Banking is big business in the Bahamas. Long recognized as a tax haven, both Nassau and Freeport are home to more than their fair share of counting houses. And for visitors to the islands that's good. There's always a bank around the next corner.
In Nassau and Freeport/Lucaya, banks are open from 9:30 am until 3 pm, Monday through Thursday, and from 9:30 am until 5 pm on Friday. If you rely on credit cards for your cash, there are international ATMs located at strategic spots on both of the major islands, including the casinos. As one might expect, banking hours vary in the Out Islands. In fact, banks on some islands open only on certain days of the week, and then only for a few hours.
Bicycles are popular on the islands. Visitors love them. They are inexpensive to rent, convenient, easy to park, and nowhere is really too far away. The only concern is that you'll be riding on the "wrong" side of the road. You can rent mopeds and bicycles at most hotels and resorts, or at nearby cycle shops. The going rates for mopeds range from about $20 to $30 a day - a half-day might cost anywhere from $10 to $20 - and you'll be asked to leave a small deposit, usually about $30. Bicycles run about $18 a day.
Bus travel can be an adventure. And if you want to meet the people, there's no better way to do it than finding your way around Nassau by bus. For 75¢, it's a great way to travel. Bahamians are very friendly and will come to your aid quickly with directions. (The only problem is understanding the waving hands and the fast talk.) On Grand Bahama, the buses connect Freeport with Lucaya, the hotels, the beaches, Port Lucaya and, of course, the International Bazaar.
Visitors over the age of 18 may gamble at all four casinos in Nassau and Freeport. Children are allowed to enter the casinos only to attend shows in the casino theaters. In Nassau, there is a casino on Paradise Island at the Atlantis Resort and one at Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace Casino on Cable Beach. In Freeport, one casino is at Our Lucaya. The other is at the Isle of Capri Casino on Royal Palm Way. There is more information on gaming and casinos in the regional chapters.
The trade winds blow almost continuously here, creating a warm, agreeable climate that varies little throughout the year. September through May, when the temperature averages 70-75°F, is the most refreshing time to visit. The rest of the year is somewhat warmer, with temperatures between 80° and 85°.
May is the rainy season.
Legal tender is the Bahamian dollar, which is always equivalent in value to the US dollar. Both US and Bahamian dollars are accepted interchangeably throughout the islands, and visitors are likely to receive change in mixed American and Bahamian currency.
Traveler's checks are accepted throughout the islands and may be cashed at banks and hotels. They will, however, add a service charge. Credit cards are widely accepted in Nassau and Freeport/Lucaya, and to a lesser extent on the Out Islands, where cash is still king. Be prepared to pay a service charge if you use American Express.
British visitors should buy Bahamian dollars before traveling. The exchange rate often will be more favorable at home than in the Bahamas.
The dress code is casual and comfortable. Days are spent in shorts, swimsuits, slacks or jeans. Although the islands have been independent for more than 25 years, the influence of more than 250 years of British rule is still evident. You shouldn't wear swimsuits except at the pool or on the beach. Do not wear them in shops, restaurants, and on the streets of Nassau and Freeport/Lucaya.
In the evening, most people prefer to dress casual but smart - sport shirts and slacks. For more formal dining at some of the first-class restaurants and larger hotels, gentlemen should wear a tie and jacket; long skirts or cocktail dresses are preferred for ladies. On the Out Islands, except at some of the large resorts, dress is much more casual.
All US and Canadian appliances can be used without adapters. Visitors from the United Kingdom will need adapters to 120 volts.
Ah, this is the way to travel. Ferries in Nassau run between Prince George Dock and Paradise Island. On the Out Islands the ferry is often the only way of getting around. On Abaco, ferries run every hour or so between Treasure Cay, New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay, and the Green Turtle Club (also on Green Turtle Cay), with various stops along the way. This round-trip takes about an hour to complete. From Marsh Harbour the ferry runs to Man-O-War Cay and back, and from Marsh Harbour to Hope Town on Elbow Cay and back. Once again, a round-trip takes about an hour. It's a lazy way to travel, but most enjoyable. There's nothing quite like a boat ride on a warm sunny day, especially when the scenery is spectacular and the sea the color of the palest jade. www.bahamasferries.com.
