21 Best Things to Do in the Bahamas — Snorkeling, Island Hopping, and Rum Sipping Included

These are the best things to do in the Bahamas, from Nassau to the Out Islands.

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The Bahamas’ nearly 700 islands and cays sit surrounded by unbelievably blue water. Getting here is also a breeze; there are 20 airports plus ferry service from Florida. The hardest part of planning your trip to the Bahamas is choosing between so many beautiful locations. Do you stick to the main tourist hotspots like Nassau, Grand Bahama Island, and Bimini, or head to the Out Islands and visit the Abacos, the Berry Islands, Cat Island, Eleuthera, and the Exumas? Wherever you end up, there are plenty of inviting resorts, pristine beaches with white (and pink!) sand, and warm, clear water.

“Besides the beaches, there is so much beauty to explore — perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors and adventures,” says influencer and Eleuthera local Maradona Tinker (@bahamamara). “There [are] all kinds of cute little watering holes and blue holes you can discover.”

Pack your swimsuit and reef-safe sunscreen and start planning your trip with this guide to 21 of the best things to do in the Bahamas.

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• See colorful reefs and tropical fish while snorkeling or diving around sites like Andros Barrier Reef, the third largest in the world.
• Go for a wine tasting and blend your own bottle to take home at Bahama Barrels, a winery inside a 1930s church.
• Yes, $30 for a quesadilla may sound crazy, but Sip Sip’s lobster quesadilla will be the best you’ve ever had.
• Take a food tour of Nassau and try Bahamian dishes like conch fritters, baked macaroni and cheese, and rum cake.
• The Bahamas has hundreds of blue holes, or underwater cave systems, where you can swim in water that’s more than 600 feet deep.

Go snorkeling or scuba diving.

The clear blue depths of the Bahamas are perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. The warm Caribbean Sea is filled with colorful reefs, tropical fish, and thriving marine life, and floating along the surface or diving below is a must on any Bahamas visit. Top snorkel and dive sites include the Andros Barrier Reef, the third largest in the world, Devil’s Backbone, which is just north of Eleuthera, and marine reserve Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.

Become a winemaker for a day at Bahama Barrels.

Wine may not be the first drink you associate with the Bahamas, but in Nassau, you can take a wine blending class with a California winemaker and create your own bottle of wine at Bahama Barrels — inside a circa 1937 church, no less. This is one of the most unique things you can do in the Bahamas, and you’ll get to taste plenty of wines (for inspiration, of course) during the process.

Eat a $30 lobster quesadilla at Sip Sip.

Sip Sip — local slang for “gossip” — was a go-to lunch spot overlooking the pink-sand beaches of Harbour Island. The family-owned joint closed after a long run serving fresh Bahamian fare, but the tradition lives on at a Sip Sip location at Marina Village at Atlantis. Order the ultra-popular lobster quesadilla — it’s the best $30 you’ll ever spend on a quesadilla.

Take a food tour.

Put your tastebuds in the hand of a local guide on a tour of Nassau with Tru Bahamian Food Tours and sample Bahamian fare like conch fritters, baked macaroni and cheese, peas and rice, and rum cake. You’ll even get to take home recipes shared with you by the chefs, artisans, and small business owners you meet around the island.

Swim or dive into blue holes.

While swimming in the caves of Lucayan National Park is prohibited, there are some caves where you can take a dip. The Bahamas has hundreds of blue holes, or underwater cave systems, most of which are concentrated on and around Andros. These mystical natural features are shrouded in Bahamian legend. Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island, which is surrounded by a stunning beach, is the third-deepest in the world at 663 feet; at Hoffman’s Cay Blue Hole in the Berry Islands, you can jump off a 20-foot cliff into the inky blue waters below.

See the world’s largest underwater statue.

The Bahamas has no shortage of incredible diving and snorkeling spots, but Ocean Atlas, the world’s largest underwater statue, is one of its most thrilling. Crafted by British-Guyanese sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, Ocean Atlas is located off the western coast of New Providence (the same island where Nassau, the capital, is located). It’s only 16 feet submerged, so snorkelers and divers alike can enjoy swimming around this piece of art. The statue depicts a young girl carrying the weight of the ocean above her as a nod to the Greek myth of Atlas, who was condemned to hold up the heavens for eternity.

Do the Leap of Faith at Aquaventure at Atlantis Paradise Island.

Atlantis Paradise Island is perhaps the most famous resort in the Bahamas; even Prince William and Princess Kate stayed there in 2022. However, 90s kids know the massive hotel for another reason: “Holiday in the Sun.” Recreate your Mary Kate and Ashley dreams by tackling the 60-foot, near-vertical water slide drop from atop the pyramid. Immediately following the terrifying descent, you’re rewarded with a quick shoot through a clear underwater tunnel with marine life swimming around you.

Go deep-sea fishing.

People travel from all over the world to go deep-sea fishing in the Bahamas. The Abacos in the northern Bahamas in particular offer some of the best fishing in the world thanks to their prime location along major migration routes. Depths drop to 5,000 feet just a half-hour boat ride away from land, so avid anglers can more easily hook lunkers like sailfish, marlin, and wahoo.

Visit Garden of the Groves.

Alannah Vellacott, a Grand Bahama Island native and coral restoration specialist at Coral Vita coral farm, recommends Garden of the Groves. A botanical garden located in Grand Bahama, Garden of the Groves has trails, a labyrinth, waterfalls, fountains, and even a hilltop chapel; expect to see both indigenous and migratory birds and butterflies in a rainbow of colors. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, or a snack break overlooking the waterfalls at their cafe.

