The Baleària Caribbean ferry from Port Everglades reaches Bimini in roughly two hours, but the check-in counter closes 90 minutes before departure — arrive by 7:30 AM for a ~9:00 AM sailing, or you watch the boat leave without you. That early-morning start sets the rhythm for a seven-day, three-island loop through the Bahamas Out Islands that covers about as much ground as a trip twice its length.
The Bahamas archipelago spans 700+ islands and 2,000+ cays, with only about 30 inhabited — and this 7-day itinerary hits three of the most distinct: Bimini, New Providence, and Great Exuma.
This route works because it layers a ferry start (no airport hassle for the first leg) with two short inter-island flights, keeping transit time under two hours per move. The trade-off: you need to book every leg ahead — ferry tickets, flights, hotels, and the Exuma pig tour all have limited capacity and sell out weeks in advance during peak season.
The itinerary follows a logical eastward arc: Fort Lauderdale → Bimini (ferry) → Nassau (flight) → Great Exuma (flight) → home via Nassau. First-timers get a mix of beach-lounge days, a major resort water park, and the signature Out Islands wildlife experiences without the rushed feeling of a four-island sprint. Below is how the three stops stack up at a glance, followed by a detailed breakdown of each island.
| Island | Best For | Key Highlights | Getting There | Starting Rate (per night) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bimini | Snorkelers, fishing enthusiasts, Hemingway fans | Radio Beach, Honeymoon Harbour stingrays, Stuart’s Conch Stand | Baleària ferry from Fort Lauderdale, ~2 hr | $160 (Bimini Big John’s) |
| Nassau & Paradise Island | Families, resort-goers, history buffs | Atlantis Aquaventure, Queen’s Staircase, Arawak Cay fish fry | Western Air from Bimini, ~30 min | $210 (Margaritaville) |
| Great Exuma | Wildlife lovers, boaters, photographers | Swimming pigs, Compass Cay nurse sharks, Thunderball Grotto | Bahamasair from Nassau, ~45 min | $180 (Peace & Plenty) |
Bimini: The Ferry-Frontier Welcome
You clear customs at the Bimini ferry terminal around 11:00 AM, grab a taxi to your hotel for about $15, and the day unfolds from there. Radio Beach is the main public stretch — swim, snorkel, or rent a chair for $10 and do nothing. Lunch at Stuart’s Conch Stand means fresh conch salad made on the spot while you watch the chef work. Alice Town’s colorful streets are a short walk from the beach, and a sunset dinner at Big John’s Bar & Grill comes with ocean views and a lively bar downstairs.
Day two starts early at Captain Bob’s — try the johnny cakes — before a 9:30 AM boat tour to Honeymoon Harbour. The $60 trip puts you in the water with stingrays in a shallow, protected cove; guides handle the rays carefully and explain their behavior. A golf cart rental (~$80/day) is the best way to explore North Bimini on your own schedule, especially if you want to hit the quieter coves at the island’s north end.
Your flight to Nassau departs from South Bimini Airport mid-afternoon (the last Western Air departure is around 15:20). Allow at least 30 minutes for the water taxi and short cab ride from North Bimini to the airport. Western Air runs about eight flights a week on this route, so missing that window means waiting until the next day.
Book the Baleària ferry at least two weeks out — midweek crossings run roughly $50 less than Friday or Sunday departures, and the difference covers a night’s lodging at Bimini Big John’s.
Nassau & Paradise Island: The Resort Hub
If Bimini is the slow exhale at the start of the trip, Nassau is the caffeine shot in the middle. The Western Air flight lands around 15:50, and by evening you’re checking into a hotel on Paradise Island or Cable Beach. Day three belongs to Atlantis Aquaventure — but only if you booked ahead. Daily day-pass quantities are capped, and many dates sell out entirely, especially spring break and holidays. Seasonal pricing runs from about $195 per adult (13+) and $95 per child (4–12), climbing past $250 on peak dates. Staying one night at Atlantis includes water park access and often costs about the same as two adult day passes, which is worth the math.
Day four shifts to downtown Nassau: the Queen’s Staircase (66 steps carved into limestone by slaves in the late 18th century), Fort Fincastle, and Parliament Square make a compact walking loop. Lunch at Arawak Cay — the fish fry district — is half the price of resort dining and the food is better. Bay Street’s shops and nightlife keep the evening busy.
Day five is the Blue Lagoon Island excursion ($189), which covers dolphin encounters, beach time, and water activities. It’s a half-day trip that leaves the afternoon free to pack for the next morning’s Exuma flight.
The Bimini–Nassau route has genuinely limited capacity — Western Air runs roughly eight flights a week with no early-morning or evening option. Book this flight as soon as your dates are firm, or you could be stuck an extra day.
Great Exuma: The Out Islands Showpiece
What brings most people to the Exumas? Swimming pigs, nurse sharks, and a snorkel spot that doubled as a James Bond film set — all reachable in a single day from George Town. The key is catching the 06:50 Bahamasair flight from Nassau (UP370), which lands at Exuma International (GGT) around 07:35 and leaves you the whole day for a boat tour.
Shared full-day boat tours from Great Exuma run $275–$400 per person and include lunch and multiple stops. Most operators depart from Barraterre Dock, about a 55-minute drive north of George Town — confirm whether transfers are included when you book. Private charters start around $3,350 for up to eight people, which makes sense for a group but is steep for a solo traveler or couple.
The standard tour follows this sequence, and it’s worth knowing the order so you can pace your energy:
Arrive around 10:00 AM. The pigs swim out when boats approach, but only feed what the operator provides — they’re on a schedule and overfeeding causes health problems. This is the most photographed stop for a reason; get your shots early before the crowd builds.
