The ferry from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini is the kind of travel moment that makes island hopping feel like an adventure from the first step. You check in at Port Everglades by 7:30 AM, board the Baleària Caribbean ferry around 9:00, and by 11:00 you’re clearing customs on a Bahamian island 50 miles off Florida’s coast. That two-hour crossing is the only sea leg of this itinerary — the rest is a carefully timed mix of short flights and day boats that covers three distinct island experiences in seven days.
This route runs Fort Lauderdale → Bimini (ferry, 2 hours) → Nassau (Western Air, 30 minutes) → Great Exuma (Bahamasair, 45 minutes) → Nassau → home. It’s built for first-time island hoppers who want variety — a quiet fishing island, a resort-heavy hub, and the wild Exuma Cays — without the hassle of figuring out every connection from scratch.
The Bahamas archipelago spans more than 700 islands across nearly 100,000 square miles of Atlantic — only about 30 are inhabited.
This 7-day route works best for travelers who want a genuine island-hopping experience with three distinct stops, not just a resort stay with a day trip thrown in. The tradeoff: you’ll need to book ferry tickets, two inter-island flights, and hotels across three islands, and weather can disrupt any of those legs, especially from June through November. Book flexible fares and consider travel insurance if you’re traveling during hurricane season.
First-time island hoppers
Families with kids 8+
Adventure seekers
The table below gives you a quick sense of what each stop offers, who it suits best, and what you’ll likely spend per person once you’re on the ground.
| Island | Highlights | Best For | Est. Cost (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bimini | Radio Beach, Honeymoon Harbour stingrays, Hemingway history | Laid-back beach days, fishing | $550–800 |
| Nassau & Paradise Island | Atlantis Aquaventure, historic downtown, Cable Beach | Resort amenities, water park | $850–1,400 |
| Great Exuma | Swimming pigs, nurse sharks, Thunderball Grotto | Bucket-list wildlife encounters | $650–1,000 |
Bimini: Ferry, Stingrays, and a Quiet Start
Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to Florida, and it sets a deliberately slow pace for the start of your trip. You only get one full day here before flying to Nassau, so the rhythm is simple: arrive by ferry, hit the beach, eat conch salad, and take a boat tour to swim with stingrays.
Check in at Port Everglades by 7:30 AM — Baleària Caribbean requires check-in 90 minutes before departure. Fares from $115 + tax one-way, round trips from ~$230 + tax. The crossing takes about 2 hours. Book the Baleària ferry here.
Arrive ~11:00 AM, clear customs, taxi to hotel ($15). Head to Radio Beach by noon — swim, snorkel, rent beach chairs ($10). Lunch at Stuart’s Conch Stand for fresh conch salad. Explore Alice Town in the afternoon — shops and Hemingway’s old haunts. Dinner at Big John’s Bar & Grill.
Breakfast at Captain Bob’s — try the johnny cakes. Book a boat tour ($60) to Honeymoon Harbour to swim with stingrays. After lunch, rent a golf cart (~$80/day) to explore North Bimini. Pack and transfer to South Bimini Airport — allow 30 minutes via water taxi and short cab ride.
Western Air runs the only nonstop Bimini–Nassau route, ~30 minutes, ~8 flights per week with departures between ~10:20 and 15:20. Plan around the 15:20 departure. Fares from ~$198 one-way. Check Western Air schedules here.
Bimini’s golf cart rental is worth the $80 — the island is small enough to cover in a few hours, and having your own wheels means you can reach the quieter beach spots north of Alice Town without waiting for taxis.
Nassau & Paradise Island: Water Parks, History, and a Day at Sea
From Bimini’s quiet pace you shift to Nassau’s energy. You get three nights here, which gives you time for the Atlantis water park, a historic downtown walk, and a day trip to Blue Lagoon Island. It’s the most resort-heavy part of the itinerary, and the only stop where you’ll want to book key activities well ahead.
