The Bahamas is a vast archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean, which stretches between Cuba and Florida. Only 30 islands of the nearly seven hundred ones are inhabited. The climate is subtropical, so it is very soft. The islands are considered to be a real diver's paradise thanks to the amazing coral ecosystem, which includes more than two thousand reefs. The Bahamas proudly carry the banner of the gaming center, and lovers of adventurous holidays will find their happiness there. The largest islands are New Providence, Eleuthera, Andros, and the island of Grand Bahama.

In the capital of the Bahamas, Nassau, you can see many examples of the old architectural school of 18-19 centuries. You can also visit the Straw Market and three historic forts - Charlotte, Stanley and Darcy. The aquarium Crystal Cay Marine Park, which is located on Silver Bay Island, also deserves special attention.

Lovers of wild natural beauty will like the rest on the islands, because there are more than twenty protected areas. Particular attention should be paid to Long Island, the nature of which abounds in places intact by civilization. In Freeport you can visit Rand Memorial Nature Center, where there are more than five thousand copies of exotic flora, brought from all over the world. The underwater caves can be explored in the National Park Lucayan. On Great Inagua you can watch rare tropical birds, including pink flamingos, see iguanas, swim with dolphins and feed sharks. You can also enjoy rich fauna in National Park "Abaco" and in the reefs of Man-O-War and Cat Island. On the islands of Andros, Bimini, Berry and Great Abaco, whose coastal waters teem with fish, you can enjoy high quality fishing. Grand Bahama, Eleuthera and Abaco are renowned for high-quality diving, and on Big and Little Exuma sailors from around the world find their calling.

The main local currency is the Bahamian Dollar. But credit cards, traveler's checks and the usual US dollar are also widely accepted.

Nassau International Airport (NAS)

To date, the international airport, which is located 19 kilometers from the capital of the Bahamas, has been renamed in Lynden Pindling Airport. It has the status of the largest in the Bahamas archipelago and is a major transit hub of the national company "BahamasAir." The airport often serves flights to the US, so right in the airport there is a preliminary US customs control. Because of this, on arrival from Nassau, tourists from the United States do not need to go through customs inspection.

Grand Bahama International Airport (FPO)

International Private Airport Grand Bahama is located two kilometers from the center of Freeport and serves many international and domestic flights of ten airlines. There is also a check-point of US border control.

Diving in the Bahamas

The Bahamas attract divers from all over the world by their fantastic coral walls, mysterious blue holes, famous underwater caves, sunken ships and airplanes fallen into the sea, as well as rich underwater world inhabited by dolphins, rays and even sharks. There is also a famous Bahama Bank, along the edges of which there are luxury canyons. In combination with the clear water, whose visibility is 25-30 meters, lots of coral reefs (5 per cent of the world's reefs) and stable temperature, Bahamian archipelago is a real diving mecca. A special highlight of the Bahamas is the fact that the islands are situated on a very large area, so we cannot exclude the possibility of discovering new diving places. This is especially true with diving safari.

Popular places for diving include the Clifton Wall, located on the southwest coast near New Providence, Balmoral Island on the north coast, coral arches in the south-west near Razorback, Hope Town in Elbow Cay, whose calm waters are famous for the original coral thickets of brain-corals and antler corals, and the area around Conception Island, where you can see more than thirty shipwrecks. Divers also love the waters around South Bimini, Somerset Beach, Harbor Island, Treasure Cay and Marles. Those who wish to see dolphins and their habitat should pay attention to the island of Grand Bahama, as well as the Blue Lagoon Island. Thrill seekers should try diving with sharks in the town of Walkers Cay and near Long Island, where you can observe sleeping sharks on Shark Reef.

Near the Abaco Islands there is the ship «Adirondack» sunken in the American Civil War, and now inhabited by large lobsters and octopuses. On Andros you can take in wall diving, and the area around the Chub Cay on the Berry Islands is considered to be one of the best for diving in the Bahamas.

As a rule, most dive areas are rather shallow - their depth is less than 30 meters, and often is only 15 meters. However, some walls and cliffs can go very deep, so beginners should take special precautions while diving.