New Providence — the island Nassau sits on — is excellent. But the Bahamas is an archipelago of 700 islands and 2,400 cays, and some of the most extraordinary places in the Caribbean are within day-trip distance of Nassau if you're staying on the island or have a free day during a cruise.
Here are the best options, organised by how you get there and what you'll find when you arrive.
Exuma — Swimming Pigs and the Clearest Water in the Bahamas
How to get there: 35-minute flight from Nassau; or organised day tour by seaplane or boat
Best for: Swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, Thunderball Grotto, Tropic of Cancer Beach, nurse shark shallows
Who it's for: Anyone staying in Nassau for more than one night
Exuma is the destination that has driven more Instagram posts from the Bahamas than any other — the swimming pigs of Big Major Cay are genuinely what they appear to be in photographs, and the water clarity in the Exuma Cays is something that requires a superlative to describe accurately. "The clearest water you've ever seen" is how most people put it after they've been there.
Several Nassau-based operators run day tours to Exuma by seaplane or boat, combining the swimming pigs, Thunderball Grotto (where James Bond scenes were filmed), and the Tropic of Cancer Beach — a beach that sits exactly on the Tropic of Cancer and is extraordinary on its own terms. Book through a registered operator; several depart from Nassau Harbour.
For those staying in Nassau, a short flight on Flamingo Air or similar carriers gets you to Exuma in 35 minutes and back the same day. Rent a car on arrival and drive the island — it's small enough to cover in a day.
Eleuthera and Harbour Island — Pink Sand and Colonial Charm
How to get there: 30-minute flight to North Eleuthera; or fast ferry from Potter's Cay Dock (2 hours)
Best for: Pink Sands Beach, colonial Dunmore Town, glass window bridge
Who it's for: Those with a full free day and an interest in less-visited destinations
Harbour Island — accessible via water taxi from North Eleuthera — is often cited as one of the most beautiful small islands in the Caribbean. Dunmore Town is a colonial settlement of pastel clapboard houses and bougainvillea-covered walls that looks like what the Bahamas looked like before tourism became the economic engine. Pink Sands Beach lives up to its name: a 3-mile stretch of pale rose-coloured sand produced by the coral and shell content of the beach.
The Glass Window Bridge on Eleuthera proper — a narrow road bridge over the spot where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea, with dramatically different water colours on each side — is one of the most striking natural phenomena in the Bahamas and worth stopping for on any Eleuthera day trip.
Paradise Island — Closer Than You Think, More Than Atlantis
How to get there: 20-minute taxi from Nassau cruise port, crossing the bridge
Best for: Atlantis water park, Ocean Club golf course, Versailles Gardens
Who it's for: Guests specifically wanting the Atlantis experience, or those who want a quieter alternative
Paradise Island is technically a Nassau day trip that barely qualifies as leaving — it's a 20-minute taxi ride including the bridge crossing. Atlantis is the obvious destination, but the island has more than the resort: the Versailles Gardens adjacent to the One&Only Ocean Club are open to visitors and offer a formal garden landscape with a French cloister that was bought in France and reassembled stone-by-stone on the island. The golf course is one of the better layouts in the Bahamas.
Andros — For the Serious Naturalist
How to get there: 20-minute flight from Nassau
Best for: The third-largest barrier reef in the world, blue holes, bone fishing
Who it's for: Divers, anglers, birders, and anyone who wants an entirely uncommercial Bahamas experience
Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas and one of the least developed for tourism. The Andros Barrier Reef — the third largest barrier reef in the world — runs along the eastern shore, and the diving here is considered among the best in the Caribbean. The island's blue holes (submarine cave systems) are another draw for experienced divers.
This is not a casual day trip — Andros rewards those who have done some research and come with specific interests. For divers who want world-class reef access without the crowds of more established dive destinations, it is hard to match.
Practical Notes on Bahamas Day Trips
- Book flights through local carriers (Flamingo Air, Southern Air, Western Air) rather than connection through the US — the intra-Bahamas flight network operates from Nassau Domestic Terminal at LPIA.
- Ferry services from Potter's Cay Dock (under the Paradise Island Bridge) serve Eleuthera and Andros — practical for budget travellers but significantly slower than flying.
- Organised day tours to Exuma are the most efficient option for first-timers — the logistics of getting to Big Major Cay independently are manageable but complex on a single day.
- Weather matters more for day trips than for Nassau itself — seaplane and boat tours to Exuma are cancelled or modified in rough conditions. Have a backup plan.
Nassau is the gateway to an archipelago that gets more beautiful as you move through it. If you have more than one day in the Bahamas, use at least one of them to go somewhere other than New Providence. The islands are why people come back.
