Live Your Best Lives
Many people tell me that traveling to the Bahamas is expensive and a hassle. There are so many wonderful islands and beautiful beaches in the world, so why go to such a hassle? Haven't you heard that the more beautiful a place is, the harder it is to get to.
So let's go on vacation to the Bahamas together, swim with the internet celebrity pig, chase the sunset on the pink sand beach, and enjoy the Caribbean style.
The Bahamas are located in the North Atlantic Ocean outside the Strait of Florida, north of Cuba, with its capital city being Nassau.
This archipelago consists of more than 700 islands and more than 2,400 reefs, of which only 30 are inhabited. The population of the islands is 360,000, 85% of whom are black or mixed-race people, 12% are white, and the others are a small number of Hispanics, Indians and Indians, as well as a small number of Chinese. English is the common language.
On December 19, 2013, China and the Bahamas signed a comprehensive visa exemption agreement in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas.
The Bahamas was a golden age of piracy and privateering from the late 17th century to the early 18th century, and most people have heard the stories of Sir Francis Drake and Blackbeard, who used the Bahamas as a base from time to time.
The Bahamas is an ideal place for pirates and privateers. The complex terrain, countless islands and islets, and dense sandbanks and channels provide excellent hiding places for those plundering ships. In addition, because the Bahamas are close to busy shipping lanes, this provides pirates with plenty of opportunities to steal merchant ships.
Most areas of the Bahamas have a mild subtropical climate. August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 24~32℃; January and February are the coldest months, with an average temperature of 17~25℃. The annual average temperature is 23.5℃, and the annual average precipitation is 1000 mm.
Sunny weather is predominant in the capital, Nassau, with an average of about seven hours of sunshine. The rainy season runs from October to April, typically characterized by brief thunderstorms. The Bahamas is prone to hurricanes, which typically occur between June and November. Based on 90 years of data, a strong hurricane in Nassau is expected to occur on average every nine years.
From February 12, 2014, holders of a valid Chinese passport can enter the Bahamas visa-free for tourism, with each stay not exceeding 30 days. You will need to fill out an entry form on the plane to the Bahamas and print out your itinerary and hotel list in advance. Bahamian customs may ask questions from time to time. The Bahamas is a North American tourist destination. During the peak season, there will be long queues at the entrance, and the customs clearance time is about 1 hour.
The currency of the Bahamas is the Bahamian dollar, and its exchange rate with the US dollar is 1:1, so you only need to bring enough US dollars in cash before going to the Bahamas. You can also use Master or Visa cards.
Credit cards are generally not recommended for purchases. Firstly, many stores don't accept them, and secondly, there's a real risk of your information being stolen. Many hotels have ATMs near them that allow you to withdraw small amounts of US dollars. Taxi rides require banknotes, so keep plenty of small denominations handy for tipping.
Phone cards and wifi After entering customs, you can buy phone cards at the airport. Walk to the domestic departure hall, where there is only a place similar to a small convenience store. Just ask the clerk for phone cards.
The price of a SIM card is US$10. You can directly recharge and add a package. Generally, it comes with unlimited data and calls, and the Internet is fast enough, and the signal is pretty good when going overseas.
Most hotels have Wi-Fi, but not every B&B has it. The Wi-Fi situation in other public areas is unclear. It is recommended that you apply for a phone card for convenience.
The local official language is English, the voltage is 120V, and American standard plugs and sockets are used. You need to prepare conversion plugs in advance.
There are no direct flights from China to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. You need to transfer from the United States, Russia, Europe or the Middle East. Generally, there are many flights from Miami to Nassau, and the prices are also good (provided that you must have a valid US visa).
When we returned to the United States, we had to queue up and reserve time to arrive at the airport in advance because we entered the U.S. customs in Nassau in advance. However, the queue was not as long as rumored online. It might be because of the flight time. It took us less than half an hour to reach the boarding gate.
The Bahamas is an archipelago country. Apart from the capital Nassau, many beautiful attractions are located on other small islands. Therefore, airplanes or boats have become the most common means of transportation in the Bahamas, and they are also the most expensive part.
There are basically flights to and from various islands departing from Nassau every day, which saves time and is efficient. The disadvantage is that it is expensive.
Nassau Airport is very small, with one international terminal and one domestic terminal. The following airlines' booking websites are commonly used:
Tips:
Southern Air: http://www.southernaircharter.com/
Pineapple Air: https://www.pineappleair.com/bookonline/
Flamingo Airlines: http://flamingoairbah.com/
The most frequently visited airports in the Bahamas are:
Pink Beach Harbour Island North Eleuthera Airport (ELH)
It takes about 20 minutes to get there from Nassau. Be careful not to get off the wrong plane. There is another airport on the island called Governor Harbour Airport (GHB). Although they are on the same island, they are farther away from the pink sand beach.
