TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Bahamas is a major tourist attraction. With over 700 islands and 2500 cays of which only 30 are inhabited, beautiful beaches, coral reefs, mangrove forests and a well-developed tourist infrastructure, Bahamas offer many vacation opportunities for visitors. The Bahamas are a popular port of call for cruise ships in the Caribbean, especially its capital city- Nassau, on New Providence Island. Freeport on Grand Bahama Island is another popular destination. There are several main tourist attractions in Nassau. The open-air famous Straw Market offers everything from beads, totes and T-shirts to shark-tooth necklaces and expensive hand-carved wooden turtles. Pirates of Nassau museum offers walk-through interactive entertainment, with realistic re-creations of pirate life in the 18th century including a cutaway of the pirate ship Revenge. Magnificent Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Park has a well-stocked collection of animals, birds and reptiles. Government House built in 1737 is the official residence of the Bahamas governor-general. The territory around the building is open for tourists.
Cable Beach is located five miles west of Nassau. It hosts numerous restaurants and sports facilities, a golf course and several tennis courts. There are also several top resorts, including the all-inclusive Sandals which offer perfect romantic getaways, honeymoons, and even free weddings. Beaches Resorts bring the same quality level, but include accommodations and amenities geared for families with children of all ages.
The main commercial district of Freeport is centered on the Mall , located between Ranfurly Circus and Churchill Square. Surrounding the city centre, the Mall is bound on one side by West Mall Drive, and on the other by East Mall Drive , where most of the hotels and restaurants are located. Tourist activity is focused on the south end of East Mall Drive, around Ranfurly Circus and the International Bazaar.
Long Island offers the best scenic views and uncrowded beaches. Excellent opportunities for snorkelling, scuba diving and sport fishing, especially on the southern end.
Bimini Road is famous among scuba divers for the underwater limestone formations looking like paving blocks of a huge road at the north end of Bimini Bay. The origin of the "road" stays unknown despite numerous investigations.
Crooked Island was the second New World's island discovered by Columbus. It is quiet, beautiful place with deep inlets and nice sandy beaches; a real paradise for bird and butterfly watchers in the spring.
Inagua National Park protects the world's largest breeding colony of pink flamingos counting up to 50,000 birds. Visitors must arrange a tour and pay for it prior to their arrival to Inagua. Check online.
Lucayan National Park is situated on the Grand Bahama island. Several walking park trails will take you to rocky flats riddled with caves that open to the longest underwater cave system in the world. You can also enjoy sunbathing at the beautiful Gold Rock Beach, surrounded by dunes.
Andros is a rough looking island, covered with vast jungle forests. Magnigicent coral reef off the east shore attracts divers. One of the least visited islands in the Bahamas.
Swimming with dolphins in peaceful Sanctuary Bay (Grand Bahamas) is another popular tourist attraction.
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TRAVEL TIPS

