Bahamas
What to do in Nassau?
What to do in
Nassau
The Bahamas is a beautiful destination. Unfortunately, this destination has one major drawback: the price. And we’re not just talking about the accommodation. Because an excursion in this paradise will also cost you a lot of money. Still, we did a few fun excursions from the main island of Nassau. We would like to share these excursions with you.
1 Downtown Nassau
While downtown Nassau may not be that interesting, this can still be a fun excursion. This is because here are some (tourist) stores where you can buy a nice souvenir. Be careful, this neighborhood is cozy but very touristy. And that’s mainly because of the many cruise ships that dock at this spot. You can visit downtown by cab or take one of the local buses. For this bus, also sometimes called Jitney, you pay $2 per ride.
2 The pigs at Exuma beach
Exuma Beach is where you can witness the swimming pigs. But unfortunately, this excursion from Nassau is very expensive. For example, for a guided day tour you pay about 350 euros per person. And unfortunately, that is currently the only way to visit these little pigs from Nassau. Do you decide to take this tour anyway? Then don’t expect too much from it. According to sources, the pigs sometimes bite.
3 Water activities
As in almost every tourist region on the coast, you can find a whole range of water activities. For example, you can paddle, kayak, jet ski and even water ski. These water activities are also not that cheap, for example for half an hour on the jet ski you easily pay 120 euros. Some hotels do give you a free kayak and paddle board at your disposal.
4 Aquaventure Oasis in Atlantis
With Aquaventure Oasis at Atlantis, Nassau also has a real water park. This water park, located at the Atlantis Hotel, is worth a day trip. With more than 9 slides, 2 river rides and a wide range of pools. Again, unfortunately, the price is not cheap. In fact, you pay $168 for a day ticket and $102 for a child under 12. If you are staying at this hotel, you do have free use of the facilities.
5 Snorkeling Tour
A snorkeling tour is a common and also affordable excursion in Nassau. In most cases, you go out to sea on a catamaran and get to spend an hour snorkeling above some beautiful reefs. Unfortunately, in our experience, this is not entirely without danger. Of course, the choice is entirely up to you. For half a day of snorkeling, you pay about 80 euros per person. Drinks included.
6 Rum tour
As on almost every island in the Caribbean, rum has an important role. In the rum tour you will pass all the important places related to the making of this alcoholic drink. Do make sure you have eaten enough before this tour, as you will be able to taste at different places. You can book this tour online or at your hotel. The prices of these tours vary from day to day. The cheapest days are those when there is no cruise ship docking (although these days are rare).
7 Relax by the pool or beach
If you book a hotel in Nassau you also have a nearly 90 percent chance of having a pool at your hotel. Using the pool and relaxing is therefore one of the activities in the Bahamas. Tired of the pool? Then you can also visit one of the pearly white beaches. This may sound like a simple tip, but then again, this is the main activity in the Bahamas.
8 Gambling at a casino
You can actually compare the big hotels in Nassau to the big hotels in Las Vegas. You can gamble fiercely there. Something that is fun as long as you have set a budget that you respect that budget. Know your limits. For us, this was a fun regular evening activity. You can even sign up for the savings program for free at the Grand Hyatt Bahamar Resort where you will then receive $50 in gambling credits. Normally this is enough for some fun when staying for a week.
9 Cooking class with the locals
Do you love to cook or want to connect with locals? Then this is an excursion you absolutely should not miss. Because in this guided 3-hour tour, you will learn to make a local dish at a local’s home. Often this is a dish with fish or a dessert. Feast assured! Also, like everything else in the Bahamas, this tour is not cheap. You pay about 112 euros per person for such a tour. You can book this tour through getyourgide or you can ask info at your hotel (not every hotel offers this).
10 Island hopping
The Bahamas, of course, is much larger than Nassau alone. So island hopping to one of the nearby islands is definitely a must do. You can book a tour at your hotel. But you can also go downtown and look at the local ferries. From Nassau, the main boat trips are to Rose Island and Paradise Island (these are also fairly affordable). If you want to go a little further already, to Grand Bahama for example, you pay more. You can also be taken to a private island, but prices for such a trip only start from 250 euros per person.