The main reason why people visit the Bahamas islands is to enjoy the beaches. Their beaches offer beautiful sights of endless stretches of white sand and turquoise waters that give the visitors a true feeling of being in a tropical paradise.
Tourists can either choose to visit a private beach in a resort or go teaming with other visitors on the public beaches. Either way, they are assured to have the ideal holiday on the coastal shores. There are literally dozens of beaches that can be found on the Bahamas islands.
Choosing the best beach in the Bahamas is a nearly impossible task since each beach seems like the most beautiful beach ever. Moreover, each beach can be a great relaxation area but it will depend on the needs of the tourist. Some beaches offer showers, free parking, shopping, and dining areas. Others are almost abandoned with no amenities.
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– Best beaches to visit in Florida
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This article shows some of the best beaches available for tourists when vacationing in the Bahamas. So, read on and enjoy planning your dream vacation.
Best Beaches in Bahamas MAP
Here we go: 7 Best beaches in Bahamas
Pink Sands Beach
Located on Harbor Island, this beach is one of the most beautiful and unusual beaches in the world. Just like its name, it is known for its beautiful stretch of pink beaches that are a result of a marine animal called Foraminifera. Its red shell crushes and mixes with the white sand producing a pink color.
The beach stretches for around 3 miles which makes it an ideal spot for taking a stroll depending on the tide. It provides stable walking conditions due to its firm and leveled sand during the low tide. Some of the resorts offer flat-tired beach bicycles for visitors to ride and have enjoyable beach cruising.
The best time to go for a stroll on the beach is at sunrise and sunset. During this time, the contrast between the sky, sea, and sand is at its peak. The beach offers a beautiful view as the sunlight clashes with the pink sand.
Pink Sands Beach is a perfect place for sunbathing and swimming in the warm crystal-clear water. Visitors can visit the many numerous resorts and enjoy maximum relaxation. Sightseers can also enjoy different activities such as snorkeling, fishing, and swimming.
Moreover, the beach has exciting nightlife. When planning a one-day trip, this is the ideal beach to visit. However, luxurious accommodation around the beach allows tourists to enjoy this beautiful location for a week or longer.
Pigs Beach
Something else to fall in love with in the Bahamas is the Bahamas swimming pigs. These pigs are one of the major tourist attractions in the Bahamas with many stories behind how the pigs got to end up at that beach. People travel from all over the world to enjoy the tropical turquoise sea while they swim with the pigs.
This beach is located in the Exumas of southern Bahama, in Big Major Cay just north of Staniel Cay. Since there are no inhabitants on the island except for the famous pigs, there are not many activities to do on the beach. Visitors who come to visit the beach come to relax in the sunshine as they feed the pigs and pet them while taking photos.
There are a few rules visitors should follow while feeding the pigs. First, the pigs should only be fed with the approved food and you should not feed them directly from your hands. Visitors are always advised to respect the animals and not to provoke them. It is also prohibited to feed the pigs while on the beach. Instead, one should feed them while in the water.
Other than the swimming pigs, there are other exotic species such as sea turtles, puffer fish, and reef sharks. Visitors can go pet the sharks at Compass Cay or set off snorkeling and diving.
Cabbage Beach, Paradise Island
One of the best beaches in the Bahamas can be found in the capital of the country. This beach is found on Paradise Island. It stretches almost over the whole northern edge and can be accessed through various hotels located on the beach. It is accessible by foot, road or boat. It is a public beach that is open daily.
Cabbage Beach offers beautiful sights of crystal-clear water, soft white sands, and a lively atmosphere with a lot of activities to engage the visitors at the near end of the beach. For individuals who love a quiet serene atmosphere away from the crowds, they can visit the northwestern end of the beach because it is more isolated.
For visitors who love watersports, Cabbage Beach is the ideal destination. Offshore waters are always busy with jet skis and boats pulling parasailers. To participate in these activities, all you have to do is rent your gear.
For first-timers, you can hire tandem boats with a driver or you can ask for lessons before rolling across the waves for an exciting ride. Cabbage Beach has unpredictable weather, especially during the winter. Thus, it is advisable to swim in the designated areas where lifeguards are present.
Afternoon sunbathing is a popular activity at Cabbage Beach. Deck chairs are available for rent from resorts. Vendors are often stopping by to offer visitors drinks, snacks, and umbrellas as they enjoy the afternoon on the sand.
Tropic of Cancer Beach
A visit to the Bahamas is not complete without a chance to visit The Tropic of Cancer Beach, a strip of sand that brings a lot of visitors to the Exumas. Also known as Pelican Beach, it draws its name from the imaginary Tropic of Cancer meridian line located at 23 degrees latitude. The meridian line runs along a set of stairs that lead towards the beach.
