Stretching from Cuba towards the Florida coastline, the Bahamas consists of over 700 islands which present a plethora of opportunities to sail, dive, kayak, swim, cave, ride horses or simply lounge on beaches, plus any other water or sand-based activity you can conceive – plus a few that you can’t.
Only 30 of the islands are inhabited, with larger ones accustomed to an annual influx of tourists from around the globe. The best experiences are had away from New Providence and Grand Bahama, where the crowds are more dispersed and visitors are genuinely welcomed; the Out Islands are great places to chill with a rum and coke and engage in friendly banter with the locals.
Then there are beautiful old churches, tales of ancient pirates and 50,000 flamingos on show at the Bahamas national park. Dive with dolphins, explore the third largest reef in the world or search the ruins of a city some believe to be an ancient Atlantis.
The locals are a curious mix of African and British stock; the main islands were colonised by many pro-British settlers following the American War of Independence and many of the descendants trace ancestry back to those freed from the slave trade. Bahamans have an active sense of humour and aren’t afraid to poke fun at themselves and others. They’re also extremely proud of their roots and intolerant of condescension. This is a great place to do business if you have a sunny disposition; leave sour grapes and your ego at the door.
Getting there
Most flights go to Nassau or Grand Bahama; connections are available to the Out Islands. There are a number of cruise routes, usually departing from Florida.
Getting around
Nassau and Freeport have a number of private minibuses that serve as a public transport system. There are a few air and ferry routes to the out islands; however, island hopping can be difficult without your own boat (or plane).
Local information
Language: English
Time: UTC-5
Climate: Tropical monsoon. Hot all year round, heavy rainfall during summer. Temperature: Max 32°C (August), Min 14°C (February). Rainfall: Max 160mm (September-October), Min 35mm (January).
Currency: Bahamas dollar (BSD)
Business etiquette: Greet with a firm, friendly handshake with eye contact. Professional or academic titles are used as forms of address. Punctuality is important but it is considered bad manners to hurry a meeting; older business people in particular may be held up in earlier meetings and will accord the same attention to you.
Tipping: 15 percent service is added to bill.
Duty free: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 454g of tobacco; 1.136l of spirits and 1.136l of wine; goods to the value of B$100.
Safety: Hurricane season runs from June to November; check weather warnings. The water sports industry is poorly regulated and accidents are common.
Laws: Penalties for possession of drugs are severe.
Healthcare: Vaccination required for tetanus. Excellent medical facilities available but they can be costly. Medical insurance should include cover for an air ambulance.
Socket type: Type A
