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The Bahamas are an extensive chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, USA and to the northeast of Cuba. Some 30 of the islands are inhabited and the country is a major tourist attraction.
History
Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. 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.
Culture
The populace is predictably friendly and more religious than one might expect: the Bahamas have one of the highest ratios of churches per capita in the world, with Baptists being the largest single group. Local newspapers will reveal religious references by elected officials in a manner that exceeds what would be found in the American South. This devotion does nothing to prohibit the activities of visitors nor is it intended to. There is a very "libertarian" attitude about personal morals.
Festivals
The biggest event in the Bahamian calendar is Junkanoo, a street carnival held on Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day (January 1). Junkanoo groups "rush" through the streets of towns, especially Nassau, wearing spectacular costumes of crepe paper and playing distinctive Junkanoo music, which combines African rhythms with loud brass and cowbells, fusing them together in a medley that veers on cacophony but is exceedingly dancable. The costumes, made from scratch every year, are disposed of on the streets as the party ends and make a great free souvenir to bring home!
Getting There
Visitors from most industrialized countries (including US, Canada, EU and Japan) do not need an advance visa for stays of up to three months. Visitors do not need to complete the Customs form.
Travelers returning to the United States from the Caribbean must display their passport to get back into the States. This applies to minor children as well as adults. US immigration pre-clearance facilities are available at Nassau and Freeport.
By plane
The largest airports in the Bahamas are at the capital Nassau, on New Providence, and Freeport, on Grand Bahama.
By boat
The Bahamas are a popular port of call for cruise ships plying the Caribbean. The capital, Nassau, on New Providence Island is one of the world's busiest cruise ship ports, and is well served by ships that originate from Florida. Freeport on Grand Bahama Island is a growing destination as well.
Most island groups have customs and immigration available for those arriving by yacht. The customs fee for a private yacht is $150 for 35' and under and $300 for over 35'.
Getting Around
By plane
Bahamasair [2] offers a comprehensive network radiating out from Nassau and covering most population centers. However, fares are expensive, frequencies are low, planes are small and the airline is notorious for extensive delays, and many travellers in a hurry opt to charter planes instead.
By bus
Nassau/New Providence have a system of buses called jitneys, discussed in the Nassau article. Bus travel on the other islands (with the exception of Grand Bahama) is very limited.
By car
The best way to go around the larger islands (Grand Bahama, Grand Exuma, Andros, etc) is to hire a car. There are many opportunities to rent a vehicle on Grand Bahama Island (Freeport) and can be well worth it if you want to get away from your resort. The Lucaya resort area has a nice town center with a wide variety of shopping in walking distance.
Driving is on the left, but due to the many American tourists there are many pavement markings to remind you. Although driving is on the left, many cars' driver's seats still are on the left side of the car. A particular challenge is always the turning circle. Gasoline is expensive, but distances are low.
Currency
The local currency is the Bahamian dollar (B$), but it's tied to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio and US dollars are accepted everywhere at par. There is thus no need to change money, and many tourist-oriented businesses will even give change back in US$. Do keep an eye out on the famous (but now rare) three-dollar bill and 15-cent coin, both originally made to ease the 1966 transition from pounds to dollars, $3 being roughly equivalent to £1 and $0.15 approximating a shilling.
There is very little made in the Bahamas, but some luxury goods can be purchased at a bargain. Cuban cigars are also readily available. Salespeople in the straw market have a very direct but often humorous manner of negotiating the price of a product. A sense of humor is greatly appreciated in this island nation.
Food and Drinks
As you'd expect in an island nation, seafood is very popular. The national dish is conch (pronounced "conk" with a hard K), a type of mollusk, served deep-fried ("cracked") or raw with a twist of lemon, and as elsewhere in the Caribbean, the classic accompaniment is peas and rice.
Ordinary meals can be had for anywhere from $5-$25 a plate. You can find fast-food chains such as KFC or McDonalds, especially in the downtown areas, but as it is a highly touristed country, you can find many nice restaurants serving many different cuisines. Most restaurants serve American or British food, though you can easily find the normal island flair, especially during the Fish Fry during June, where you can usually get a meal for about $8. A 15% service charge is added to the bill at most establishments; additional tips are optional.
Service is distinct from the American standard. There is a concentration on the customer at hand. You are expected to patiently wait your turn. At fast food restaurants the server will take care of only the first customer until they have left the service area. Don't expect to be in a hurry even at a fast food establishment.
Service in the Bahamas takes place at a relaxed pace. Travelers can expect a leisurely pace to their meal. Expect polite, if slow, service at most establishments. One can view a listing of prominent restaurants at this directory www.bahamas-rentals.com/reatuarants
Soda
Soda can be pretty pricy in the hotels, and you will find it only on a soda tap if you are in a good restaurant; otherwise, you will usually get it in a can. The cheapest way to get this would be to go to a local "Food Mart."
"Goombay Punch" is the local soda. It has a pineapple flavor and is what the locals call a "Sweet" soda versus a cola. It is sold in cans at all grocery stores and also available in almost every Bahamian eatery.
Non-alcoholic malt beverages are also very popular. The primary brand of choice is Vita-Malt.
Beer
Kalik is the national brewery of the Bahamas and is always served at "all-inclusive" resorts. There are two rather distinct types: Kalik Light is a Budweiser-style very light lager, while plain Kalik has a bit more taste. Guinness is also very popular.
Imported beer is can be incredibly expensive in the hotels but is not overly priced in bars and liquor stores. Cases of beer are readily available in a variety of Duty Free liquor stores.
In Freeport, the Port Lucaya Marketplace and Marina has many bars offering two Kaliks (and some other brews) for $5.00.
Hard Liquors
The Bahamas has significant amount of liquor stores in relation to the population of the country. You can find liquors stores downtown, by the hotels
Rum
This is by far the best choice of drinks in the Bahamas. It's as cheap as you can get ($2-$10 a bottle), tastes great, and it's made fresh by 3 different companies, the largest being the Bacardi Rum factory on New Providence south of Nassau, where you can take tours and get free drinks if you go on a 2-hour bus ride.
Accomodations
Accommodation on the Bahamas is expensive, and there is virtually no backpacker/hostel-type lodging. The cheapest hotels start at around US$70, and most hotels cost US$200-300/night, with the very best resorts easily pushing up above US$500. Deals may be available in the summer off-season though. There is also many housing or beach rentals available for short periods of stay.
Source: Wikitravel.org [http://wikitravel.org/en/Bahamas]
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