In Nassau and Freeport you will find at least a couple of cybercafés. There aren't many so it's a good iedea to check exactly where they are before you go. You can check by going online at www.cybercafe.com.
In Nassau: The Cybercafé, PO Box N7442, Mall at Marathon, Nassau, Bahamas, tel. 242-394-6254, www.electrojack.com, anewton@electrojack.com. Open 8:30 am-8 pm. Cost: 15¢ per minute. There are six computers available, along with high-speed access for laptops.
In Freeport: The Cyberclub is quite a bit larger. PO Box F-40641, Seventeen Center, Grand Bahama, tel. 242-351-4560, www.grandbahama.net, cyberclub@grandbahama.net. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 8 pm. Cost: $40 per month, but check for daily and weekly rates. 30 computers available plus high-speed access.
Most of the major hotels offer high-speed access via Ethernet cable. The cost runs from $12 to $20 per day, depending upon the hotel.
The IPass network offers dial-up service almost everywhere in the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands. It's a bit of a pain to use - you have to get them to help you set up your computer for the Bahamas. To get a list of IPass providers, go to www.ipass.com and then click on "Individuals." Select your country (Bahamas) and this is what you'll find:
"Worldwide Dialup - We are the solution for individuals, small to medium-size businesses and universities! Worldwide Dialup provides an easy to use, fully supported iPass dialup and broadband service, with 24x7x365 support, email with Spam and Virus Filtering, on-line account administration and a fully redundant network. Our staff provides technical assistance regardless of your operating system - from Windows to Mac to Palm, we can even point you in the right direction if you are using other non-supported systems for connectivity (Linux, Unix, etc). Our rates are extremely competitive!" They are based in Ada, Michigan and, yes, you'll have to call for current rates. tel. 616-682-4813, fax 616-682-1389.
Even though the Out Islands are now almost all accessible by airplane, mail boats still ply the waters back and forth between the islands. The boats leave Nassau from Potter's Cay - located off East Bay Street under the east Paradise Island bridge - about once a week, stopping at one or two of the Out Islands along the way. The journey takes about 12 hours, usually overnight. Schedules are somewhat random, subject to change and postponement. The mail boat is, however, an economical way to travel the islands, a lot of fun, and perhaps the most understated and unusual adventure available. The decks are crowded with Bahamians, freight, livestock and a variety of weird cargoes.
This is also a great way to make short trips to the Out Islands. For instance, the Bahamas Daybreak III leaves Nassau on Mondays at 7 pm, arrives at Governor's Harbour on Eleuthera at midnight, and returns to Nassau at 8 pm on Tuesday. You could spend the night at the Duck Inn or the Rainbow Inn, spend the next day sightseeing, swimming, snorkeling or whatever, then catch the boat and be back in your hotel by 1:30 am, just in time to get some sleep. Unfortunately, passage cannot be arranged in advance, but only after arrival in the Bahamas. For more information, call the dock master at Potter's Cay, % 242-393-1064. You'll find detailed schedule and fare information within each regional chapter, and in the At a Glance section at the end of the book. www.bahamasgp.com.
The ocean wears a coat of many colors, ranging from the palest emerald green to the deepest indigo. The colors of the flowers - hibiscus, bougainvillea, goat's foot, and spider lily - seem a little brighter than anywhere else. The sand varies just a little from the palest pink to the tint of fine champagne. And then there's the clothing. Bahamians love bright colors. Light colored dresses, shirts, and hats set against rich brown skin offer rare opportunities for great photography. Gaily painted cottages, bustling streets alive with color, roadside fish markets, vast mangrove swamps, tiny harbors crowded with sailboats, lighthouses, and thousands of scenic bays, inlets, and beaches offer even more vistas for shutterbugs. If that's not enough, you can always dive into the underwater world where the colors are even brighter.
Here are some simple techniques to help you shoot better photos:
The Bahamas are blessed with an excellent health service. Hospital facilities, public and private, are available in Nassau and Freeport. The Out Islands are served by health centers, clinics and general practitioner doctors. In an emergency, patients are flown to Nassau and treated at Princess Margaret Hospital.
