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GUIDES

Exploring the Bahamas Best Spots for Underwater Photography

You drop below the surface and the world goes blue. In the Bahamas, that blue is often more than 100 feet of visibility, and below it waits the third-largest barrier reef on the planet, a scatter of shipwrecks turned artificial reefs, and blue holes that drop hundreds of feet into the earth. For anyone carrying a camera, this is one of the most accessible underwater photography destinations in the Caribbean — not just for the clarity of the water, but for the variety of subjects within reach of a shore dive or a short boat ride. This article covers

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Chasing the Bahamas Best Tarpon Fishing Spots

The first time I watched a tarpon rocket out of the shallows off Andros Island, I understood why anglers cross oceans for these fish. That silver body, easily over 100 pounds, twisted against the sky before crashing back into the mangroves. The Bahamas, with its 661 cays surrounded by shallow flats, is one of the best places in the Atlantic to chase them. This article covers the top spots for tarpon fishing in the Bahamas, what makes each one worth your time, and how to match a destination to your skill level and travel style. Tarpon in the Bahamas

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How to Spend an Afternoon Learning Bahamian Knot Tying

I learned to tie my first knot — a simple figure-eight — on a shaded dock at Highbourne Cay, with the water so clear I could see sea fans swaying twenty feet down. The instructor was Windy Chien, a San Francisco-based artist who spent a full year learning a new knot every single day — a project she called The Year of Knots. That afternoon in the Exumas changed how I think about rope, craft, and the slow pleasure of hands-on learning. This article covers how to spend an afternoon learning Bahamian knot tying yourself — whether you join

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A Guide to Scuba Diving Certifications You Can Earn on Vacation

The water off San Salvador Island is so clear you can see the sandy bottom 40 feet below before you even put your mask on. PADI, the world’s largest scuba training organization, has been certifying divers since 1966, and earning your Open Water Diver certification on vacation is one of the most rewarding ways to spend a few days. This guide covers the certification process, costs, and exactly where in the Bahamas to do it — whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a family with kids aged 10 and up. Visibility in San Salvador regularly exceeds 100

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Exploring Bahamian Cave Systems Beyond the Tourist Trail

Slip into the tannin-stained water of a Grand Bahama blue hole and within seconds the surface chatter fades. Below the halocline—the swirling boundary where freshwater meets saltwater—visibility opens up and the scale of the Bahamas’ submerged cave network comes into focus. The Old Freetown system alone snakes 23,400 feet (roughly 4.4 miles) through limestone bedrock beneath Freeport. This article covers five cave systems across the Bahamas that reward the extra effort to reach them, from dry caves with Lucayan artifacts to world-class freediving spots. More than 170 blue holes dot Andros Island alone, part of a submerged cave network

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A Beginner’s Guide to Kiteboarding in the Bahamas

The trade winds deliver 15 to 25 knots across the Bahamas from November through April, and nowhere is that more useful than on the ten-kilometer Atlantic beach at Greenwood Beach Resort on Cat Island. This is the one place in the country with a proper kiteboarding school, and it’s where most beginners get their start. Most students achieve their first water starts within three to five days of lessons. If you’ve been eyeing kiteboarding but felt intimidated, the Bahamas offers forgiving flat-water spots and a direct learning path. This guide covers the lesson experience at Greenwood Beach, the gear

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A Beginner’s Guide to Lobster Diving Season in the Out Islands

A pod of dolphins cruised past our skiff as we anchored off a small cay in the Abacos. Michael was already in the water, mask down, scanning the sandy patches between coral heads for the telltale antennae of a spiny lobster. The Bahamas spiny lobster open season runs from August 1 to March 31 each year, and we had timed it right. This guide covers everything a beginner needs to know about lobster diving in the Out Islands — permits, gear, techniques, locations, and the rules that keep it sustainable. Spiny lobster season in the Bahamas runs August 1

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Freediving Lessons in the Bahamas for People Who’ve Never Held Their Breath

It sounds counterintuitive — traveling to a place famous for a 663-foot-deep underwater hole when you can barely hold your breath for 30 seconds. But Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island is actually one of the most beginner-friendly freediving spots in the Bahamas, with zero current, shore access, and year-round visibility that often exceeds 100 feet. Dean’s Blue Hole plunges 663 feet — the second-deepest saltwater blue hole in the world — yet beginners regularly reach 30 to 50 feet after a single course. This article covers everything you need to know about taking your first freediving lesson in

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How to Try Paddleboarding Through Mangrove Creeks

On Shroud Cay in the Exumas, the water is so still at slack tide that the only sound is a turtle surfacing for air. Then the tide turns, and the same creek that looked like a lagoon becomes a fast-moving channel. That shift is the whole trick to paddleboarding through mangrove creeks in the Bahamas — and why getting the timing right matters more than your balance. This article covers the best places to SUP through mangrove systems across the Bahamas, from the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park to the Abacos and Eleuthera. It’s written for anyone who

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Exploring the Bahamas Underrated Hiking Trails

Over 50 blue holes dot the island of Andros alone, but most visitors to the Bahamas never see one up close. The country’s hiking trails remain largely overlooked in favor of beach days and boat tours, which means you can often have a remarkable route almost to yourself. This guide covers five of the best hikes across the islands — from a historic Nassau walk to a full-day island circuit on Stocking Island — with the practical details you need to actually get out there. Over 50 blue holes are found on Andros, the Bahamas’ largest yet most sparsely

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