Why Nassau & Paradise Island is where holiday dreams come true
With sunshine, palm trees and activities to suit everyone, this is the ultimate Bahamian luxury holiday destination By Tracey Davies
Seven hundred sugar-fringed islands dusted across the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean make up The Bahamas, described by astronauts as the most beautiful place seen from space.
Only 30 islands are inhabited – 31 if you include the swimming pigs of Big Major Cay – and Nassau on New Providence Island is its buzzy, cosmopolitan capital. With five-star beach resorts, championship golf courses and world-class diving and dining scenes, The Bahamas is the ultimate luxury destination. Appealing to everyone from loved-up newlyweds looking for a perfect honeymoon and families with tiny toddlers or teenagers seeking pool-side life, to golfing couples wanting a relaxing escape with excellent food and wine, Nassau & Paradise Island has every holiday angle covered.
The biggest draws are the floury quartz-sand beaches and iridescent aquamarine waters that surround Nassau & Paradise Island. A magnet for those seeking adventure, scuba divers flock to explore its vibrant coral reefs, sunken shipwrecks and to see the incredible underwater sculpture garden at Clifton Heritage National Park.
Nassau & Paradise Island also draws the more epicurean-minded traveller. Conch salad is a Bahamian specialty. Pronounced conk, the Caribbean ceviche has been a staple of Bahamian cuisine since Lucayan times. Similar to clam meat, the mild sweet flesh is tenderised with fresh lime and scotch bonnet chillies, and mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes and peppers. Like a snapshot of Old Bahamas, the fishing dock on Potter's Cay is lined with colourful conch shacks serving the island speciality. A popular spot is McKenzies, a candy-pink striped shack said to serve the zingiest conch salad in The Bahamas.
Bahamian Conch Salad is a must-try dish on the island | Credit: Getty
Fish fry is a Caribbean custom and the best place to experience it is Arawak Cay in Nassau. With its rainbow-hued beach shacks, fragrant food trucks and rickety, hand-painted bars serving strong rum cocktails, this laidback beach enclave is the real deal. It's a place to hang out with the locals, feast on conch fritters, cracked fish and plantain, and dance to live junkanoo bands until the early hours. Of course, The Bahamas is best known for its iconic aquatic piggies. While the pigs on Exuma's Big Major Cay are the most famous, they are also a flight away, but it's possible to have an interaction closer to Nassau & Paradise Island. Rose Island is a 25-minute boat trip from the harbour and most island tours include interactions with the resident porkers, as well as offering a chance to snorkel with turtles in Green Cay.
Island life
Vibrant, colourful and steeped in history, Nassau is a capital city like no other, not least because it is connected to Paradise Island by two bridges about 650 yards long. Located 200 miles south-west of Miami and north of Cuba, The Bahamas were originally inhabited by the indigenous Lucayan people. Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, marking the start of European colonisation with the Spanish and British taking control, until pirates took a foothold in the 1600s. Under British rule until 1973, Nassau combines the genteel traditions of England – the Changing of the Guard, a proper afternoon tea – with the caramel sweetness of Caribbean charm.
Soak up local culture at Nassau National Art Gallery | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
The oldest part – and beating heart – of Nassau is Bay Street which is lined with grand Georgian architecture and pastel-coloured wooden shop fronts. Visit A Baker & Sons, the oldest shop in Nassau, which has been selling fine clothes to islanders since 1894. Nassau has attracted its fair share of cutlass-wielding reprobates over the years, most famously Edward Teach, otherwise known as Blackbeard, the most notorious of all Caribbean pirates. In the late 17th century, Nassau became a Pirate Republic and the harbour was teeming with fleets of galleons waving Jolly Rogers. Bringing these piratical tales to life, the Pirates of Nassau museum is a must-see, not least to experience The Quay Side, an atmospheric reconstruction of old Nassau where the air is tinged with tar and gunpowder.
