The back story
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Island guide
Nassau & Paradise Island: the original Caribbean destination
The capital, its forts and markets, and Paradise Island across the bridge, home of Atlantis and The Ocean Club.
Island guide · the capital and its island
Nassau & Paradise Island: Our Favourites
Nassau and Paradise Island in one page: forts and the Queen’s Staircase, the Fish Fry, Graycliff and Atlantis, The Ocean Club, marinas and hospitals.
What's onThis week in The Bahamas
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What to see and do
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The 66 steps
Queen’s Staircase & Fort Fincastle
The 66 steps cut from solid limestone in 1793–94 to link Fort Fincastle with the town.
Elizabeth Avenue South, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The largest fort on New Providence
Fort Charlotte
The biggest of Nassau’s forts, on a 100-acre hilltop a mile west of downtown.
West Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The marching flamingos
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Centre
Tropical gardens and a boutique zoo with more than 135 animals, famous for the flamingos, the national bird.
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Slides, rapids and dolphins
Aquaventure & Dolphin Cay
The Atlantis water park with a mile-long river ride, and Dolphin Cay, a 14-acre marine habitat.
Atlantis, One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Paradise Island’s long beach
Cabbage Beach
A long Paradise Island beach for water-skiing, snorkelling and parasailing.
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The resort beach
Cable Beach
Two miles of beach in front of Baha Mar, the golf course and the casino.
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Bahamian art, old and new
National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (NAGB)
The national art museum, in the restored Villa Doyle, collecting historic and contemporary Bahamian art.
West & West Hill Streets, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The pirate era, brought to life
Pirates of Nassau Museum
A themed museum of the pirate era, with recreated battles and the stories of the pirates and the men who fought them.
King & George Streets, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Nassau’s oldest house
Balcony House Museum
An 18th-century wooden Loyalist-style house, believed to be Nassau’s oldest standing residence.
Market Street off Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Slavery and emancipation
Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation
A museum in historic Vendue House, named after Pompey, an enslaved man on the Rolle plantation in Exuma.
Vendue House, Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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A landmark of old Nassau
Government House
One of the landmarks of downtown Nassau, beside Graycliff.
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Thirty-plus attractions on the beach
Baha Bay
Baha Mar’s beachfront water park on 15 acres, with more than 30 attractions and a lazy river.
Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Dolphins, sea lions and a lagoon
Blue Lagoon Island
A private-island day out three miles north-east of Nassau, home to Dolphin Encounters.
Salt Cay, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Taste your way round downtown
Tru Bahamian Food Tours
A three-hour guided tasting and culture walk through historic downtown Nassau.
George & King Streets, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The town beach
Junkanoo Beach
The beach a few minutes’ walk from the cruise dock, joining Arawak Cay and Long Wharf.
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Junkanoo up close
Educulture Junkanoo Museum
A mini museum and resource centre for Junkanoo, with costume pieces, instruments and the story of the parades.
31 West Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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A cathedral since 1861
Christ Church Cathedral
Nassau’s Anglican cathedral, built in 1841 on the site of the islands’ earliest church and a cathedral since 1861.
George Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Founded by Scottish settlers
St Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk
The Kirk founded by 55 Scottish settlers in 1798, the second-oldest church building on New Providence.
Princess Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The only Jack Nicklaus course in the Bahamas
The Royal Blue Golf Club
Baha Mar’s 18-hole, par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature course, designed as two courses in one.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
Where to eat
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Jean-Georges on the beach
DUNE by Jean-Georges
The Ocean Club’s beachfront restaurant, with an international menu of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s signature dishes.
The Ocean Club, One Ocean Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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A mansion and a legendary cellar
Graycliff Restaurant
Fine dining in an 18th-century colonial mansion next to Government House, with one of the region’s best-known wine cellars.
West Hill Street, P.O. Box N-10246, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Tucked behind Parliament Square
Café Matisse
An Italian restaurant on Bank Lane, behind Parliament Square, for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.
Bank Lane, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The Atlantis seafood flagship
Fish by José Andrés
José Andrés’s seafood restaurant at Atlantis, part of a line-up that also includes Nobu and Michael White.
Atlantis, One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Marcus Samuelsson on Cable Beach
Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House
Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s beachfront restaurant at Baha Mar, with the Marcus Up Top rooftop bar above.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Where Nassau eats Bahamian
Fish Fry at Arawak Cay
A strip of colourful vendors on the Western Esplanade cooking conch salad, fried fish and Bahamian dishes to order.
Western Esplanade, West Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The first specialty coffee in the Bahamas
Louis & Steen’s Market Orléans
A specialty coffee house and small food hall pairing serious coffee with family Cajun-Creole recipes.
Windsor Field Road, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Make your own chocolate
Graycliff Chocolatier
The chocolate workshop on the Graycliff estate, with chocolate-making classes.
West Hill Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Daniel Boulud on Cable Beach
Café Boulud
Daniel Boulud’s French restaurant at Rosewood Baha Mar, named after his family’s café outside Lyon.
One Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The Tuscan butcher’s steakhouse
Carna by Dario Cecchini
A contemporary Italian steakhouse at SLS Baha Mar, led by the Tuscan butcher Dario Cecchini.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Sushi and robata by Katsuya Uechi
Katsuya
Master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi’s Japanese restaurant at SLS Baha Mar, in a Philippe Starck interior.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Pizza and beer, or a classic Bordeaux
Mahogany House
The Island House’s main restaurant, where simple is good: from pizza in flip-flops to a classic Bordeaux.
