You booked your hotel at The Bahamas and decided you are going to have a vacation of a lifetime, but have you thought about how you are going to get around The Bahamas? You may want to walk everywhere, but this is often easier said than done, and it’s not always possible.
So, what is the best way to travel around The Bahamas with relative ease?
How to get around in The Bahamas:
Bahamas by Car
If you happen to live in the UK and you have a full UK driving licence, you can hire a car using your licence. You have to be at least 25 years old before you can rent a car and you are pretty much good to go. Not a lot of people are aware that British driving rules apply in The Bahamas, and it is just like driving in the UK. However, there does tend to be a lot less traffic around, which can take some getting used to.
The roads may not be in the best condition, and neither may your rental car if you are hiring one from a company in the Out Islands. Rent a from Providence Island for the best quality car and roads.
Do not forget to take at least two forms of identification with you to rent a car, as it is likely you will be asked for both.
Bahamas by Plane:
Bahamasair is the national airline of The Bahamas and they serve all 12 islands, with an impressive 19 airports. Some of the Out Islands have airstrips, and many of them can be reached via Nassau.
However, if you can take a ferry to an Out Island, you may find it so much easier than trying to fly, because airports tend to be very busy, and there is usually some uncertainty with a plane’s schedule. In other words, unless you really need to get on a plane and travel between the Out Islands you may want to think about using another form of transportation.
Bahamas by Taxi:
If you love to travel by taxi you will love your time in The Bahamas. There are a lot of taxi’s around and they are usually not too expensive. If you expect to be travelling in a taxi for an hour, you should be prepared to pay approximately $30. When travelling around one of the Out Islands you will find taxi’s at the airports, but you are unlikely to find them anywhere else, apart from the occasional marina.
Taxi’s on Out Islands are not always in tip-top condition, which means you could be in for a bumpy ride, especially if your hotel is in the middle of nowhere!
Bahamas by Mail Boat:
If you would like nothing more than to enjoy a bit of an adventure, you should consider travelling by mail boat. This form of transportation is one of the only ways that the locals could reach the Out Islands unless they have their own boat. If you have a lot of time on your hands, and you do not need to be somewhere anytime soon, then the mail boat could be perfect for you.
You should be aware that you could be travelling across the waters with live chickens on board, some rum, and just about anything and everything else. The mail boats tend to be quite colourful, and although they are not the best-kept boats in the world, they are capable of servicing all 30 of the Out Islands.
Mail boats depart from Potters Cay in Nassau, and from Prince George Wharf, so hop aboard if you have the chance. Trips across the waters can last up to 4 ½ hours, and some may even last all through the night, so it is worth checking the schedules. If you do travel overnight, there are beds on board for first class passengers and a space on the deck for second class passengers. At $55 per person for a one-way ticket, a trip on a mail boat is an adventure that is well worth taking.
Bahamas by Bicycle:
Some of the best places to visit are accessable by bicycle. Most hotels and popular tourist centres rent bicycles. However, you should be warned that the roads on the Out Islands are not always as smooth and easy to ride on as you may like. You may, therefore, want to stick to riding a bike on the mainland, and cycle on the left-hand side of the road just as you would in the UK.
One of the great things about spending time in The Bahamas is that you have a great choice as to how you can travel around the mainland and some of the Out Islands. This means that you do not need to book any form of transportation until you get there, and it also means you can travel any way you please. Hire a bicycle for an afternoon, spend the night on board the Mail Boat, and hire a car the next day so you can go and explore all that The Bahamas has to offer.
Save this article for later ⇟
