Travel to Bahamas — everything you need to know
When to go to Bahamas?
- December – May — High season : Dry, sunny weather, calm waters and ideal temperatures — book well in advance
- June – November — Hurricane season : Lower prices and fewer tourists, but a significant hurricane risk — check forecasts carefully
Weather in Bahamas
Check the weather city by city, starting with Nassau.
- Nassau: daytime highs from 25 to 31 °C depending on the season, 119 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Bahamas?
The Bahamian archipelago stretches across more than 700 islands and cays scattered between Florida and Cuba, offering some of the clearest and most vividly coloured waters in the world, from electric blues to dazzling turquoise. Nassau, the lively capital, blends luxury resorts, Junkanoo culture and colonial history, while the Out Islands such as the Exumas and Eleuthera offer blissful seclusion just a short flight away. The Bahamas are also renowned for their exceptional marine life: reef sharks, rays, wild dolphins and Exuma's famous swimming pigs.
Nassau & Paradise Island
Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, is a lively city where pastel colonial mansions sit alongside casinos and giant cruise ships. The historic district features colourful streets, the Straw Market craft market and 18th-century British fortifications. Connected by bridge, Paradise Island is home to Atlantis Resort, with its spectacular water park, open-air aquariums and white-sand beaches.
Highlights : Fort Fincastle and Queen's Staircase — staircase carved into coral, Cable Beach — urban beach lined with seafront hotels, Atlantis Paradise Island — spectacular water resort, Bay Street — colonial shopping street and craft market.
Exuma Cays
The Exumas are an archipelago of wild cays with unreal blue waters, world-famous for the swimming pigs of Big Major Cay, the nurse sharks of Compass Cay and the giant rays of Stingray City. Exuma Land and Sea Park, one of the Atlantic's first protected marine parks, is home to healthy coral and outstanding marine biodiversity. The peaceful town of George Town is an ideal base for exploring the archipelago by catamaran.
Highlights : Big Major Cay swimming pigs — one of a kind, Exuma Land and Sea Park — the Atlantic's first protected marine park, Thunderball Grotto.
Eleuthera & Harbour Island
Eleuthera is a long, slender island famed for its pink-sand beaches, a natural phenomenon caused by microscopic foraminifera broken up by the waves. Harbour Island, a tiny islet reached by water taxi, is considered one of the Caribbean's most beautiful hideaways, with its famous Pink Sand Beach and pastel wooden houses. Glass Window Bridge, the island's narrowest point, offers a striking view of the dark Atlantic on one side and the turquoise Caribbean waters on the other.
Highlights : Pink Sand Beach (Harbour Island) — uniquely pink sand, Dunmore Town — colonial village with colourful houses, Current Cut — swift channel for drift diving.
Grand Bahama & Freeport
Grand Bahama is the archipelago's fourth-largest island and the easiest to reach from Florida, just 90 km from Palm Beach. Lucayan National Park contains one of the world's longest underwater cave systems as well as unspoiled mangroves. Freeport's dive centres offer trips to wrecks and coral reefs in excellent condition, with frequent sightings of wild dolphins.
Highlights : Lucayan National Park — underwater caves and mangroves, UNEXSO — dive centre with wild dolphins, Gold Rock Beach — secluded beach with crystal-clear water, Freeport International Bazaar — covered craft market.
Travel budget for Bahamas
The Bahamas are among the Caribbean's most expensive destinations, largely because of their proximity to the United States and an economy geared towards luxury tourism. The Out Islands are often less expensive than Nassau.
- Backpacker : 100–150 €/j — Guesthouse, local fish fry, jitneys and ferries, unguided snorkelling
- Comfort : 200–400 €/j — Seafront resort, varied restaurants, guided excursions, inter-island flights
Practical tips for travelling to Bahamas
- Flight from Paris : 10–13h with a stopover (Miami, New York or Atlanta — American Airlines, Delta, Air France)
- Visa : No visa required for French citizens (stay ≤ 90 days) — passport valid for at least 6 months
- Currency : Bahamian dollar (BSD, 1:1 peg with the US dollar) — USD accepted everywhere, card payments widely used
- Language : English (official) — Bahamian Creole in local communities
- Electricity : Type A/B (120V, 60Hz) — adapter needed for European travellers
- Health : No tropical vaccines required. Dengue is present — mosquito protection is recommended. Reef-safe sunscreen is advised to help preserve the coral reefs.
- Hurricanes : Hurricane season runs from June to November — the risk is real, so either avoid this period or take out strong cancellation cover
- Diving : Some sites ban chemical sunscreens — use mineral protection to help safeguard the coral
Compare Bahamas with other destinations