Mahogany Hill, Western Road, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Dinner on the Kamalame Terrace
Sapodilla Estate
A West Bay Street estate restaurant, with four dining rooms hung with Bahamian art and a terrace under the stars.
657 West Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Fish from the Sea of Japan
Sushi Rokkan
An intimate sushi restaurant with fish flown in from the Sea of Japan and the Atlantic and Pacific, and a long sake list.
Old Fort Town Center, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Steaks with a Bahamian twist
Bahamian Club
Atlantis’s club-style dinner restaurant for steaks, chicken and grilled seafood.
Atlantis, One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
Where to stay
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The legend of Paradise Island
The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort
The resort that opened in 1962 on an eight-kilometre beach, with 35 acres of Versailles-inspired gardens and a French cloister.
One Ocean Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Rosewood on Cable Beach
Rosewood Baha Mar
Rosewood’s resort at Baha Mar, with Sense, A Rosewood Spa, and a Sunday flamingo yoga class.
One Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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A resort town of its own
Atlantis Paradise Island
Hotel towers, the Aquaventure water park, Dolphin Cay, a casino, a superyacht marina and dozens of restaurants.
One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Old Nassau’s colonial mansion
Graycliff Hotel
Sixteen rooms in a historic colonial mansion beside Government House, with two pools and the famous restaurant.
West Hill Street, P.O. Box N-10246, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The lively one at Baha Mar
SLS Baha Mar
SLS’s beachfront resort at Baha Mar, with flamingo encounters, cabanas and access to the Baha Bay water park.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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A hilltop garden hotel
The Island House
A boutique hotel and gathering place in an eight-acre hilltop garden, with a Bamford Spa and an art-house cinema.
Mahogany Hill, Western Road, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
Bars and nightlife
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Martini flights at The Ocean Club
Martini Bar and Lounge
The Ocean Club’s lounge for custom martinis, martini flights and bar bites, with afternoon high tea.
The Ocean Club, One Ocean Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Fine spirits at Rosewood
Manor Bar
Rosewood Baha Mar’s adults-only bar, for fine spirits and a bar-snack menu.
One Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Bahamian rum where it is made
John Watling’s Distillery
Small-batch Bahamian rum on a downtown estate established in 1789, with guided tours, a cocktail bar and a rum academy.
17 Delancy Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The big night out at Atlantis
Aura Nightclub
A 9,000 sq ft nightclub at Atlantis with resident dancers, visiting DJs, bottle service and VIP parlours.
Atlantis, One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Rooftop views over Cable Beach
Skybar
An open-air, ivy-covered rooftop lounge above SLS Baha Mar.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Named for the pirate-chaser
Woodes Rogers Tavern
The martini bar at the British Colonial, with live jazz at weekends and an outdoor fire pit.
British Colonial, 1 Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Glass sculptures and poolside gaming
Atlantis Casino
The casino at Atlantis, under glass sculptures and skylights, with tournaments through the year.
Atlantis, One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, The BahamasExplore View on map
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DJ Fridays on the harbour
The Green Parrot
A harbourside bar and grill on East Bay Street, with a DJ on Friday nights and live music at weekends.
East Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
Shopping
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Bahamian straw work
Straw Market
Nassau’s famous straw market, for handmade straw work, crafts and souvenirs.
Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Fine watches on Bay Street
John Bull
The Bay Street house of fine watches and jewellery, with branches at Baha Mar, Atlantis and Harbour Bay.
284 Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
Health
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The only ESPA in the Bahamas
ESPA at Baha Mar
The first flagship ESPA spa in the Caribbean and the only ESPA in The Bahamas.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The main public hospital
Princess Margaret Hospital
The country’s main public hospital, with an Accident & Emergency department.
Shirley Street, P.O. Box N-3730, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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24/7 emergency room
Doctors Hospital
A private hospital in central Nassau with a 24/7 emergency room and its own ambulance and EMT team.
#1 Collins Avenue & Shirley Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Organic calm on the hill
Bamford Spa at The Island House
The Bamford Spa at The Island House, alongside Pilates studios, a sauna and a cold plunge.
Mahogany Hill, Western Road, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Walk-in care at the resort
Doctors Hospital @ Baha Mar
Doctors Hospital’s walk-in urgent-care and primary-care centre at Baha Mar, open daily including holidays.
1 Baha Mar Boulevard, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
Getting there and marinas
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Megayachts from 50 to 250 ft
Albany Marina
A 71-slip megayacht marina at the Albany resort community.
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194 slips in the east
Palm Cay Marina
A full-service marina of 194 slips with fuel, a dockside café and a restaurant.
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Downtown berths
Bay Street Marina
A downtown marina on East Bay Street, monitoring VHF 16.
East Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
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The main gateway
Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS)
The country’s main international airport, and the hub for flights on to the Out Islands.
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67 slips opposite Harbour Bay
Nassau Harbour Club Marina
A 67-slip marina on East Bay Street for boats up to 150 ft.
East Bay Street, Nassau, New Providence, The BahamasExplore View on map
Questions and answers
How do you get to Paradise Island from Nassau?
Paradise Island is connected to Nassau by bridge across Nassau Harbour.
Where is the airport?
Lynden Pindling International Airport is on New Providence, west of downtown Nassau.
Share your Nassau & Paradise Island tips
Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.
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