Staying Fit
Beaches
Bahamians are beach snobs, straight up — and justifiably so. If they can’t see the clear nail polish on their toes when waist deep in water, the beach just doesn’t measure up. But thanks to their talcum-soft sand and translucent water, Bahamian beaches — from eggshell white to seashell pink — are some of the best in the world.
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While some resorts restrict access to their guests only, all beaches are public property — that’s right, even on the many private islands owned by celebrities. On land, you can access a beach only through a public access point, but by boat, you can pull up to any one you want. Just stay below the natural high-tide mark.
All beaches of note have public access points, though many are also bordered by hotels. Beachfront resorts are protective of their umbrellas, so don’t look to them for shade unless you’re a guest. You’ll need to rent an umbrella, borrow one from your hotel or bring your own. It’s also smart to tote a lunchbox and mini cooler with drinks, particularly in the Out Islands, where hotels are accustomed to providing them. Very few beaches have public restrooms or changing facilities.
A few stunners do have convenient amenities, such as pearly white Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island, where coconut-water vendors and chair and umbrella rentals cluster on the western end. On seashell-rich Stocking Island Beach, quench your thirst, fill your belly and swim with stingrays at the Chat ‘N Chill Beach Bar and Grill and Grill. And on Treasure Cay Beach, you can take beach yoga classes and enjoy resort amenities when you’re not luxuriating on the three and a half miles of secluded bliss.
On and on the bathing beauties go: Rose Island, an uninhabited sliver of sand just three miles off Paradise Island; Harbour Island’s three-mile-long Pink Sand Beach, where the rosy sand will never burn your feet; Bimini’s placid Radio Beach; Pig Beach on Big Major Cay in the Exumas, where you can go hog wild swimming with swine; Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island, with the world’s second-deepest saltwater sinkhole (safe for offshore snorkeling); and Great Guana Cay in the Abacos, with more than seven miles of reef-protected sand and excellent snorkeling waters.
One to avoid: Junkanoo Beach, near downtown Nassau, which resembles college spring break year-round.
Island-hopping day trips
With more than 700 islands and 2,400 cays (small low islands or banks) in the country, it would be a shame to visit only one. If you’re based in Nassau/Paradise Island, take a speedboat day trip with Exuma Escapes to see those swimming pigs. Closer to Nassau, a ferryboat goes to private Blue Lagoon Island, where you can swim with dolphins and interact with sea lions. Sail on the Flying Cloud catamaran for a full day on gorgeous Rose Island beach. Or use Bahamas Fast Ferry for day trips to lovely Harbour Island.
Insider tip: If you’re on Long Island or Cat Island, request a special turtle-spotting boat tour from Docky Smith in Blue Sound, Long Island, or Derrick Rolle in Bennett’s Harbour Creek, Cat Island. You won’t regret it.
Fishing
With its pristine flats and seagrass beds, the Bahamas boasts first-rate bonefishing, particularly in Andros, Acklins, Crooked Island and the Abacos, as well as big-game fishing for tuna, blue marlin and more. Even though going after big game is possible year-round, check the seasonal charts, because some species have high and low seasons.
In Nassau and the Out Islands, there is no shortage of fishing charters for half-day and full-day trips. If you go to Mangrove Cay, Andros (a 15-minute flight from Nassau), ask for Captain Randy Thompson, a local guide known for inventing the “Halle Berry” fly, rumored to be a lucky charm. In Nassau, the family-operated Yellow Tail Charters has guided fishing tours for three generations.