Day passes for non-guests must be bought in advance through atlantisbahamas.com or the Atlantis app — daily quantities are capped. Pricing seasonal: from ~$195 per adult (13+), $95 per child (4–12), rising past $250 on peak spring-break and holiday dates. Children 3 and under are free. The pass covers the water park, resort pools (except The Cove), beach, The Dig aquarium, and Predator Tunnel. Check Atlantis day pass availability here.
Spend the morning walking downtown — Queen’s Staircase, Fort Fincastle, Parliament Square. Head to Arawak Cay for lunch at the Fish Fry, a local hangout known for fried fish and sky juice. Afternoon at Cable Beach for swimming and water sports. Evening on Bay Street for bars and live music.
A full-day excursion to Blue Lagoon Island runs ~$189 per person and includes dolphin encounters, beach time, and water activities. Return in the late afternoon and pack for an early flight to Exuma the next morning.
Bahamasair flies Nassau (NAS) to George Town, Great Exuma (GGT) twice daily — UP370 at 06:50 and UP374 at 17:33 — block time ~45 minutes. Round-trips typically $180–$250. Pineapple Air and Western Air also serve the route, with combined ~20 flights per week. Take the early flight to arrive in time for a same-day pig tour. Book Bahamasair here.
Atlantis day passes for non-guests are not always available — many dates never open for day-pass sales, and popular dates sell out weeks in advance. If your dates are tight, booking one night at the resort includes access and often works out similar to two adult day passes.
If Atlantis day passes are sold out or too pricey, Cable Beach is free and walkable from Margaritaville Beach Resort or Baha Mar. The water is calm, chairs are available to rent, and several beachfront bars serve lunch — not a bad backup plan.
Great Exuma: Swimming Pigs, Nurse Sharks, and the Cays
The Exuma Cays are the payoff — the part of the trip that most first-time visitors picture when they think of the Bahamas. You get one full day on a boat touring the cays, plus a morning at one of the world’s best beaches before flying home.
Take Bahamasair UP370 at 06:50 from Nassau. Land at George Town (GGT) ~7:35 AM. Transfer to Barraterre Dock (~55 minutes north) for your boat tour — confirm whether transfers are included when booking. Shared full-day tours from Great Exuma start at ~$275–$400 per person including lunch and multiple stops.
Arrive ~10:00 AM. The resident pigs swim out to greet boats. Only feed them what the operator provides — the pigs are fed on a schedule, and crews ask visitors not to bring their own snacks. Morning arrival means fewer boats and more space on the beach.
Head to Compass Cay ~11:30 AM to swim with nurse sharks in the marina — they’re generally calm, but follow the crew’s instructions and avoid sudden movements. Lunch on a private sandbar around 1:00 PM. Afternoon snorkel at Thunderball Grotto, the James Bond movie cave — the light shafts through the limestone ceiling make it one of the best snorkel stops in the Exumas. Return to George Town by 5:30 PM.
Last morning: swim at Tropic of Cancer Beach (often called one of the world’s best). Then fly from George Town to Nassau and connect to your flight home. If you’re heading to Fort Lauderdale or Miami, the connection is straightforward — most flights from Nassau to Florida run hourly in the afternoon.
Bahamian rock iguanas on Iguana Beach are critically endangered and protected under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act — handling and feeding them is prohibited. The Bahamas National Trust has publicly called out visitors who do. Look, don’t feed, and let your guide set the rules.
When to Go & How to Book
This itinerary has three separate travel legs — a ferry and two inter-island flights — which means weather matters more than it would for a single-island resort stay. The best window for reliable weather is December through April, when the dry season brings 75–85°F days and low rainfall. That’s also when prices peak.
May and November offer a sweet spot: similar weather to peak season but prices roughly 30% lower. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with peak risk from mid-August through September. During those months, a storm can cancel the ferry or a small inter-island flight at short notice. If you travel August–October, book flexible fares and consider travel insurance that covers weather disruption.
