Discover Your Perfect Island in The Bahamas: Paradise Just Steps from the U.S.
In a world craving escape, The Bahamas delivers with 100,000 square miles of turquoise waters and over 700 islands offering ample space to unwind. Reopened to U.S. travelers, this archipelago is visible from Miami and reachable from the Eastern U.S. in under three hours. (Verify current COVID-19 travel requirements, including any health visa needs.)
Accessible yet dreamy, The Bahamas beckons with diverse islands suited to every vibe—from flip-flops and family fun to romance, adventure, or ultimate relaxation. Find your match, or explore several, and even extend your stay with the Extended Access Travel Stay program for up to a year of remote work and play.
Bimini
Just 48 nautical miles from Miami (2.5 hours by boat or 45 minutes by plane), Bimini lets you leave Florida after breakfast and arrive before lunch. Savor Bahamian classics like cracked conch, rock lobster, and Johnny cakes amid an intimate archipelago of North Bimini, South Bimini, and tiny cays—the largest just seven miles long.
Dive into history at the S.S. Sapona Shipwreck, a WWI concrete vessel designed by Henry Ford and later a WWII torpedo target. Literary legends Ernest Hemingway and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. found inspiration here—follow the MLK trail through mangroves for a profound experience.
Nassau & Paradise Island
Nassau buzzes as the capital with cosmopolitan flair, while Paradise Island offers serene escapes via pristine beaches, golf courses, and luxury resorts (many now reopened). Indulge in endless shopping, dining, and entertainment, plus cultural gems like The Retreat botanical gardens, Pompey Museum of Slavery and Emancipation, and historic Gambier village.
Eleuthera & Harbour Island
Rocker Lenny Kravitz, with Bahamian roots, loves Eleuthera's pink sands, pineapple fields, 18th-century charm, and mellow vibes—inspiring tracks like Eleutheria. Must-sees: Glass Window Bridge, Surfer’s Beach, Pink Sands Beach, and golf cart exploration. See his recent love letters to the Bahamas.
The Exumas
Celebrity haven for Tyler Perry, Faith Hill, and more, the Exumas' 365 cays boast Instagram-famous swimming pigs at Pig Beach on Big Major Cay. Join an island-hopping tour to Tropic of Cancer Beach, Thunderball Grotto, and Allen’s Cay iguanas.
The Berry Islands
Once a retreat for Brigitte Bardot and Cary Grant, these 30 mostly uninhabited cays offer solitude for diving, snorkeling, fishing, and beachcombing. Highlights: Sugar Beach coves, Hoffman’s Cay blue hole, and Great Stirrup Cay lighthouse.
Inagua
Home to over 80,000 flamingos (Bahamas' national bird) and unique birds, Great Inagua excels in birdwatching. Little Inagua safeguards sea turtles via protective reefs.
Andros
The Bahamas' largest island and bonefishing capital, Andros features vast protected areas, blue holes, and national parks like the Crab Replenishment Reserve.
Freeport
Grand Bahama's Freeport blends duty-free shopping, casinos, and nature with three national parks: Rand Nature Center, Peterson Cay, and Lucayan National Park's caves, forests, and Gold Rock Beach.
Rum Cay
Explore Lucayan petroglyphs at Hartford Cave amid hills, beaches, and gin-clear waters for an adventurous, secluded vibe.
Acklins & Crooked Island
Featuring ancient Lucayan sites, vast lagoons, Turtle Sound, and superb fishing for bonefish, rays, and tarpon.
San Salvador
Possible Columbus landfall site with monuments, saltwater lakes, reefs, and 50+ dive spots.
Mayaguana
Remote fishing paradise with native hutia, wild goats, land crabs, and prime angling for grouper to wahoo.
Cat Island
Named for pirate Arthur Catt, birthplace of Sidney Poitier, and home to Mt. Alvernia's hermitage with panoramic views.
Long Island
Architect-priest John Hawes' churches, dramatic cliffs, and one of Earth's deepest blue holes.
Ragged Island
Tiny outpost with reefs, drop-offs, caves, and pirate lore including Blackbeard's sites.
The Abacos
Recovering from Hurricane Dorian, these gorgeous islands welcome visitors for boating, sailing, diving, and bonefishing.
