Spending your vacation in Nassau, Bahamas guarantees a relaxing time under the sun, which is great if you live in an area where the temperature is still taking its time going up. However, you need to know about the activities available in this town that don’t get the attention they should.
The options on the list below come in a variety, with some putting you close to some of the most dangerous creatures on the planet and others giving you a chance to learn about the history of the area. Here are five unique things you need to do for your next, or first, break in Nassau. And Bahamas makes it on our list of top popular international destinations for Spring Break this year.
1. Shark Diving
If you or anyone in your group coming over to the Bahamas is a thrill-seeker, then you need to put shark diving on your to-do list. This activity allows you to reenact scenes from “Jaws” in a much safer way thanks to the guides who will walk you through the diving process. The dives take place at the Shark Wall in Nassau, which is the home to a large amount of Caribbean reef sharks. You will be able to spend over three hours underwater with these creatures, watching them go about their day in their natural habitat.
Nassau is full of services that allow you to swim with sharks, with some offering sessions for individuals and others with teams. This will come in handy if one of you is more nervous about the diving and you can go with a friend who has either done it before or feels no pressure. You can also ask the guides about the sharks to get a better understanding of how they behave. This is not only an educational experience, but it can help you stay safe while underwater.
2. Visiting Parliament Square
As enjoyable as the beach can be, not every second of your break in Nassau has to be spent by the ocean. Vacations are also a time for touring through more historic areas of your spot. In this case, we advise saving an afternoon for a visit to Parliament Square. The buildings that make up this area represent colonial architecture, which will make them a great addition to your photo collection. They are also modeled after buildings in New Bern, the old capital of North Carolina.
Parliament Square is made up of several attractions that you should check out, including a meeting area for the Senate in the center building, and the House of Assembly, which holds parliamentary meetings. The office of the Leader of the Opposition is located in one of the other buildings. The Supreme Court behind the Senate building is where the government holds quarterly sessions of the Bahamas Superior Court, and Queen Victoria’s Statue stands right in front of all of the buildings.
3. Exploring Nature in Primeval Forest
The beaches are not the only spots in the Bahamas that allow you to get close to nature. You can save time in Nassau for a visit to Primeval Forest National Park, which is home to an old-growth, hardwood forest that has been rarely touched by man. You will get to check out different birds, land animals and sea creatures that are hard to spot back home interact with their environment. Make sure to bring a phone or camera that can zoom in enough to get a good picture if they are too far from your location.
Tours are available in cars and on foot for those who either want to see as much of the park as possible in one day or take their time because they have a long vacation. Natural features that are common at this park include large sinkholes and limestone caverns that go down as far as 30 feet. Boardwalks, bridges and steps are available so that you can get to the spots that are deeper into the forest, and they make for great photos, themselves.
4. Plunge into Dean’s Blue Hole
Moving over to an area that provides great views in addition to fun activities, Dean’s Blue Hole is a must for your time in the Bahamas. This spot is located on the east coast of New Providence Island, measuring about 100 feet wide and over 200 feet deep. Cliff divers who are looking for a new challenge should see what this hole has to offer, and the view of the hole combined with the cliffs and ocean is worth the stop over, especially when the sun is getting ready to set.
The visibility of the hole is good enough that those who dive into it can see over 100 feet deep on a clear day. If you’re not going to do any high jumps, then you can take your scuba equipment to explore the deeper parts of the hole. You might be lucky enough to spot some fish, stingrays, sea turtles and other small and relatively friendly sea creatures down there. Looking up will grant you a great view of the sun reflecting on the surface of the water.
5. Swimming Through Underwater Caves
When you’re done exploring what nature has to offer on land, you can check out the natural wonders of the sea. Tourists spending time in Nassau should save a day for a swim through the underwater cave systems by the beaches. Guides provide equipment and advise on what caves to explore, how long you should stay in them, and what to do if you come across different forms of aquatic life. Training is available in case you, or your whole group, have never done this before.
Lobsters, fish, shrimp, crabs and sponges are among the sea creatures that you’ll interact with while venturing through the caves. Some areas don’t allow you to dive, so you have to do your research before going to figure out which ones will give you permission. There are services and spots that let you do it from both the land and a boat out on the water. Be sure to have a water-proof camera so that you can get shots of the caves.
Put these activities on your to-do list so that you have a memorable time in Nassau.