The beach boasts of white-powder sand that runs along the translucent blue-green water. It is the longest and prettiest beach in the Exuma chain. Visitors from all over the world travel here to swim and sunbathe on the white sands.
One of the main advantages of this beach over others is that the beach always remains quiet and tranquil since it is very hard to find. Anytime when visiting this beach visitors are likely to enjoy the powdery sands alone. This also means that when visiting the beach, people have to bring their own food and snorkeling gear.
The beach is also perfect for taking photos of the Tropic of Cancer line painted on the steps and clear waters filled with colorful fish. When visiting the beach, it is advisable to ask the local resident for directions. The beach is about a 30-minute drive from George Town on Great Exuma and it is advisable to hire a vehicle suitable for rough roads to get there.
Cable Beach, Nassau
Located west of the city, Cable Beach is the most popular beach on New Province Island. The beach is ideal for visitors wanting to escape the life of the country’s capital, Nassau. The beach is known for its white sand, crystal-clear water, and lively establishments on the beachfront.
Finding a resort to stay at the beach is easy since most of the revelers on the beach are guests. Vendors offering umbrellas, cold drinks, and souvenirs are always ready and waiting for visitors on the beach. While sitting at the beach you can enjoy the tropical music being played in the hotel bars by world-class DJs or local musicians.
The beach has many luxurious resorts for visitors, too. Those staying in the resorts can walk into the cool waters straight from their rooms. People coming to visit the beach during the day can take a walk on the white sand and spend the day relaxing at the edge of the water.
The shallow water remains warm throughout the year making it a perfect beach for swimming. The beach offers safe swimming conditions, therefore, families can enjoy their holiday without the constant worry of their children.
It is advisable to use umbrellas offered by the vendors since the hot sun will make it uncomfortable to stay at the beach for long. Visitors who are interested in going diving or snorkeling will find vendors who will provide the necessary equipment at the shore. What’s more, charter boats are available for hire to take visitors fishing.
Taino Beach, Grand Bahama
This beach is set on the southern coast of the island of Grand Bahama. It is located near the cruise port which makes it a popular meeting point and thus the beach can get very busy.
To enjoy the extra comfort, it is advisable to visit the beach really early before it gets busy. For tourists who enjoy people-watching, then Taino Beach is the right place to be.
If you are active body person, there are a lot of activities to do on this beach, too. There is kayaking, snorkeling, and paddle boarding, among others. It is also ideal for renting lounge chairs and an umbrella, then going down to the beach and soaking up the sun with cocktails and a good book.
There are excellent water views where you can take photos of the pretty beaches as you walk around the wooden piers. There is a floating playground at the beach where children can play as they dive into the ocean. Local dishes such as fried fish and conch salad are available at restaurants around the beach.
Another popular activity a tourist can enjoy is going beachcombing. Also, there are dancing rituals and contests that tourists can participate in as they enjoy bonfires keeping them warm during the night.
Junkanoo Beach, Nassau
Looking for a rich nightlife scene but don’t want to stay in another busy city? Set just about 10 minutes from central Nassau, there is Junkanoo Beach – a popular spot for all partygoers from the Bahamas as well as from abroad.
It was named after an annual event called Junkanoo, which is a parade with music, dance, and costumes that takes place there every December. But don’t let us fool you, it’s fun also outside of the festival – there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and clubs all around the beach.
However, the party isn’t the only thing this beach is famous for – it also boasts clean, turquoise waters, soft sand, and spectacular sunsets.
What’s more, it’s definitely worth visiting even if you happen to stop at Nassau with a cruise ship for just a few hours. Junkanoo Beach is just a fifteen-minute walk from the port and is, therefore, just perfect for an afternoon chill with some music in the background and a drink.
Other amazing beaches in the Bahamas to visit
Here are a few more Bahamas beaches to consider:
- Long Island’s Love Beaches
- Gold Rock Beach
- Treasure Cay Beach
- Tahiti Beach
- French Leave Beach
- Ten Bay Beach
- Dean’s Blue Hole
Why visit the Bahamas?
There are more than 700 islands and 2000 cays that make up the archipelago of the Bahamas, most of which are inhabited. This means that there is no shortage of amazing beaches to go enjoy while on vacation in the Caribbean.
There are many more islands to be discovered in the Bahamas which gives the Bahamas more tourist destinations yet to be explored. The Bahamas perfectly capture what it entails as the perfect Caribbean destination – powdery sand beaches offer breathtaking scenery for visitors.
Coral shelves and walls near the shore cater to visitors interested in underwater explorations. On top of that, the ocean offers calm conditions for many activities, such as paddle boarding and kayaking.
The clean and unspoiled nature of the beaches has been a continuing attraction for tourists who return many times. For people who like to travel, the Bahamas should be the number one destination on their bucket list.