In depth · Plan your trip
Before You Go: Bahamas Essentials
A few practical points make a Bahamas trip go smoothly, from how you reach your island to what to know if you arrive by boat.
Updated October 2026
Flying in
From Miami, American Airlines flies to Nassau several times a day and daily to Freeport, George Town, Marsh Harbour and North Eleuthera. From Fort Lauderdale, JetBlue and Western Air fly to Nassau every day, and Bahamasair, Aztec Airways, Tradewind Aviation and Tropic Ocean Airways reach the Out Islands on set days.
Many Out Islands connect through Nassau. If you change planes there, the official advice is to allow at least 1½ hours to clear immigration and customs before checking in at the domestic terminal.
Governor’s Harbour airport on Eleuthera closes from 1 October 2026 for a few months, according to Southern Air; fly to North Eleuthera or Rock Sound instead.
Island hopping in depth Airlines and ferries
Ferries, mail boats and your own boat
Bahamas Ferries sails from Potter’s Cay Dock in Nassau to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island and to Eleuthera, Abaco, Exuma and Freeport. The mail boats leave from the same dock; ask the dockmaster for the next sailing. From Florida, Baleària sails from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini and Freeport.
The Bahamas is about 50 nautical miles from Florida’s coast. If you arrive by private boat, apply and pay for your cruising permit online.
Parks and wildlife
The Bahamas National Trust looks after the national parks. In the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, the first land-and-sea park in the world, fishing, conching and shelling are prohibited, and boaters pay mooring fees. At Big Major Cay, look but don’t touch the swimming pigs, and follow the signs on the beach.
Hospitals
The main hospitals are in Nassau: Princess Margaret Hospital, the public hospital, and Doctors Hospital, a private hospital with a 24/7 emergency room. On Grand Bahama, Rand Memorial Hospital is in Freeport. On the Out Islands, ask your hotel where the nearest clinic is, and make sure your insurance covers medical evacuation.
Buying property
Foreign buyers can register the purchase of a home or condominium they will live in. A permit is needed for undeveloped land of two or more adjoining acres, or for property that will not be owner-occupied. Always use a Bahamian attorney.
Getting around and money
The Bahamas follows UK road rules, so drive on the left. Nassau and Grand Bahama have jitneys, public buses that run from about 6.30am to 7pm, and taxi fares are set by law.
The Bahamian dollar is kept at the same value as the US dollar, and both are accepted everywhere. Carry some cash on the Out Islands. Tipping is customary, usually 15 per cent, but many places add the gratuity to the bill.
Hurricane season runs from June to November.