Pig Beach Exuma International Airport(GGT)
There are also many flights that depart early and return late, but the airport is some distance away from Pig Island itself, and you need to transfer to a bus and a cruise ship. If you go by plane, it is recommended that you book a local day tour in advance, confirm the pick-up time, and then book a round-trip flight at the corresponding time.
The Bahamas is generally very safe. Taxi drivers are always trying to get you a ride, but if you tell them you don't need one, they'll leave you alone. However, don't walk at night; it's unsafe, even if you're going to a nearby supermarket.
Most taxis in the Bahamas are 7-seater cars with "Taxi" written on the door. Taxis do not use meters. Basically, you negotiate the price with the driver before getting in the car, and then set off. You should give an additional tip of about 10% before getting off.
Larger locations have fixed prices, so you can do your homework in advance. From Nassau Airport, you can take a taxi to your hotel. The airport to the city hotel is about $30, which is basically the price.
The cost of living in the Bahamas is very high. Basically everything is expensive, including transportation and food. There is a government tax of about 7.5% on meals, and a mandatory tip of about 15%. Be careful when ordering food and looking at the prices.
Paradise Island Hotel Accommodation
For example, the Atlantis Hotel adds an energy fee of around $15-20 per person per day, a 7.5% government tax, and a 10% resort fee. If your budget allows, you can stay a few days at the Atlantis. If your budget is tight, you can still pay a small fee (around $30 per day) to visit the Atlantis while staying in Nassau.
When booking a hotel in the Bahamas on major online platforms, be sure to check whether the price shown on the website includes resort fees and government taxes. A credit card will be required for other fees upon check-in. Generally speaking, the environment and rooms of Bahamian hotels are quite good, generally meeting European and American standards.
There are only a few small shops in the city, and they close very early, basically at 5 pm. The coastal street near the cruise terminal becomes lively and there are many restaurants.
Recommended restaurant: Twin Brothers, especially the local specialty conch salad, which is generous in portion and delicious. One portion can be shared by two people, and one portion can be shared by three women. Credit cards are accepted, and the average cost per person is between US$35-40.
There are many pirate models and scenes that reproduce the scene of rampant pirates from 1690 to 1720. It is located in the city and you can stroll around freely.
Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday 9:00--18:00, Sunday 9:00--12:00
Tickets:
Adults are $13, and one adult can bring two children under 12 years old.
Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas is a sister hotel to Atlantis Palm Island in Dubai. It is the most important landmark in Nassau and one of the most expensive hotels in the world. It is a resort that integrates hotels, beaches, aquariums and other entertainment and leisure facilities.
Although expensive, no tickets are required to visit the hotel's public areas, shop, enter the casino, etc., and entertainment facilities are also open to non-hotel guests.
Aquaventure Water World has one of the tallest and most thrilling water slides in the world, where you can rush down the slide while looking out at the beautiful Caribbean coastline.
In addition to slides, there are also various rafting, aquarium and other facilities. You can play and swim with dolphins, or drift into the glass aquarium and watch deep-sea tropical fish surround you.
The Dig is the underground aquarium of Atlantis, located underground in the Royal Towers area. It is the largest aquarium in the world and houses thousands of species of marine life.
To Harbour Island [one-way yacht trip is about 3 hours, one-way plane trip is about 30 minutes] The yacht or plane departs at 8:00, please arrive 30-60 minutes in advance.
The Pink Sand Beach is located on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. It was voted the sexiest beach in the world by Newsweek. It is about three miles long and is one of the world's top diving destinations.
Along the beach is a luxurious resort consisting of 25 colorful villas, which combine various styles such as Morocco, India and Bali, Indonesia.
Nassau - Swimming with nurse sharks - Feeding iguanas - White sand beaches - Playing with the internet celebrity pig
Get up early and fly to Staniel Cay Airport on Exuma Island. On the early morning flight, you will have the opportunity to watch the sunrise on the island and have a bird's eye view of the beautiful Bahamas Islands.
Take a boat trip to meet the world's cutest "pig", then swim closely with the chubby nurse sharks and feed the cool American iguanas.
The lizards on the Bahamas are ugly and look a bit scary, but they are really gentle. They are authentic vegetarians and are very satisfied with just some plant roots/fruits/petals/bread.
The mysterious white sand beach finally emerges in the sea. If you have enough time, you can jump directly from the yacht into the glass-like transparent sea water to swim or snorkel.
