Bahamas holidays

Holidays to the Bahamas promise a plethora of tropical islands – there are more than 700, from party places to uninhabited spots.

Island escapes

No two holidays are quite the same when you head to the Bahamas – the country’s made up of more than 700 islands, which bob just off the coast of Florida. The bigger chunks of land, like Grand Bahama and New Providence, are home to the liveliest towns and most plush hotels. You’ll find the capital, Nassau, on the latter of the two islands – it’s known for its rambunctious nightlife and seafaring history. Elsewhere, tiny uninhabited cays – a sort of sandy islet – are made for away-from-it-all daytrips. Some are so remote that you need to take a seaplane and a boat to reach them.

Beach time

With so many islands in its repertoire, it’s hard to pick the Bahamas’ best beach – especially with some of the weird and wonderful options on offer. On the uninhabited island of Big Major Cay, there’s a beach where wild pigs paddle and run along the shoreline – aptly named Pig Beach. On Harbour Island you can sunbathe on a salmon-coloured shore, at Pink Sands Beach. Cabbage Beach, on Paradise Island, is one of the longest stretches of white sand, and lands you close to some of the most swish hotels. And off the coast of New Providence Island, the offshore scuba diving situation is first class – you can dive to sunken shipwrecks, colourful reefs and there’s a chance you’ll see migrating sharks.

A pirate’s life

The capital of the Bahamas, Nassau, has a pretty unique history. The port town became an infamous haven for marauding pirates in the early 1700s, because the shallow harbour was perfect for their nippy, smaller-than-average ships. Things settled down over the centuries, but there are still pirate experiences and swashbuckling boat trips that give a nod to this part of the country’s past. Elsewhere in the city, there’s a statue of Christopher Columbus, who dropped anchor here in 1492. And the shopping and nightlife scene makes it one of the liveliest places you can visit.