Bahamas holidays

Holiday highlights

Scattered across some 3000 islands, cays and islets, this staggeringly beautiful archipelago is a picture of paradise itself.

And as a holiday utopia, the Bahamas is geared up for little else other than spoiling and entertaining those lured to these dreamy island by the vision of a worldly paradise. Vibrant Nassau is the nation’s gateway, occupying much of the eastern half of the island of New Providence. Most tourists make a beeline for the island’s beaches and upscale resorts, or cross the causeway to neighbouring Paradise Island – home to the iconic and word famous Atlantis, Paradise Island.

When exploring the city of Nassau, a feature hard to miss are the frequent berths of the giant cruise ships that patrol the Caribbean. Up to seven of these behemoths can dock at any one time, disgorging their passengers into the city to enjoy the bohemian atmosphere, duty free shopping and other entertainment or sightseeing attractions.

A beautiful island fringed by the purest white sands and tranquil, turquoise seas, Paradise Island is perfect for those looking for absolutely everything whilst on their holiday to the Caribbean. Decadent Atlantis, Paradise Island and neighbouring sister-resort, The Cove Atlantis, are host to enormous lagoon swimming pools, endless dining and entertainment and even an innovative marine habitat and exciting water park. Should you prefer to stay at one of the more sedate, lower key resorts, then be sure to still visit the complex and tour its fabulous aquarium (local charge). Known as ‘The Dig’, this breathtaking manmade marine habitat is the Caribbean’s largest and theatrically themed around the archaeological ruins of the fabled city of Atlantis.

For a touch of refinement away from the heady locale of Atlantis, the luxurious One&Only Ocean Club is an indulgent choice for those most discerning of travellers and Paradise Island also hosts a golf course and a casino.

Centuries of maritime trade, piracy and warfare have left a litany of wrecks, including Spanish galleons. There are endless reefs and lagoons teeming with marine life, exciting sea caves and wall dives and the Bahamas is also perhaps the shark diving capital of the world.