necessary through Atlantis Adventures desks on property, and availability is limited based on natural nest hatching timing.

Seaplane day trips to Bimini depart Saturdays year-round from Fort Lauderdale at 8:30 a.m. via Tropic Ocean Airways, arriving in North Bimini at 9:00 a.m. for seven hours of island time before returning at 5:00 p.m. The 25-minute flight each way is promoted at $550 per person and includes roundtrip transport, free valet parking, and private lobby access. Standard pricing is $650. Optional activities include snorkeling, bonefishing, hammerhead shark dives, dolphin swimming, and golf cart exploration.

Nassau and New Providence

Cable Beach beats Junkanoo Beach for swimming and overall experience. Junkanoo Beach is more central and convenient if you're on foot from downtown, but Cable Beach is longer, cleaner, and less crowded on most days.

The colonial core of downtown Nassau, Parliament Square and Bay Street, is worth a morning on foot. The Straw Market is worth a look but expect aggressive sales pressure. Nassau's nightlife and casino options are concentrated around Cable Beach and Paradise Island.

Blue Lagoon Island and Pearl Island both run day-trip excursions from Nassau, primarily aimed at cruise passengers. They're polished and predictable. If you have time to get further afield, prioritize that instead.

Atlantis Paradise Island dominates the resort experience on Paradise Island. The property spans five miles of white-sand beaches and includes Aquaventure water attractions, casino, marine habitats, multiple restaurants, and nightlife venues. The resort regularly hosts major events: the Battle 4 Atlantis college basketball tournament (women's Nov. 24-26, men's Nov. 25-27) draws college teams and basketball fans each November, and Casuarina Beach hosts big-name concerts and performances. In late 2026 and early 2027, the resort hosted Pomp, Snow & CIRQUEumstance, a holiday circus production running Nov. 29, 2026–Jan. 8, 2027, along with New Year's Eve performances by Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 31, 2026) and Alex Warren (Jan. 2, 2027), with midnight fireworks on New Year's Eve. If you want a all-in-one resort experience with entertainment and activities, Atlantis is the obvious choice. If you prefer to explore Nassau and nearby islands, base yourself elsewhere.

The Exumas

The Exumas reward the effort to get there. Swimming with nurse sharks at Compass Cay, the iguanas at Allan's Cay, and the sandbars of Staniel Cay are genuinely worth the trip. Most visitors access them via day-trip speedboat from Nassau or by flying into George Town (Exuma International Airport) and arranging local boat charters from there.

The swimming pigs at Pig Beach (Big Major Cay) have become the archipelago's most photographed attraction. They're real and they're accessible, but the experience varies significantly depending on how many other boats are there at the same time. Early morning visits are better.

Eleuthera and Harbour Island

Harbour Island's Pink Sand Beach is one of the most distinctive beaches in the region. The pink tint comes from crushed coral and shell fragments and is most visible on overcast days when the water isn't competing for your attention. The village of Dunmore Town is small enough to walk entirely and has a handful of genuinely good restaurants.

The Glass Window Bridge on Eleuthera is a narrow land crossing where the dark Atlantic and the pale Caribbean meet side by side. It's worth stopping for, but the bridge itself has been damaged repeatedly by storms, so check current road conditions before planning around it. See Getting Around for road and bridge access notes.

Eleuthera hosts the annual Pineapple Festival in Gregory Town, celebrating the island's agricultural heritage and local culture.

Andros

Andros is the largest island and the least touristed of the major ones. The barrier reef running along its eastern shore is the third-largest in the world and almost entirely uncrowded. Bonefishing on the west-side flats is world-class and draws serious anglers from the U.S. specifically for that. If you're not a diver or an angler, Andros offers less than the other major islands.

Practical Notes

• Water activity operators vary widely in equipment quality and safety practices. Ask to inspect gear before committing.
• Boat charters for Exuma day trips run long days at speed on open water. Bring sun protection, a windbreaker, and seasickness medication if you have any susceptibility.
• Some popular sites like Pig Beach involve multiple operators arriving simultaneously. If the experience matters to you, ask your operator how many other boats will be there and at what time.
• Boating is not well regulated; injuries and deaths have been reported. Use licensed operators and stay alert.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash or using isolated ATMs.
• For health considerations related to water activities and sun exposure, see Health & Safety