Most visits to the Bahamas are trouble-free. However, violent crime can be a problem. Much of this is within the local community, but tourists have been the victims of robbery, sometimes armed, particularly when alone or in isolated locations. You should be vigilant at all times. It is not advisable to walk alone away from the main hotels, tourist areas, beaches and downtown Nassau, particularly after dark. Extra care should be taken if travelling on the local bus service after dusk on routes away from the main tourist routes along Cable Beach and East and West Bay Streets. Do not carry large amounts of cash or jewellery. Do not offer resistance in the event of an attempted robbery, as the assailant is likely to be armed. The outlying islands of the Bahamian archipelago (known as the Family or Out Islands) are attracting an increasing number of visitors. These islands are relatively free of crime compared to the main islands of New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) but sensible precautions should still be taken.
Penalties for possession or trafficking of drugs are severe. Tourists may be offered narcotics in pubs and bars. Substantial fines, imprisonment and deportation may result.
The hurricane season in the Bahamas normally runs from June to November.
The water sports industry in the Bahamas is very poorly regulated. In view of this and a number of fatal accidents, we advise you not to rent jet-skis in New Providence and Paradise Island unless you are experienced jet-ski users. Many local hotels disclaim responsibility in respect of guests using sports excursions offered by independent entrepreneurs. You may wish to assure yourself, before buying an excursion, that appropriate health and safety precautions are evident and that the operator has adequate insurance cover.
US dollars are accepted everywhere and the national currency is tied to the US dollar.
Some luxury goods can be purchased at a bargain in the Bahamas. Expect polite and slow service in most establishments.
Most island groups have customs and immigration available for those arriving by yacht. Note that the customs fee for a private yacht is $150 for 35' and under and $300 for over 35'.
Although traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road most vehicles are imported from the United States and are left hand drive. Drivers should therefore exercise caution, especially when overtaking.
We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to Bahamas. Medical treatment is of a good standard but can be expensive. Emergency medical facilities are limited on all the Family Islands and serious cases are transferred to Nassau, Freeport or Miami by air ambulance. You should ensure that your medical insurance covers the cost of air ambulance. You should also be aware of the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS virus in The Bahamas and take precautions to avoid exposure. Malaria outbreaks happened in Bahamas recently, and therefore you should promptly seek medical care in the event of a fever or flu-like illness in the first year following your return from Bahamas.
Visitors from most developed countries traveling the Bahamas do not require visas for visits of up to 3 months. Check the list of Embassies of Bahamas to the World or Embassies of Other Nations to Bahamas.

BRIEF HISTORY

Taino Indians from Hispaniola and Cuba moved into the southern Bahamas around the 7th century AD and became the Lucayans. The name "Bahamas" itself derived from a Lucayan word for Grand Bahama Island, ba-ha-ma ("large upper middle land"). There were an estimated 40,000 Lucayans at the time of Columbus' arrival in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Some 8,000 loyalists and their slaves moved to the Bahamas in the late 1700s from New York, Florida and the Carolinas. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism, international banking and investment management. Despite this however the country still faces significant challenges in areas such as education, healthcare, correctional facilities and violent crime and illegal immigration. Today, the country enjoys the third highest per capita income in the western hemisphere.
Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

GEOGRAPHY

Area: total: 13,940 sq km; 10,070 sq km; water: 3,870 sq km.
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream.
Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills.
Natural Resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land.
Natural Hazards: hurricanes (in the summer and fall) and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage.
Environmental Problems: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal.

PEOPLE

Population: 300,000.
Median Age: total: 27.8 years; male: 27.1 years; female: 28.6 years.
Life Expectancy: male: 62.24 years, female: 69.03 years.
Fertility Rate: 2.18 children born per woman.
Major Ethnic Groups: black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%.
Religions: Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8%.
Languages: English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants).

GOVERNMENT

Type: constitutional parliamentary democracy (Commonwealth of The Bahamas).
Capital City: Nassau.
Administrative Divisions: 21 districts.
Time Difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October. Check current time.
National Holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973).
Chief of State: Queen of the UK.
Head of Government: Prime Minister .
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation.
Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body) and the House of Assembly (40 seats).

ECONOMY

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years. The current government has presided over a period of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private sector investments in tourism. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors.
GDP: $6.105 billion, Growth Rate: 3.7%, GDP Per Capita: $20,200.
Unemployment Rate: 10.2%.
Agriculture Products: citrus, vegetables; poultry.
Major Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe.
Export Commodities: mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables.
Export Partners: US 31%, Spain 29.7%, Poland 9.3%, Germany 5.6%, Guatemala 4.1%.
Import Commodities: machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals.
Import Partners: US 22.5%, South Korea 20.2%, Spain 7.8%, Brazil 7.1%, Italy 6.5%, Germany 5.4%.
Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD). Check current rate of exchange.

TRANSPORT

Airports: 29
Roadways: 2,693 km
Major Ports and Terminals: Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point.