Bahamas Tourist Destinations
The Bahamas is widely known as a tropical destination that combines pristine beaches, amazing diving, fishing, boating and surfing opportunities, authentically delicious Bahamian cuisine and fun, exotically entertaining nightspots, not to mention a wide array of exciting and diverse shopping experiences that the entire family will enjoy.
Bay Street, in the heart of downtown Nassau, is home to many upscale duty-free shops and various straw markets, which can usually be located between Rawson Square and the British Colonial Hilton and on the side streets leading of Bay Street. Located there is the famous Straw Market, which is the largest in the world. It offers visitors a variety of unique Bahamian crafts, straw hats, baskets, and more as well as a taste of the upbeat Bahamian culture. Atlantis Paradise Island is a large Bahamas resort made up of three towers and features the world’s largest outdoor aquarium, great beaches, adventure excursions for the whole family, as well as shops that house all the top fashion designers, house wares, jewelry and more.
The Crystal Court Shops, located inside the Atlantis Paradise Resort carries many top designer brands and offers a great selection of duty-free shopping. Duty-free merchandise has had no import tax added to the price and vendors pass these savings on to the customers. Prices on some duty-free merchandise can be as much as half what they are in the United States and include items such as perfumes, crystal, leather goods, jewelry, fine linens and photographic equipment. For information on duty-free shopping as well as general information on other great shopping spots on The Islands of The Bahamas, stop into Festival Place, located on Prince George Wharf, which serves as a welcome center and is also a great place to find authentic Bahamian souvenirs and craft items. Other destinations worth checking out are the two main shopping areas on Grand Bahama Island, which are the International Bazaar and the Port Lucaya Marketplace.
For those who want to try their luck at a little gambling, The Bahamas is home to some top-rated casinos. The Atlantis Casino, located in the Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, is the largest resort in the Caribbean, with more than 50,000 square feet of gaming excitement. Guests can enjoy 800 slot machines and 75 game tables, sports and race betting and a high-energy nightclub. Gamers may also want to check out the Crystal Palace Casino, located on West Bay Street, in the Wyndham Nassau Resort in Cable Beach. Wyndham’s casino features 687 slot machines and a full range of game tables, from blackjack to Caribbean poker to roulette. Sports fans should check out the Sports Book, a large space with 15 televisions and stadium seating for 90 people, or participate in some off-track betting at the Race Book. The casino is open day and night for round-the-clock gaming!
The Bahamas was once home to many pirates and now contains a museum/pub that pays
homage to them and their indelible impression on folk and popular culture. The Golden Age of Piracy was said to have lasted 30 years, from 1690 to 1720, and Nassau was at its heart. It was a tropical pirate paradise, considered the capital of piracy and was known as the capital of piracy. Allegedly the home of the infamous Blackbeard the Pirate, and was said to have attracted the greatest concentration of pirates ever seen in the New World.
The Marlborough Arms Pirate Pub features the Pirates of Nassau interactive pirate attraction in the heart of downtown Nassau. The year is 1716, and your adventure begins as you board a replica of the pirate ship ‘Revenge’ and enter the world of cutlass wielding, bloodthirsty pirates to the sounds of lapping water and rowdy ‘pirates’ celebrating in a nearby tavern. It’s been said that when a pirate slept he didn’t dream of going to heaven but instead to return to his favorite port of Nassau on New Providence Island. Now you can join them when you explore the Pirates of Nassau, a new interactive museum of piracy in the heart of historic downtown Nassau, which also features the Pirate Pub and an aarrgghh-some gift shop. Visit www.pirates-of-nassau.com for more information.
The Bahamas offers tourists many activities for the sightseer, such as The Bacardi Distillery in Carmichael Village. The Bacardi and Co. Ltd. Plant is a popular stop for visitors to New Providence Island. After a free distillery tour, sample the finished product in a variety of mixed cocktails, which are made by professional bartenders that are on staff just for this purpose! You can also check out the docking facility that house tanks that are filled with rum for transport to Europe for bottling and distribution.
Other destinations to check out are centuries-old gothic Christ Church Cathedral on George Street in Nassau and Compass Point Studios, in Love beach, Gambier Village. This studio has been favored by musicians as diverse as AC/DC, The B-52’s, Jimmy Buffet, julian Lennon, Tricky and Shania twain, to name a few. Other landmarks worth checking out include fort Charlotte, the Fort Fincastle and Water Tower, Government House and the traditional center for government in The Bahamas, Parliament Square.
As far as sightseeing excursions, a trip to The Bahamas wouldn’t be complete without a ride on the Bahamas Fast Ferries in Potter’s Cay, Nassau. If your trip to the Bahamas has you confined to one island, consider a Bahamas fast Ferries trip. The company runs a regular daily schedule of trips to several other islands, including the Eleutheras, Andros, the Exumas, Sandy Point, and Abaco, aboard their three state-of-the-art cruisers. If you have an open day in your trip, by all means book a Dayaway trip. The package includes hotle transfers, transportation to and from idyllic Harbour Island, a Bahamian lunch, a historic walking tour of the island’s main sights, and plenty of time for lounging on the famed pink sand beach. For more information call 242-323-2166.
You may also want to experience the Flying Cloud Catamaran Cruise, at the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, Paradise Island. The Flying Cloud, a 57-foot catamaran, sets sail for entertaining and exciting trips around Nassau Harbor. The half-day sail/snorkel adventure lasts about 3-1/2 hours, and features a high-speed sail to Rose Island where you can swim in the ocean, snorkel a nearby coral reef or just lounge on the beach. The evening sunset cruise offers a romantic view of the harbour and the city lights. All trips include round-trip hotel transfers, all necessary equipment and instruction. Call 242-363-4430 for cruise times and reservation information.
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