Taste the "Spirit of The Bahamas" at John Watling's Rum Distillery | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
A good way to get your bearings in Nassau is to climb the 66 steps of the Queen's Staircase to the top of Bennet’s Hill. Carved from limestone and now lush with tropical foliage, it was originally an escape route from Fort Fincastle, which was built in 1793 to protect the island from those dastardly pirates. And where there are pirates there’s rum. Founded in 1848, the John Watling’s Distillery is named after “a pious pirate who sailed the Bahamian seas”. You can visit their Bueno Vista estate for a complimentary tour and tasting.
One of the premier golfing destinations in the Caribbean, Nassau & Paradise Island has become a mecca for the serious golfer in recent years. Promising incredible ocean views and some rather creative bunkers, book a round or two on the Ocean Club Golf Course at the Four Seasons, the island's most played golf course, or the Royal Blue Golf Course, which was designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus. If you’re after some culture on your Bahamian holiday, Nassau also has an eclectic art and culture scene. The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas in Villa Doyle houses some impressive classic and contemporary Bahamian art, while the Heritage Museum of The Bahamas, across the road from Graycliff, displays treasures dating back to Columbus' days. For the more unique souvenir, visit Doongalik studios and take home some colourful Bahamian ceramics.
The Ocean Club Golf Course at the Four Seasons | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
A breathtaking new beach every day
Scoring more than 300 days of good sunshine every year, Bahamian beaches are the main reason folk flock to these heavenly shores. With soft sands and waving palm trees lapped by the almost iridescent turquoise seas, Nassau & Paradise Island is blessed with some of the best.
Cable Beach
Miles of icing sugar sands, cocktail-coloured waters and postcard perfect views, Cable Beach is the most delicious of Nassau’s beaches. It's also a popular destination for jet-skiing and parasailing, thanks to its glorious easterly winds.
Dive in to turquoise waters at Cable Beach | Credit: Getty
Fringed by vibrant coral reefs, you can snorkel straight from the shore at Love Beach. Great for beginners, you'll see shoals of angel fish, eagle rays and the odd turtle gliding through the warm, aquamarine waters.
Love Beach
Love Beach | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
Fine powdery sands and ridiculously blue seas, Cabbage Beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in The Bahamas – if not the Caribbean. But it's not just for sunbathing. Offering jet skiing, parasailing, banana boat rides, it's become a favourite of adrenaline seekers.
Cabbage Beach
Cabbage Beach | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
Named after the limestone caves which line the beach, Caves Beach is a real local secret. Calm waters and pristine sands, it's perfect for a quiet beach day. After the sun sets, visit the natural caves and watch the fruit bats emerge.
Caves Beach
Caves Beach | Credit: Hi Supplied
Part of Clifton Heritage Park, Jaws Beach is a relaxed spot with palm-lined sands fringed by nature trails. While it's named after the iconic movie that was partly filmed here, there's little chance of seeing the lead star in these shallow waters.
Jaws Beach
Jaws Beach | Credit: Shutterstock
Colourful beach shacks and a buzzy Bahamian vibe, Junkanoo Beach is the place to go for cocktails at sunset. Lined with a clutch of lively beach bars such as Señor Frog’s and Tiki Bikini Hut, it brings the vibe of Junkanoo to the shore.
Junkanoo Beach
Junkanoo Beach | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
When you want to build sandcastle empires or splash in the calm, shallow waters, Saunders Beach is the place to go. This super family friendly beach just west of Nassau has a playground, showers and plenty of parking.
Saunders Beach
Saunders Beach | Credit: Hi Supplied
How to experience the best of The Bahamas on a Nassau & Paradise Island holiday
Exclusively yours
Unparalleled views from the Crescent Wing | Credit: Four Seasons Christian Horan
Best beachfront suites
Paradise Island's classic luxury beach retreat, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort famously featured in the opening scenes in Casino Royale. Now popular with honeymooners, its luxury oceanfront suites in the Crescent Wing are some of the finest on the island.
Best hotel pool
Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, the palm-lined pools at Rosewood Baha Mar have a fairytale appeal. With quiet pools and romantic cabanas, there's also a higher than average chance that a flamingo might stroll past.
