Cat Island has the highest ground in the country, a hand-built hermitage on top of it, plantation ruins and beaches that are often empty. These ten things to do are ranked, with the access and arrangements each one needs.
Updated 22 October 2026 · By the BahamasBooking editorial team
The island is long and narrow with one main road, and New Bight near the airport is the practical centre. Arthur's Town is the northern settlement, Port Howe and Old Bight the southern ones. Distances are modest, but several sites are on private land or need a guide, so a car and local introductions matter.
The ranking puts the Hermitage first because nothing else in The Bahamas resembles it, then balances beaches, food and the history that is scattered along the road. One well-known bar is closed for the season, and it is noted rather than hidden.
Number 1. History and scenery
Father Jerome built the Hermitage on Mount Alvernia, the highest point in The Bahamas, by hand and completed it in 1939. The climb from New Bight is short but steep and uneven, and the view takes in both coasts.
Confirm access locally. The approach includes uneven steps.
Number 2. Beach
The Greenwood coast at Port Howe is Cat Island's long pink-sand shoreline, with miles of beach and few people on it. Ask the local property operator about access and conditions.
Confirm access locally. Ask the local property operator about access and conditions.
Number 3. Beach
Fernandez Bay near New Bight is a sheltered bay with a sandy shoreline and calm water, the easiest swim from the island's centre. Resort services there need a booking or permission.
Confirm access locally. Resort services require permission or a booking.
Number 4. Beach and food
New Bight's beach has local food stalls behind it, so an afternoon here combines a swim with fried fish and conch. Check which stalls are serving that day.
Confirm access locally. Check which stalls are serving.
Number 5. Food and drink
Da Smoke Pot in Arthur's Town is a locally run restaurant serving Bahamian dishes, and a reason to drive north. Confirm the day's menu and opening hours.
Confirm access locally. Confirm the day's menu and opening hours.
Number 6. History
Deveaux House at Port Howe is the ruin of an eighteenth-century plantation granted to the man who recaptured Nassau from the Spanish. Keep clear of unstable masonry and confirm access.
Confirm access locally. Confirm access and keep clear of unstable masonry.
Number 7. History
St Francis of Assisi at Old Bight is another of Father Jerome's church buildings, smaller than the Hermitage and still in use. Arrange an interior visit and respect services.
By arrangement. Arrange an interior visit. Respect services.
Number 8. Nature and folklore
Mermaid Hole at Bain Town is an inland pool with a place in island folklore. The mermaid stories are legend; the pool is a short stop on a southern drive.
Confirm access locally. Legends are folklore. Ask about current site access.
Number 9. Cave
Griffin Bat Cave off Dickie's Road in the north is tied to local history as a place of refuge. Access and a suitable guide need arranging in advance.
By arrangement. Arrange access and an appropriate guide.
Number 10. Fishing
A guided fishing day off Cat Island takes you to the offshore waters with a local captain. Confirm the launch, the target species and the season when you book.
Confirm access locally. Confirm the launch, target species and season.
From New Bight, the Hermitage, Fernandez Bay and the fish fry are minutes apart. A southern day links Deveaux House, Greenwood, Mermaid Hole and the Old Bight church; a northern day takes in Da Smoke Pot and, with a guide, the bat cave. Fishing days are arranged separately.
Tell us your dates and we will introduce the right local contacts. The full list for Cat Island has every entry, including the seasonal closures.
Tell us when you are travelling, where you are staying and which of these matter most. We will suggest the order, the boats or drivers you need and what to confirm first.
See all 16 things to do in Cat Island, the Cat Island travel guide, or every island in the islands overview.
