How to get around The Bahamas: flights, ferries and island transport

Start with the airport

Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Nassau is the country's main gateway and the hub for domestic flights. If you are visiting Nassau or Paradise Island, or combining several islands, it is almost always the right place to arrive.

Several Family Islands also have direct international service, mostly from Florida and the eastern United States, with more flights in the winter peak. Exuma (GGT), North Eleuthera (ELH), Governor's Harbour (GHB), Marsh Harbour (MHH), Grand Bahama (FPO) and Bimini (BIM) all see direct flights from the US. If your trip is a single island, a direct flight saves a connection and can save half a day.

United States Customs and Border Protection runs pre-clearance at Nassau and Freeport, which means flights from those airports to the US are treated as domestic arrivals. Allow extra time at the airport for the pre-clearance process on departure.

Domestic flights between islands

Bahamasair, the national carrier, and several smaller airlines fly from Nassau to every major island, usually in 30 to 60 minutes. Routes between Family Islands without passing through Nassau are limited, so an itinerary that visits two Family Islands often means flying back through Nassau in between.

Charter flights fill the gaps. For small groups, a charter to an airstrip like Staniel Cay in the Exumas can be competitive with scheduled flights plus ground transfers, and it is the only practical way to reach some cays.

• Book domestic flights in advance in peak season; aircraft are small and fill up.
• Check baggage allowances, which are often lower than on international flights.
• Leave generous connection time at Nassau. Domestic and international terminals are separate, and delays are not unusual.

Fast ferries and mailboats

Fast ferry services run from Nassau to several islands, including Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells and Exuma, and on some routes to the Abacos and Andros. Crossings take from about two hours to the better part of a day depending on the route. Ferries carry more luggage than small aircraft, cost less than flying and offer a different view of the islands, at the price of time.

Mailboats are the traditional lifeline of the Family Islands: government-contracted vessels that carry cargo, supplies and passengers on fixed weekly runs from Potter's Cay in Nassau. They are slow, basic and inexpensive, and they reach islands no ferry serves. They suit travellers with time and a sense of adventure rather than those on a tight schedule.

We do not publish ferry or mailboat timetables because they change seasonally and with weather. Confirm current schedules directly with the operator before you commit to a connection.

Getting around once you arrive

On New Providence, taxis meet every flight and cruise ship, jitney buses run fixed routes between downtown and Cable Beach for a few dollars, and ride-hailing has grown. Many Nassau and Paradise Island hotels are close enough to downtown that a car is unnecessary.

On the long islands, a car is essential. Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Great Exuma and Great Abaco each have a single main road running for tens of miles, with settlements, beaches and sights spread along it. Rental cars are available at the airports and in the main towns; book ahead in peak season because fleets are small. Bahamians drive on the left, although most vehicles are imported from the United States with left-hand steering.

On the small islands, the vehicle is a golf cart. Harbour Island, Hope Town, Great Guana Cay and Green Turtle Cay all run on carts and bicycles, and most accommodation can arrange one for your stay.

Water taxis bridge the short gaps: between North Eleuthera and Harbour Island or Spanish Wells, between Nassau and Paradise Island, and between Marsh Harbour and the Abaco cays, where scheduled ferries run several times a day.

Building a realistic multi-island itinerary

Travel days in The Bahamas take longer than the distances suggest. A move between two Family Islands typically costs most of a day once you include the drive to the airport, the flight to Nassau, the connection and the transfer at the other end. Plan on no more than one island change every three or four nights, and put islands that connect well together: Eleuthera and Harbour Island; Nassau with any single Family Island; Great Exuma with the Exuma Cays by boat.

If you have a week, two islands is comfortable. If you have four or five days, choose one. The islands reward slowing down.