Relax and unwind amidst the palm-lined lagoon pool | Credit: Rosewood Baha Mar
Meet some of The Bahamas native animals at Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre in the heart of Nassau. The former nature preserve opened in 1937, visitors can hand-feed parrots, meet a Bahamian boa constrictor and wander around with flamingos.
Best family experience
Mingle with flamingos at Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre
The first five-star restaurant in The Bahamas, The Graycliff in Nassau is the ultimate fine dining experience. Serving European and Bahamian dishes, from conch chowder to chateaubriand, the restaurant has dining rooms, plus an option to dine at the chef's table in the kitchen. It also houses the largest wine cellar in the Caribbean.
Most exclusive fine dining for two
The Graycliff's impressive wine cellar | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
For a luxury Bahamian experience, guests at Atlantis Paradise Island can charter a yacht from their International Yacht Collection, which has more than 40 super-yachts, and sail around the islands. You can book a yacht for four or eight hour sessions or charter one for a day or two.
Best bespoke day trip
Hit the water on your very own chartered yacht | Credit: Atlantis Paradise Island
Making your paradise dream a reality
Promising laser blue skies, sunshine on repeat and consistent temperatures hovering around the mid-to-late twenties, Nassau & Paradise Island is a fantastic year-round destination. With direct flights from London Heathrow to Nassau in little over nine hours, it's the gateway into The Bahamas.
Paradise awaits just nine hours from Heathrow | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
Enjoy floury-soft sand and aquamarine water at SLS Baha Mar Beach | Credit: Nassau & Paradise Island
In downtown Nassau, the Graycliff Hotel is the island's luxury boutique choice housed in a 19th-century mansion. While Margaritaville Beach Resort and the recently refurbished British Colonial Hilton Resort on Junkanoo Beach are within easy reach of downtown attractions. Baha Mar is a sprawling luxury resort made up of three hotels – SLS Baha Mar, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar and Rosewood Baha Mar – each with a different vibe.
Connected to Nassau by either of two bridges, Paradise Island is where you'll find the majority of the big-hitter resorts near New Providence Island. At its heart is Atlantis Paradise Island, a vast resort with numerous hotels, a water park and the world's largest open-air aquarium.
Family fun at the water park | Credit: Atlantis Paradise Island
Making your paradise dream a reality
Best for honeymooners
For newlywed bliss, you can't beat The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort on Paradise Island. From champagne breakfast in bed to candlelit suppers on the beach, it offers the ultimate romantic escape.
Private dining at The Ocean Club | Credit: Four Seasons Rupert Peace
Best for foodies
From celebrity chefs to Michelin stars, the fine-dining scene in Nassau & Paradise Island is unbeatable. Dune by Jean-Georges is the Michelin-starred restaurant at The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, found on Paradise Island. Headed up by acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, he serves his signature dishes like Bahamian conch salad, shrimp satay and roasted grouper inspired by his travels.
Dune Restaurant | Credit: Four Seasons Christian Horan
Best for trying out new activities
As the fun-packed heart of The Bahamas, Atlantis Paradise Island is teeming with new and unique experiences. Go diving with reef fish and spotted rays in Ruins Lagoon, camp out on the shores of Dolphin Cay, or enjoy a Gospel Brunch with local choirs at Café Martinique.
Aquaventure Mayan Temple Serpent | Credit: Atlantis Paradise Island
Be inspired and find out more about the magic of a holiday in Nassau & Paradise Island, which is closer than you think with direct flights from London Heathrow.
Visit nassauparadiseisland.com to plan your beautiful Bahamian getaway.
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Produced by Telegraph Media Group Writer: Tracey Davies | Project manager: Alex Rose | Commissioning editor: Georgina Hardy | Sub-editors: Viv Watts & Tim Cumming | Picture editor: Tivina Elliott-James | Designer: Kate Degel | Web editor: Ross Thomas
Meet the local residents of Rose Island | Credit: Getty
