Bahamas Vacation Secrets

To help make the process simpler, we've compiled this ever-expanding list of Bahamas vacation secrets, filed with insider information on how to get the most value for your vacation dollar.

If you'd like to share your Bahamas vacation tips with other visitors, please let us know.

Get the most out of your Bahamas Vacation.

Here is a list of some great tips to help make your Bahamas vacation more enjoyable.

1. Location is everything...

The old retail adage, "location, location, location", applies to hotels in the Bahamas as well. If you are planning to visit the Bahamas' most popular vacation destination, Nassau, Bahamas, you can't do better than to stay at the British Colonial Hilton.  Located right next door to the famous Nassau Straw Market and only a five minute walk to Bay Street's duty-free shopping district, the Hilton hotel is also within walking distance to numerous historical sites, the Prince George Wharf and the water taxis to Paradise Island. 

In fact, the British Colonial Hilton is smack dab in the middle of everything Nassau has to offer and is only a five minute taxi ride to two different world class casinos.

Get the best deals at the British Colonial Hilton 

2. When in Rome... 

Rather than buy bottled water, snacks and essentials from the hotel stores, where things can be rather pricey, visit a neighborhood grocery store and pay what the locals do. Save money on things like bottled water, soda pop, snacks, sun tan oil and kiddy supplies. Just ask your hotel concierge or a friendly native where the nearest City Market or Super Value store is located.

3. Shop 'til you drop...

There are two things to remember when shopping on Bay Street - designer names and duty-free prices. We're talking up to 50% below US retail!  And with no sales taxes or VAT, how can you resist the temptation?  Some of the best savings can be found on jewelry, beauty and skin care products, watches, leather and accessories, perfumes, crystal, china, cigars and collector's coins.

4. Mix with the locals...

One of the requests we hear most often from visitors to the Bahamas is the desire to "mingle with the locals", an opportunity to get away from the "tourist traps" and experience the tru-tru island culture.  

Well, there's no better place than Arawak Cay, just west of downtown Nassau. Every Friday evening the cay is the scene of the Fish Fry, a weekly get-together featuring plenty of down home Bahamian cooking and local entertainment.  During the month of June, Arawak Cay hosts the Junkanoo in June festival which gives visitors a chance to revel in the most celebrated of all Bahamian activities, Junkanoo.

5. Water Taxi to Paradise...

One of the "must do" things when visiting Nassau is to take a trip across the Harbour to Paradise Island, home of the legendary Atlantis Resort.  There are so many magnificent things to see and do and so many wonderful shopping locations, you wouldn't want to miss it.

Taxi cabs are the most popular way to get to Paradise Island from Nassau, seeing as the jitney buses do not travel there.  But an oft overlooked, and inexpensive way to get to Paradise is by water taxi. You can catch a water taxi from the dock behind the Straw Market on Bay Street. They run every 30 minutes and cost only $6.00 round trip.

6. Best kept secret...

One of the best kept secrets of the Bahamas are the small hotels scattered throughout the islands.  Some of these small family operated hotels are managed by pioneers of the Bahamas tourism industry who have left the big hotel market to offer a more personalized vacation experience.  They usually feature lower room rates in return for fewer amenities but, if you're like most visitors to the Bahamas, you aren't going to spend much time in your hotel room anyway. Besides, all hotel rooms look the same when you are sleeping.  :-)

In Nassau, one such accommodation treasure is Nettie's Place on Cable Beach.  A clean, comfortable and very affordable small hotel, Nettie's Place is located across from the most beautiful beach on New Providence Island.  Minutes away from just about everything on the island you'd care to visit, including; the Ardastra Gardens and Zoo, the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino, Arawak Cay, Bay Street, Stuart Cove's Dives and the Botanical Gardens