Bahamas Bahamas Travel Guide: Best Hotels, Restaurants & Experiences

The archipelago stretches southeast from Florida across 100,000 square miles of Atlantic waters, yet only thirty islands are inhabited. Nassau on New Providence serves as the commercial hub, its colonial architecture and straw markets reflecting three centuries of British influence. Paradise Island, connected by bridge, concentrates the casino resorts and mega-developments. But the real draw lies in the Out Islands: Harbour Island's pink sand beaches and pastel clapboard cottages attract a knowing crowd, while the Exumas offer encounters with swimming pigs at Big Major Cay and nurse sharks at Compass Cay.

Each island maintains its own rhythm. Eleuthera's pineapple farms and surf breaks draw a different traveler than Bimini's deep-sea fishing heritage, just fifty miles from Miami. Andros, the largest island, remains largely undeveloped, its blue holes and bonefishing flats appealing to adventurers. For those exploring the broader Caribbean, Bermuda offers a similarly British-inflected Atlantic escape, while Cayman Islands provides comparable diving conditions further south.