From the airport to the city centre Bahamas
Cab
. Upon arrival at Nassau Airport, there are numerous cabs available in front of the arrivals area to take you downtown. The fare is between US$25 and US$35. If you wish to book a cab, you can contact Bahamas Taxi Cabs (✆ +1 242 323 4555) or Meter Cabs (✆ +1 242 323 5111).Car Rental
. If you wish to rent a car upon arrival in Nassau, various counters are available:Dollar Rent A Car (✆ +1 242 377 7231), Avis (✆ +1 242 326 6380), Budget (✆ +1 242 377 7405), Hertz (✆ +1 242 377 8684).Inter-island airfare
. Within the archipelago, most air travel is from Nassau, which sometimes makes island hopping a bit complicated. However, there are a few regular cross-country flights as well as, of course, companies that offer small charter planes on demand. Here is the list of companies that offer inter-island flights and whose contact information you will find in this guide: Bahamasair, Western Air, Flamingo Air, Southern Air, Pineapple Air, Cherokee Air, Stella Maris Air, LeAir.
Good plan: the 2 Fly Free (read To Fly Free) is a program that literally allows you to fly for free within the archipelago from Nassau. You get free airfare from Nassau to any of the Family Islands when you stay at one of the partner hotels: 1 round-trip ticket (per room) for a stay of 4 to 6 nights; 2 round-trip tickets (per room) for a stay of 7 nights or more.
The Out Islands Tourism Promotion Office and its partner Majestic Holidays will be able to provide you with information. This attractive offer is also available from all approved tour operators.
Arrival by boat Bahamas
It is possible to reach the Bahamas by boat from the United States and even to move within the archipelago thanks to this means of transport. The trips are of course longer but the pleasure is different.
From Florida. The Margaritaville at sea company offers a cruise to Freeport, spending one night on the boat on the way out and one on the way back. It is also possible, thanks to the "Cruise & Stay" program, to stay for a while (from 4 to 6 nights) in Grand Bahama in one of the partner hotels. Subject to change, departure from West Palm Beach is at 5:00 p.m., arriving in Freeport at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. On the return trip, the boat leaves Freeport at 4:30 pm and arrives in West Palm Beach at 7 am
Inter-island ferry. Bahama Fast Ferries (✆ +1 242 323 2166 - www.bahamasferries.com - terminal and counters on Potter's Cay Dock, Nassau) are a safe and fairly quick way to reach some of the islands from Nassau: Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, Andros, Abaco, Grand Bahama Island, Exuma and Long Island. The rotations are regular, the transportation is fast and the schedules are respected. It is wise to reserve your seat in advance. To get to Harbour Island, Spanish Wells and Governor's Harbour on the BoHengy, count on US$155 to US$173 round trip per adult and US$108 to US$126 per child. For the other routes, count US$107 to US$130 per adult round trip and US$68 to US$91 per child from Nassau. Between Exuma and Long Island, and between Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, the cost is US$52 per adult and US$29 per child.
To get to the Abacos by sea, an archipelago hit hard by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the ports of Marsh Harbour and Coopers Town have been open and operational since early 2022, but there are still many freight-only routes until the global Covid pandemic is fully under control. From Nassau, Bahamas Ferry Services normally allows you to travel on a fully air-conditioned ferry, or you can board amailboat to several Abacos towns once a week (or more). From Grand Bahama Island, Pinder's Ferry operates twice a day, departing from McLean's Town in the east (US$60 one way). The islet of Castaway Cay is also operational, with Disney Cruise Line stopping there 4 days a week.
Mailboats.Mailboats are for some islands the only contact with the capital. They are used to deliver equipment and foodstuffs necessary for local life to the islands. A fleet of some twenty private boats, subsidized by the government, crisscross the waters of the archipelago with regular rotations making a weekly tour of all the islands, but with often erratic schedules. The mailboats can also take passengers on inter-island trips between Nassau and the other inhabited islands, which they do on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, usually at night. It is an inexpensive means of transportation, used more by Bahamians than by tourists. The trips are long, from 6 to 24 hours depending on the destination, the number of seats is limited, the conditions of comfort are rudimentary, with sometimes cabins of 4 to 6 passengers, but nevertheless a food service on board. The first to arrive are the first to embark. Departure from Potter's Cay, in Nassau
Public transport Bahamas
Public transport is poorly developed in the Bahamas. Buses, called here jitneys, run on the island of New Providence and Freeport between dawn and 7pm (even 8pm on long days). The single fare is US$1.25 per person. On the outer islands, there is no public transportation.
Bike, scooters & co Bahamas
Bicycle rental companies are usually located within the hotels, unless the hotels provide free bicycles. Bicycles are a practical means of transportation as long as the terrain is flat, but be careful not to be fooled by the distances: the islands are larger than they seem, and except for Bimini, Harbour Island, Hope Town and other small cays, it is difficult to cross them by pedal.
Scooters are also quite common on the islands. You will be asked for a deposit (credit card imprint) to deliver the two-wheeler, and of course you must be over 18 years old.
Since 2022, Bird scooter rentals are even available in Nassau
With a driver Bahamas
Travelling by taxi is very common on the islands, especially on the larger ones. Fares are officially set and therefore non-negotiable, and no official taxi is exempt from them. Consequently, there are no unpleasant surprises, even if the distances, sometimes long, quickly add up.
It can happen that an anonymous marauding driver, in Nassau in particular, offers his services at competitive rates, but as everywhere, it is at your own risk - although perils on the islands are rather rare...
By car Bahamas
As a result of the English heritage, one drives on the left side of the road in the Bahamas, regardless of the vehicle borrowed. The big international brands Avis and Hertz are present on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama Island (Freeport). On some islands, such as Eleuthera, you can rent a car from the locals. On others (Exuma, Long Island, Abaco in particular), you will use local companies. The vehicles are in good condition. It is necessary to count from 70 to 100 US$ per day. Standard formalities: driver's license, passport, credit card imprint.
The European driving license is valid for 3 months. Be careful, as the vehicles originate from the United States, the steering wheel is sometimes on the left, which complicates things a bit for visibility. However, don't panic, the speed is generally very low. In the smaller islands and cays
of the Out Islands (Harbour Island, Bimini, Hope Town or Green Turtle Cay), the car is replaced by the golf cart, a very popular means of transportation for locals and tourists alike; it can be rented for between US$ 55 and US$ 75 per day depending on the island and the service provider.Accessibility Bahamas
The archipelago is fairly easy to visit for a person with reduced mobility as most of the trips are made by plane or car. In addition, many hotels have specially equipped rooms.
