Bahamas Holidays
Stretching between the South East coast of Florida and the Caribbean are 700 tropical islands. This archipelago is a true paradise to behold and the islands lie in the sea like scattered emeralds. They have a perfect year round climate, warm waters and gentle trade winds making it the perfect destination for sun worshipers.

Discover beautiful white powder soft beaches and the crystal clear clarity of the water make the Bahamas ideal for diving and snorkelling. Explore unspoilt coral reef, mysterious caves and the abundant marine life.

For sophisticated entertainment The Bahamas has it all, it has some of the best golf courses in the Caribbean, you can take a cruise on one of the many elegant yachts or if a flutter in the casino is more your thing there are plenty to choose from.

The main tourist areas are New Providence Island and Paradise Island which are now connected by two bridges making all the facilities easily accessible, so you’ll find many top class hotels, restaurants and plenty in the way of entertainment. If you fancy an island that is tranquil and more remote then try Great Exuma Island for an unspoilt paradise.

Weather
The Bahamas have a warm climate all year round. The winter months offer moderate temperatures ranging from 21 C to 27 C. The summer months are hotter with temperatures between 27 C and 32 C and high humidity, however the continuous trade winds keep it comfortable. There is some rain all year round, however showers clear quickly. Rainfall is heaviest from May to October.By Day
The Bahamas offer a wide range of activities so you can keep your days as quiet and relaxed as you like, or pack them full with the things you enjoy the most. The beaches are some of the best in the world, offering a wide range of water sports, amazing snorkelling and diving conditions. You can swim with the dolphins or take a boat trip around some of the many hundreds of islands that lie at your doorstep. Tear yourself away from the shores and you’ll find a rich history and culture on each island just waiting to be explored. If playing a round of golf is the perfect way to start your day then The Bahamas offers some of the world’s best golf courses set in the most picture perfect surroundings. So whether you’re on your own, with your partner, with friends or have the whole family with you, you’ll find everything you need in The Bahamas.By Night
The Bahamas is known for its sophisticated evening entertainment. New Providence Island and its bustling capital Nassau, as well as some of the other larger islands such as Grand Bahama, boast much in the way of evening entertainment, from fine dining and chic bars to cabarets, casinos and nightclubs. Top Attractions
• Exuma Cay Land & Sea Park – An area of outstanding beauty, unspoiled cays, spectacular reefs and outstanding marine life that has to be seen to be believed.
• Long Island – Visit Cartwright’s Cave, an old Hamilton settlement and jump into the blue hole, the deepest measured blue hole in the world.
• Pelican Cays & Sea Park - dive and explore the underwater preserve, swim with sharks off long island and visit the ruins of Bimini, said to be the lost city of Atlantis.
• Blue Lagoon Island – Play with dolphins in waist high water.
• Cat Island – Visit mount Alvernia the Bahamas highest point and see The Hermitage.
• Nassau –The Bahamas capital. Visit the bustling straw market and the sophisticated shops on Bay Street, or just take in the history and culture which lines its streets.
• Bimini – Swim with the Dolphins or go fishing, reputed as the big game fishing capital of the World.
• Lucayan Nation Park (Grand Bahama) – Explore unique cave systems, breathtaking surroundings and exotic wildlife.
• Golfing – Play some of the Worlds most famous courses
• Ardastra Gardens (Paradise Island) – Unique and exotic wildlife at your fingertips.
Events
Bahamian Music & Heritage Festival (Mar), Billfish Championship (Jun), Independence Celebrations (July), Nassau Junkanoo Parade (Dec), Changing of the guards (Year Round – every second Saturday). Local Flavours
Virtually every type of international cuisine can be enjoyed in the Bahamas in a variety of settings from beach bars to fine dining establishments. Sampling the local cuisine is not to be missed, mostly based around fish and seafood but cooked and seasoned in a variety of different ways. Salt beef and dumplings is another popular dish and most local dishes are served with peas and rice. The shopping on the islands changes from island to island but you can generally find a wide selection of duty free items and the straw markets offer a variety of foods, spices, ceramics, arts and music.History
Settlements date back to 300-400AD, but when Columbus arrived in the Bahamas, the Lucayan Indians where living there. In 1648 a group of Englishmen searching for religious freedom settled on Eleuthera before moving on to Harbour Island. Due to poor farming the islands had little to offer the settlers so they soon turned to salvaging goods from ship wrecks, which soon turned in to pirating. Through the late 1600’s and early 1700’s the Bahamas became home to many pirates and buccaneers and rumours still live to this day about hidden treasure that lies throughout the Bahamas. In 1695 Spanish troops destroyed Nassau, the pirate’s main town, and the French and Spanish navies joined forces to destroy it again in 1703, but pirating continued. Woodes Rogers, who was appointed Governor in 1718, battled with the pirates successfully - 300 surrendered and the rest fled. More than a century later an influx of settlers arrived at the Bahamas bringing with them building, agricultural and boat building skills. With Prohibition in the US, smuggling returned to the islands and when Cuba closed its doors to American tourists, the government ploughed money in to tourism and the Bahamas started to grow into the hot tourist destination it is today. In 1969 it became a member of the British Commonwealth and then in 1973 achieved independence. Size & Location
The Bahamas is an archipelago of over 700 islands with a total land area of 5,382 square miles. Islands stretch from the southeast coast of Florida to the Caribbean Sea taking up 100,000 square miles. They are all relatively flat with the highest point being 206ft above sea level. Population 300,000