The beautiful islands of the Bahamas lie just 50 miles off the Florida coast, and form an arc stretching from off the coast of Florida almost reaching Cuba. There are over 700 islands that make up the Bahamas, of which around 30 are populated, and deciding which island to stay on when on holiday can be daunting.

Popular destinations for holiday makers are New Providence, Paradise Island, and Grand Bahama. These islands offer glamorous accommodations, bustling nightlife, world class restaurants, duty free shopping and spectacular beaches. Sample the local cuisine including cracked conch and guava duff. The cosmopolitan capital Nassau, on the island of New Providence, has a wealth of restaurants shopping and nightlife and is the centre of government and commerce. It is a popular destination for Cruise ships, along with Freeport. Nassau's Bay Street is famous for its Straw Market, with locally made mats, baskets, hats, dresses, T-shirts and hand-crafted items at reasonable prices.

For traveller who are looking for a quiet relaxing vacation, the magical 'Out Islands' of Abaco, Andros, Cat Island or the Exumas are a must. Accommodation is more rustic and the beaches are practically always deserted.

Populated islands and cays known as the 'Out Islands' include Abacos, the northernmost island group in the Bahamas home to world class yacht cruising, Andros, the Bahamas largest island with deserted, powdery white sand beaches (pink sand sparkles on Eleuthera and Harbour Island), Bimini, a favourite with celebrities, Cat Island offering a few small resorts, excellent diving and water sports, 17th century pirate history, and secluded beaches for the road-weary traveller, Long Island dotted with small towns plenty of corners worth exploring, San Salvador is the easternmost island, with a few resorts. The Exumas are a sailor's paradise with 350 little cays which are some of the most spectacular in the Bahamas.

There are endless activities and place to visit in the Bahamas. Scuba divers and snorkellers will be in thier element with the numerous reefs to be explored.

Accommodation ranges from first class resorts to small guesthouses. The islands are linked by inter-island flights, boats and ferries, making it easy for travellers to island hop. National carrier Bahamasair flies regular routes between Nassau and the Out Islands, in addition to smaller carriers offering air charter services to the Out Islands. A more leisurely way to travel is by ferry. The Bahamas government operates a number of mail boats, which carry cargo and passengers between Nassau and all the Out Islands. Private boat rental is also a great option with many marinas to stop off.

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Places to Visit in Bahamas

Pink Beach, Harbor Island: visit the most photographed beach in the world.
Grand Bahama Island: dive with dolphins.
Andros: Explore this unique island.

Fast facts

Capital: Island size Population: Airport: Electricity: Currency: Language: Country code:

Nassau Covers 70,000 square miles 289,000 Nassau International Airport, and many smaller airports on the islands. 110 volts Bahamian dollar - U.S. dollars accepted. English 242