Around 11:30 AM, you wade into the marina shallows where nurse sharks cruise. They’re docile and accustomed to visitors, but guides enforce rules about touching and sudden movements. The water here is absurdly clear — you can see the bottom at 15 feet.
Around 1:00 PM, the boat pulls up to a private sandbar where lunch (grilled, included) arrives and you swim in waist-deep turquoise water. This is the downtime stop — no wildlife, just floating.
At 2:30 PM, you snorkel the grotto where scenes from Thunderball and Never Say Never Again were filmed. The cave opens to the sky above and fills with light; sergeant majors and parrotfish crowd the entrance. Bring a waterproof housing or a cheap disposable camera — the light shafts are worth it.
The tour returns to George Town around 5:30 PM. Day seven is a beach morning at Tropic of Cancer Beach (a long, undeveloped stretch on the island’s Atlantic side) before the flight back to Nassau and your connection home. If you’re on a tighter budget, skip the private sandbar lunch stop and book a shorter tour that hits just the pigs and the grotto — those run closer to $200 per person.
Planning Your Island-Hopping Route
The biggest friction point on this itinerary isn’t the activities — it’s the transport links between them. The ferry and two inter-island flights create three separate legs where weather or capacity can break the chain. Here’s where the real logistics live.
Ferry. Baleària Caribbean runs from Port Everglades to Bimini. Round-trip fares start around $230 plus tax per person. The check-in location at Port Everglades has moved before, so confirm the terminal on your ticket the day before. If seas are rough, the ferry is occasionally cancelled — a handful of times per year, but enough that a flexible hotel rate matters.
Inter-island flights. Western Air covers Bimini → Nassau (~$198 one-way, ~30 min, ~8 flights/week). Bahamasair covers Nassau ↔ George Town (~$180–$250 round-trip, ~45 min, two daily flights at 06:50 and 17:33). Pineapple Air and Western Air also serve the Exuma route, with about 20 combined flights per week, but the Bahamasair 06:50 is the only departure that gets you to George Town in time for a full-day boat tour. Book all inter-island flights as soon as your dates are firm.
Budget breakdown per person (2026 estimates). A budget traveler spends roughly $1,800 (ferry ~$230, flights ~$280, six nights lodging ~$600, activities ~$900, food ~$500). Mid-range runs about $2,800 (ferry ~$270, flights ~$430, lodging ~$2,000, activities and food scaling up). Luxury hits $4,800 with pricier hotels and private charters.
If you’re traveling August through October, book refundable hotel rates and buy travel insurance covering weather disruption. Hurricane season peaks mid-August through September, and while most days are fine, a storm warning can cancel the ferry or a small inter-island flight at short notice.
Before You Go — Bahamas Out Islands
Can I do this trip in 5 days?
Yes, but you drop Bimini. Fly direct to Nassau from the US (2 nights), then to Exuma (2 nights), and home via Nassau. You lose the ferry adventure and the stingray swim, but you keep the pigs and the grotto. A 4-day version works with just Bimini (ferry, 2 nights) and Nassau (2 nights) if water parks matter more than wildlife.
Are the swimming pigs tours suitable for young kids?
Children under 5 will enjoy Atlantis and the ferry ride more than a full-day Exuma boat tour (long stretches on the water, limited shade). Kids 8 and up handle the pace well and love the pigs and nurse sharks. For families with mixed ages, consider two shorter half-day tours instead of one full-day slog.
What documents do I need?
U.S. citizens need a valid passport booklet for the ferry to Bimini and for inter-island flights. The passport card won’t work on those flights — it’s only accepted on certain closed-loop sea crossings. The State Department recommends at least six months of validity beyond your return date.
Can I skip the Atlantis day pass to save money?
Cable Beach is free and walkable from Margaritaville or Baha Mar, with soft sand and calm water. If the $195+ day-pass price feels steep, skip it and spend that money on the Exuma boat tour instead — you’ll get more memorable experiences per dollar.
When is the best month for this itinerary?
Late April through May gives you the best balance of weather (75–85°F, low rainfall) and value (roughly 30% below peak December–April rates). November is similar. August through October carries the highest cancellation risk for ferries and small planes.
Three Islands, One Week, Zero Regrets
The loop from Bimini’s stingrays to Nassau’s water slides to Exuma’s pigs covers more ground than most single-resort vacations manage in two weeks, yet each stop is short enough that you never feel like you’re living out of a suitcase. The ferry start and two short flights keep the logistics manageable — as long as you book ahead and build in a little flexibility. That early-morning check-in at Port Everglades, the 06:50 Bahamasair to George Town, the afternoon light through Thunderball Grotto’s ceiling — those are the moments that make a multi-island trip feel like a real expedition rather than a resort swap.
For more ideas on how to spend your time on the water once you’re island-side, check out our guide to the Bahamas’ best snorkeling spots.
References
Baleària Caribbean. “Fort Lauderdale to Bimini Ferry.” baleariacaribbean.com, 2026. ↗
Western Air. “Bimini–Nassau Schedule & Fares.” westernairbahamas.com, 2026. ↗
Bahamasair. “Nassau–George Town Schedule.” bahamasair.com, 2026. ↗
Atlantis Paradise Island. “Aquaventure Day Pass.” atlantisbahamas.com, 2026. ↗
If you’re planning a shorter Bimini-only trip, our guide to hidden beach bonfires and stargazing covers the quieter side of island life, and the paddleboarding primer pairs well with any Out Islands stay. For a deeper dive into Exuma’s underwater caves and blue holes, this guide to mystical depths is worth a read before you go.
Explore Places to Stay in the Bahamas
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