Go bonefishing in the Out Islands.

The Out Islands are home to some of the best bonefishing in the world, with miles of flats and seagrass beds forming the ideal habitat for bonefish big and small. In fact, the schools of bonefish in the Bahamas are so large that when they kick up sand from the bottom while feeding, it’s visible from a plane. Sam Teicher, Coral Vita’s co-founder and “Chief Reef Officer,” recommends booking with H20Bonefishing. “It’s run by Jason Franklin, who also owns Bones Bar [in Freeport]. He is one of the best bonefishing guides around. Where he takes you (north side, east end, etc.) depends on the weather.”

Check out the Freeport Fish Fry.

Gator Halpern, co-founder and president of Coral Vita, recommends the Freeport Fish Fry for a fun cultural experience in the Bahamas. The weekly event, held each Wednesday from 6 p.m. on Smith’s Point Beach, sees restaurants and vendors selling plates of fried fish, rice and peas, and baked macaroni and cheese. “You’ll eat lots of local fresh seafood … [one spot] has a circular bar called Gullywash. Be sure to step inside and have a laugh looking at the drink names on the wall,” he says. “Get there by 6:30 p.m. for the full food options.”

Tack a bill to the wall at The Dollar Bar.

Head to The Dollar Bar at the Green Turtle Club to listen to house band the Gully Roosters, sip a Tipsy Turtle Rum Punch, and join in the tradition of tacking a dollar to the storied walls. The walls have been covered with autographed bills since the club’s opening; retired World War II fighter pilots used to leave signed bills so friends who visited the club in the future could have a drink “on them.” Even former President Jimmy Carter signed one.

Sunbathe on a pink sand beach.

Beaches come in an array of colors, but the rosy-hued shores of Pink Sands Beach in Harbour Island are especially striking. Located along the eastern side of the island, the three-mile stretch is colored by microscopic coral insects with bright pink or red shells. The southern half of Harbour Island has a tiny town and a handful of hotels, but the northern half is practically empty, so you can really get a deserted island vibe as you laze on the sand.

Drink a Goombay Smash at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar.

Since the 1960s, three generations of women have run Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar in the colonial-looking village of New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay. The must-order drink has remained the same since opening: Miss Emily’s famous Goombay Smash is a memorable and easy-sipping concoction of rum, pineapple, coconut, and love.

See the wild swimming pigs.

Seeing wild pigs swimming in the ocean is likely the most unique thing you can do in the Bahamas. The original swimming pigs live on Big Major Cay, though no one’s quite sure how they got there. You can interact with these wild animals on an excursion from nearby Great Exuma or even Nassau. From Nassau, a popular choice is Aquashores Tours, whose full-day outing includes swimming with the pigs, feeding iguanas, and swimming with sharks (from $439/person). From Great Exuma, Exuma Water Sports and Staniel Cay Adventures run full-day tours from $399 and $350, respectively.

Celebrate Junkanoo.

A cacophony of colors and sounds, Junkanoo is a grand parade through the streets of Nassau (and some Out Islands) in celebration of Bahamian culture and history. The main celebration takes place the day after Christmas and on New Year’s Day, though Junkanoo festivities also take place on Saturdays throughout the summer. Another fun celebration is the annual Pineapple Festival in Eleuthera in early June.

Go island hopping.

Waterborne adventures are the best way to explore the Bahamas’ nearly 700 islands and cays; sailing or boating through these crystal-clear waters will leave you breathless. Book a chartered tour with an experienced local captain who will show you around with stops to snorkel, swim, and visit beaches along the way, maybe with a stop for a BBQ beach cookout on an uninhabited island. Charter a boat for a full or half-day by asking around at a marina or your hotel, or go through sites like Click & Boat and BoatSetter or Nassau-based operator Thunderbird Sea Adventures. If you’re solo or two people, a less expensive alternative is Bahamas Ferries, which runs boats between Nassau, Spanish Wells, and Harbour Island.

Explore Lucayan National Park.

Located on Grand Bahama Island, Lucayan National Park is home to one of the world’s longest charted underwater cave systems, as well as preserved remains of the Lucayan people. According to Vellacott, “There [are] small caves to explore, mangrove forests with boardwalks, and a really beautiful beach at low tide. Bring snorkel gear — if you swim out to the rock offshore (about a 20-minute swim in good conditions), there’s lots of coral around.” Spend the day seeing the world-famous Gold Rock Beach and pine forests, mangroves, and coral reefs.

Tour John Watling’s Distillery.

Rum is synonymous with the Bahamas, and at John Watling’s Distillery, the spirit is hand-crafted in small batches in downtown Nassau (the rum is named for the English “pious pirate” who refused to plunder on the Sabbath). Go for signature Bahamian cocktails and free tours of the 18th-century Buena Vista estate.

Climb the Queen’s Staircase.

This landmark in Nassau was hand-carved from solid limestone rock by enslaved people between 1793 and 1794 to provide a direct route between Nassau and the Fort Fincastle Historic Complex. The Queen’s Staircase, eventually named for Queen Victoria, has 66 steep steps visitors can climb while surrounded by the lush foliage of the islands.

Try conch from Tony Macaroni.

Since 1992, Tony Macaroni has been converting conch skeptics at his famous shack overlooking Taino Beach in Freeport. He takes conch straight from the ocean and transforms them into delicious delicacies like ceviche, conch burgers, and more, served up with a side of homemade hot sauce and weekly live jazz.