3 min read
Chartering a boat in The Bahamas: crewed, bareboat or a day with a captain
How boat charters work in The Bahamas: crewed yachts, bareboat sailing and captained day boats, where each works best, what is included and what operators ask.
Abaco tours: cay hopping, Hope Town, sailing days and the Sea of Abaco
The Abacos are best experienced from the water, and the tours here reflect it: ferries and boats between the cays, sailing days on the sheltered Sea of Abaco, snorkelling on the barrier reef and fishing on the flats. Marsh Harbour is the hub; the cays are where the days are spent.
Cay hopping
Scheduled ferries from Marsh Harbour reach Hope Town on Elbow Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Great Guana Cay in 20 to 30 minutes, which makes a self-guided day on each cay the simplest Abaco tour. Hope Town has the candy-striped lighthouse, which visitors may climb, and a harbourfront of Loyalist cottages; Man-O-War is a quiet boat-building settlement; Great Guana has a long Atlantic beach and a famously relaxed beach bar. Renting a small boat for a few days is the most flexible way to combine them.
Sailing, snorkelling and diving
Day sails and sunset sails leave from Marsh Harbour and Hope Town. The Sea of Abaco is sheltered by the barrier cays, and the reefs on their ocean side, including those around Fowl Cays National Park and Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, offer easy snorkelling and diving in shallow, clear water. Dive operators cover reefs, wrecks and the blue holes of the Abaco interior.
Fishing and nature
The Marls, the vast flats on the west side of Great Abaco, are among the country's best bonefishing grounds, with guides working out of Marsh Harbour, Treasure Cay and the settlements along the way. Abaco National Park in the south protects the nesting ground of the Bahama parrot, which nests in limestone holes in the ground; guided birding trips run in season. Hurricane Dorian in 2019 reshaped parts of the chain, and recovery continues; confirm current details with operators.
What we can arrange
Hope Town and the lighthouse
Ferry from Marsh Harbour, climb the lighthouse, walk the harbour lanes.
About this placeGreat Guana Cay beach day
Long Atlantic beach, reef snorkelling and the island's beach bar.
Day sail on the Sea of Abaco
Sheltered water, short passages and a swim stop.
Bonefishing on the Marls
Guided skiff days on the western flats.
Small boat rental
Your own boat for a few days to hop between the cays at will.
Ready to plan it?
Send your dates, group and what you have in mind. We check availability with verified local operators and reply with real options, free of charge.
Common questions
Do I need a boat to enjoy the Abacos?
No. Scheduled ferries reach the main cays several times a day. But renting a small boat for part of the stay is the most Abaco way to travel.
Can you climb the Hope Town lighthouse?
Yes, when it is open. It is one of the last hand-wound, kerosene-lit lighthouses in the world and the view covers the whole Sea of Abaco.
Which cay should I visit first?
Hope Town on Elbow Cay for the lighthouse and the settlement; Great Guana Cay for the beach.
Guides
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