Booking Windows
Book the Baleària ferry at least two weeks ahead — midweek departures are about $50 cheaper than Friday or Sunday sailings. Inter-island flights on Western Air and Bahamasair have limited capacity, so book as soon as your dates are firm. The swimming pigs tour sells out regularly, especially from March through May; book it alongside your Exuma hotel. Atlantis day passes require advance booking through the official site and can disappear weeks ahead for popular dates.
What It Costs
Per-person budgets for this 7-day trip range from $1,800 (budget) to $2,800 (mid-range) to $4,800 (luxury), excluding international flights. The biggest variable is accommodation — staying at Resorts World Bimini or Atlantis adds $100–$150 per night compared to Alice Town or downtown Nassau hotels. Food costs drop noticeably when you eat at local spots like Stuart’s Conch Stand in Bimini and Arawak Cay in Nassau.
Book the swimming pigs tour from Great Exuma rather than as a fly-and-boat day trip from Nassau. The Nassau version bundles a return flight and typically costs $750–$850 per person. From Great Exuma you pay for the boat only — roughly $275–$400 — and you’re already there.
Before You Go — Bahamas Island Hopping
Do I need a passport for the ferry and inter-island flights?
Yes. U.S. citizens need a valid passport booklet — not a passport card — for the ferry to Bimini and for inter-island flights to Nassau and Exuma. The U.S. State Department recommends at least six months of validity beyond your return date.
Can I do this trip in 5 days instead of 7?
You can skip Bimini and fly directly to Nassau for 2 nights, then Exuma for 2 nights. Or do Bimini (ferry, 2 nights) and Nassau alone (2 nights). The swimming pigs are harder to cut — most first-timers consider them the trip’s highlight. For families with kids under 5, the shorter 5-day version with more downtime is a better fit.
What happens if the ferry or a flight is cancelled?
Baleària cancels the ferry a handful of times per year in rough seas. Western Air’s Bimini–Nassau route runs only ~8 flights per week — if you miss one, the next may not be until the following day. Build flexibility by booking refundable hotel rates and adding travel insurance, especially June through November.
Is the Atlantis day pass worth it?
It depends. At ~$195–$250 per adult, two day passes can cost nearly the same as one night at the resort — which includes access for the whole stay. If you only have one day for the water park, the day pass works, but check availability well ahead. If passes are sold out, Cable Beach is a free alternative with calm water and chair rentals.
What should I pack that’s easy to forget?
Reef-safe sunscreen, a waterproof phone case or underwater camera, seasickness medication for the ferry, insect repellent, and a power bank. Turn on airplane mode when you leave the U.S. — Bahamas roaming charges run $10+/MB. Download offline maps and use hotel WiFi.
The Itinerary That Moves With You
What makes this route work is that each leg serves a purpose: the ferry gets you to the quietest island first, the flights are short enough to feel like connections rather than travel days, and the boat tour in Exuma is the centerpiece you’re building toward. By the time you’re floating over Thunderball Grotto on a Tuesday afternoon, the early morning check-in at Port Everglades feels like a week ago.
If you’re ready to start planning, check out our guide to swimming with pigs and sharks in the Exuma Cays for a deeper look at the best boat tours and what to expect at each stop.
References
Bahamas Shopping. “Bahamas Island Hopping Itinerary.” Bahamas Shopping, 2026. ↗
Charted Waters. “Bahamas Island Hopping Boat Tour Guide.” Charted Waters, 2026. ↗
Yacht With Us. “Bahamas Island Hopping Guide — Costs, Itineraries, Where to Stay.” Yacht With Us, 2026. ↗
Destination Magazines. “Island Hopping in the Bahamas — The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Paradise.” Destination Magazines, 2026. ↗
For more Bahamas trip planning, browse our guides on Exuma’s Rolleville Homecoming Festival and Regatta, maximizing a Nassau-to-Paradise-Island day, and romantic beach picnics in the Bahamas.
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