The Bahamas offer newlyweds a great choice of activities from swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving to hiking, sailing and fishing – just perfect for a fun-filled honeymoon.
Besides stunning beaches, great weather and the array of water sports offered by almost all the beach resorts and hotels, the Bahamas are renowned for great cruising, fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving.
Here is a selection of the best places to enjoy your favourite activity, as well as wonderful options for savouring the Bahamas’ idyllic white-sand beaches and balmy climate.
Despite overfishing, the shallow waters that lie between the hundreds of cays and islands of the Bahamas offer some of the best fishing grounds in the world.
Big game fishing is especially popular here, with a choice of charter boats available for chasing billfish, wahoo, tuna, sailfish and marlin, among other species. Go reef fishing from small boats or try for grouper, snapper and barracuda from the shoreline.
The island of Bimini is probably the best place to hook up a deep-sea fishing charter; after all it is called the ‘Big-Game Fishing Capital of the World.’ Here you can chase swordfish, sailfish and marlin.
Walker's Cay in the Abacos is famous for both deep-sea and shore fishing, while the waters around Andros are celebrated for the world's best bonefishing.
Check out the Andros Island Bonefish Club in North Andros for some of the best fishing guides.
With more than 700 islands and numerous well-developed marinas, the Bahamas is regarded by many as one of the top yachting destinations in the Atlantic.
The Abacos is often known as ‘The Sailing Capital of the World’, although the Exumas are thought equally as good.
Charter a small vessel or blue-water yacht or enjoy sightseeing cruises and glass-bottom excursions to unspoiled cays; such excursions are easily arranged from your resort.
The Abacos Islands are probably the best place to charter boats, with several operators based there, including Abaco Bahamas Charters and the Moorings.
Blessed with more than 700 islands fringed by countless reefs, drop-offs, coral gardens, caves and shipwrecks, the Bahamas offer a huge range of dive sites and options.
Since fewer than 30 of the islands are inhabited, it is relatively easy to find a pristine and uncrowded dive site.
Head to the Exumas, the Abacos and Grand Bahama Island to dive extensive reefs teeming with colourful fish, and explore caves, drop-offs, coral gardens and shipwrecks. Dive the third-largest barrier reef in the world at Andros Island.
Freeport on Grand Bahama offers the country's most famous diving operation, known as UNEXSO. The facility features a 5.2m-deep swimming pool for certificate training sessions and the popular ‘Dolphin Experience,’ in which visitors are allowed to pet, swim and dive with friendly bottlenose dolphins.
A certification card (or ‘C’ card) proving successful completion of a scuba course is legally required for solo divers in the Bahamas. Many resort hotels and dive shops on the islands offer this five-day training course, which can then be converted into PADI or NAUI certificates.
Head to the pristine Exumas National Land and Sea Park for some of the best kayaking in the Bahamas.
Spend a day or a week exploring this spectacular natural reserve that comprises 365 mainly uninhabited cays offering unspoiled white-sand beaches and countless coral gardens and reefs.
For the best hiking in the Bahamas, head to Grand Bahama Island and its Lucayan National Park, which is criss-crossed with trails and elevated walkways.
Don’t miss walking all or part of the 11km-long trail that winds through one of the largest underground cave systems in the world.
Alternatively, explore the Rand Memorial Nature Centre on foot, a 40ha region of forested trails through some of the best examples of flora and fauna in Grand Bahama.
The best island for biking is Grand Bahama Island, followed by New Providence Island. Both islands offer mainly flat terrain and good roads, with bikes easily hired from resorts and hotels.
Head to Grand Bahama Island to tee-off from the 18-hole Reef Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Or try the Lucayan Golf Course, the oldest course on Grand Bahama Island, featuring elevated greens and numerous water hazards.
On New Providence Island, check out Cable Beach Golf Course, the oldest golf course in the Bahamas, boasting a range of golfing hazards including the world's largest sand trap.
Play the magnificent Greg Norman-designed course at the Four Seasons resort on Great Exuma or the Treasure Cay Golf Club in the Abacos, featuring panoramic water views and numerous water obstacles.
The Bahamas is a duty free heaven for serious shoppers.
Some of the best buys include jewellery, linen, watches, cameras, perfumes, leather, crystal and china, as well as local handicrafts such as ceramics, clothing, seashell jewellery, paintings and woodcarvings.
Look out for the 'Authentically Bahamian' stamp to guarantee quality.
Latest update: What to do in the Bahamas: 23 April, 2022
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