Things to do in Nassau
The Beauty of the Bahamas
If there’s such a thing as paradise on earth, it’s located just 50 miles off the coast of Florida.
The Bahamas is everything you want in a tropical getaway from its sparkling blue waters to its soft, sandy beaches. Serving up the charm of the Caribbean, although visitors may feel like they’re a world away from home, they can still enjoy the high-end amenities and luxuries that they want in a vacation destination.
Bahamas Natural Beauty
Comprised of 700 islands situated over 100,000 square miles of ocean, the Bahamas is an ecological oasis featuring 2,000 breathtaking islands and cays. Boasting the clearest water on the planet—with a visibility of over 200 feet – one can just as easily see their toes dangling in the waters as they can catch a glimpse of the world’s third largest barrier reef.
Natural Wonders from Land to Sea
Measuring 190 miles long, The Great Barrier Reef is the third largest living organism on the planet and just one of the Bahama’s natural wonders. Located just one mile off the shores of Andros, The Great Barrier Reef is home to almost every variety of exotic fish species.
For more underwater adventures, the longest-known underwater limestone cave system in the world—charted for up to six miles—is found in The Bahamas. Many of these natural wonders can be described as underwater aquariums, overstocked with marine life—sponges, lobsters, crabs and shrimp—while some are merely fossilized black holes.
There’s also plenty of natural wonders for land lovers to see as well.
For instance, adventurers can trek through the Primeval Forest, a small tropical broadleaf forest, representative of the early tropical hardwood forests of The Bahamas. Located in the southwest portion of New Providence, the forest features unique limestone caverns up to 50 feet long, 30 feet wide, and in some cases 30 feet deep. It features deep sinkholes, which in other parts of The Bahamas have provided produced and subfossil remains of Bahamian fauna and Lucayan and Bahamian artifacts.
Another must-see is just a stone’s throw from Nassau, the nation’s capital and tourism hub. Harrold and Wilson Ponds host the island’s highest concentration of herons, egrets, ibises and cormorants as well as the endemic Bahama Swallow. As an Important Bird Area, the Park is considered to be an indispensable habitat.
Caribbean Culture
For a taste of the true Bahamian experience, no trek to the Bahamas is complete without visiting Nassau Paradise Island.
Nassau Paradise Island is the perfect mix of urban sprawl and tropical utopia. Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas, has nearly 80 per cent of the entire population of The Bahamas, and is a bustling metropolitan hub full of culture and modern amenities. To the north lies Paradise Island. Its name tells you everything. It’s 685 acres of pure euphoria, developed almost exclusively to delight and accommodate visitors.
Nassau is located on 21-mile-long New Providence, the 11th largest island. Nassau’s main harbor is protected by Paradise Island. The harbor attracted settlers in the early days, particularly pirates. In fact, Nassau’s population consisted mainly of pirates until 1718, when The Bahamas first Royal Governor, Woodes Rogers expelled them, restored order and built Fort Nassau. The Bahamas for centuries adopted Rogers’ motto, “Expulsis Piratis, Restituta Commercia,” which means, “Pirates Expelled, Commerce Restored.” Now, 212,000 people call New Providence Island home, with a large portion of them residing in Nassau.
Today, the island is home to resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, nightlife, a golf course, an aquarium and a casino. Visitors feel at home in Nassau Paradise Island as English is spoken, and American dollars are on par with Bahamian dollars.
Where to stay
One of the most popular resorts in The Bahamas is the Atlantis Bahamas Paradise Island Resort. Located on Paradise Island, directly off Nassau Bahamas, the resort is a maze of pools, beaches, lagoons and aquariums surrounded by massive pink structures, created by hotel developer Sol Kerzer.
Offering an array of accommodation, visitors have a choice between staying at the Royal Towers, Coral towers, Beach Tower, the Cove Atlantis, The Reef Atlantis and Harbor side resort. The Reef Atlantis offers residential-style studios and suites that include a kitchen area, private balcony and large master bath.
Not that you’ll want to stay in and cook while staying at this resort.
From fine dining to casual restaurants, The Atlantis resort serves up a large number of restaurants and bars to suit any taste from French, Southwestern, Japanese, Italian, Chinese and Caribbean cuisine.
When it comes to fun, The Atlantis knows how to do it right. The resort boasts a water park complex, which includes a variety of slides and pools that are all connected by a four-mile river raft system. The resort also offers golf courses, swimming pools, shopping venues and tennis courts. It is also fitted with a state-of-the art fitness room and spa.
Star Power
With its raw beauty, warm weather and a variety of things to do, it’s no surprise celebrities are opting to call The Bahamas home. Tiger Woods, Chuck Norris, Michael Jordan and Sean Connery are just some notables giving Bahamas some star power.
Most of these A-listers own the brightly coloured mansions that dot the ocean’s shoreline. But the good news? You don’t have to be a star to own a piece of paradise.
Bahamas Real Estate
The Bahamas offers some of the most diverse real estate listings in the world. The proximity of The Bahamas to the US has encouraged the strong growth in developments, particularly luxury resort properties. Whether you prefer luxury beachfront mansions, a secret escape on a small island reachable only by boat, or a resort property with a range of activities on site, the islands offer a wide selection of options to fit every budget.
A respectable $850,000 will get you a three-bedroom recently built beachfront home in Free Port on Grand Bahama, with prices slightly higher for a similar property on the main island of Nassau.
Another growing trend in tropical real estate is buying luxury condominiums such as the units that comprise the Ocean Club Estates.
Located at the easternmost tip of Paradise Island adjacent to “The Narrows,” Ocean Club Estates is one of the newest and most elite developments in The Bahamas. With only 121 lots, this development boasts intimacy and luxury. All of home sites surround the golf course offering beachfront, waterfront, as well as golf-course access. Home to the rich and famous, The Ocean Club Golf Course has hosted many golf tournaments including the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational and the Office Depot Father/Son Celebrity Classic. The practice area at Ocean Club Golf Course is the best in the Bahamas. And it doesn’t just appeal to golfers. Features within the development also include 24 hr security, beach, clubhouse and full access to the one and only ocean club facilities and the Atlantis resort and casino wherein owners can access tennis, pools and waterslides, beaches, restaurants, shops, spas, fitness centres, a casino and a concierge service.
Prices range from $1 million – $20 million. But the hefty price tag didn’t stop buyers from snapping up this prime property. Units sold within days of being listed.
Cable Beach is another real estate hotspot. Located in the bustling area of New Providence Island, just 10 minutes driving distance from the newly renovated Lynden Pindling International Airport, and a 15-minute drive to the prime shopping district of downtown Nassau, Cable Beach real estate is popular among Bahamian people and visitors alike. The area provides an wide variety of restaurants, shops, grocers and entertainment. With a mixture of residential homes, condominium developments, and hotels, Cable Beach proves to be a very attractive area of Nassau Bahamas. A favourite amongst tourists, Cable Beach got its name because this is where the first submarine cable link to Florida was made in The Bahamas. Today, it is the future home of the billion dollar Baha Mar Resort. It also boasts an 9-hole par 36 golf course, nightlife, and one of the largest casinos in The Bahamas.