You should be aware that most US medical insurance plans will not cover you while traveling abroad.
Most package operators offer travel protection insurance. This may cover some limited medical emergencies. Several insurance companies also offer cancellation insurance. They can be well worth the extra cost. Perhaps the best of these is CSA Travel Protection Insurance offered through travel agents and underwritten by Commercial Union Insurance Company. For more information, call your local travel agent or tel. 800-873-9855, www.csatravelprotection.com.
Insects are not much of problem, but take along some insect repellent just in case. And don't leave home without a good sunblock.
If you have a valid US, Canadian or British driver's license, you can rent a car - even on the Out Islands, although what you get there might bring on a mild heart attack. Be sure to check the car's condition before you drive away.
Rates vary from around $60 to $90 per day, but are much cheaper if rented by the week. Special rates can be arranged through most agencies in advance of travel. In Nassau, the world-wide agencies - Avis (www.avis.com), Budget (www.budget.com), Dollar (www.dollar.com) and Hertz (www.hertz.com) - as well as several local companies, are found at the airport, hotels and several downtown locations. In Freeport, there's also an Avis office in the International Bazaar.
Remember, Bahamians drive on the left side of the road. It can at first be a little disconcerting, but you'll soon get used to it.
Although shops throughout the Bahamas are now permitted to open on Sundays and some national holidays, you'll find many remain closed. In Nassau, shops open daily from 9 am until 5 pm. In Freeport/Lucaya they open from 9 am until 8 pm, although many of the stores in the International Bazaar and at Port Lucaya stay open until 9 on Saturday evenings.
In Nassau and Freeport/Lucaya, as well as most of the Out Islands, taxis are readily available. On the Out Islands, however, some taxis are showing their age. Almost always reliable, these taxis often offer a ride that can be an adventure all its own.
The Ministry of Tourism and the Bahamas Training College have established a number of specialty tour guide qualifications: ecotour guides, bird-watching guides, etc. On the Out Islands there are no tour buses and, as yet, few tour guides. This is where the taxi comes into its own. For as little as $16 an hour, your friendly driver will show you his island and tell you all about it. These drivers are experts on the history of their particular island, and are often able to tell the story in a form that's as entertaining as it is interesting.
Rates are often negotiable, especially if you are prepared to hire by the day. Meters are present in most cabs on the main islands, but they may not be activated. It's always best to negotiate a particular fare before embarking.
Taxis in Nassau and Freeport are always metered - make sure your driver turns his meter on - and can be found waiting for fares on busy downtown streets, and at the airports and hotels. Rates are generally reasonable. A ride from Nassau's airport to Paradise Island is about $20, and to Cable Beach about $15. In Freeport, the trip from the airport to the hotel district can cost anywhere from $8 to $12; the fare is the same from the hotel district to Pier One restaurant.
Tips are expected and a couple of dollars for a short trip will be enough. Taxis usually meet arriving flights and ferry boats, but it's advisable to make sure in advance. Speak with your hotel and have them arrange something for you if needed.
When calling from the US, dial 242 and the local number. To call the US or Canada from the Bahamas, dial 1 + the area code and the local number.
Cell Phones
Cell phone use has gotten a lot easier over the last couple of years. Most manufacturers now build GSM (Global System for Mobiles) technology into their equipment as a matter of course, especially in Europe. In the US, all one needs is the properly-equipped cell phone, a call to your provider and a request for the international dialing option, and you're ready to go. The international dialing option will cost you nothing: the roaming service, however, can be quite expensive - anywhere from $1 to $5 per minute. If your phone is not "international capable," you can always rent one from your local provider before you leave. It's not cheap - usually $40 to $50 per week - and then you'll also have to cough up for airtime, at least $1 per minute. Most of the national providers - Verizon, Cingular, etc. - offer cell phone rental by the week. Other options in the USA include Roadpost (tel. 888-290-1606) and InTouch USA (tel. 800-872-7626). In the US, if you'd like to find out if your cell phone will work in the Bahamas, call tel. 703-222-7161 or go online to http://intouchglobal.com/travel.html.
Time in the Bahamas coincides with that of the Eastern United States. If it's noon in Atlanta, it's noon throughout the Bahamas.