Nassau

Currency

The Bahamian dollar is pegged one-to-one with the US dollar and both circulate interchangeably. There is no reason to exchange if you are carrying US dollars.

ATMs & cards

Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank and CIBC machines are the reliable ones in Nassau. They dispense Bahamian dollars, and machines outside the main island are scarce. Decline conversion.

Bahamian and US dollars circulate at parity, so there is no reason to accept a conversion offer. Machines are scarce outside New Providence.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Tourist areas are well policed but Nassau has real crime in some neighbourhoods away from the strip. Stick to Cable Beach, Paradise Island and downtown, and avoid quiet streets after dark. Hurricane season runs June to November.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

• Yellow fever certificate, but only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Tetanus up to date

Getting treated

Nassau has a hospital and private clinics that handle everyday problems; anything serious is flown to Florida, which is expensive and makes evacuation cover the part of the insurance that actually matters here.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Conch is the national obsession — cracked conch and conch salad. Arawak Cay, known as the Fish Fry, is where locals eat and costs far less than the hotel strip.

Getting around

• Jitney bus — cheap public minibuses around New Providence, exact change
• Taxi — fixed government rates by zone, confirm the rate before departing
• Walking — downtown Nassau and Bay Street are compact
• Ferry — to Paradise Island and the out islands
• Airport: 20-30 minutes to downtown or Cable Beach

Must-see

Things to do

• Swim at Cable Beach
• Climb the Queen’s Staircase
• Eat conch at Arawak Cay
• Snorkel at Blue Lagoon Island
• Tour the Pirates of Nassau museum
• Day trip to the Exuma swimming pigs

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Caribbean English — local usage

• HelloGood morning / Good afternoon
• Everything is fineEverything irie
• No problemNo problem, man
• Thank youGive thanks
• The bill, pleaseThe bill, please
• FriendBredren / Sistren
• LaterSoon come
• GoodbyeWalk good

Religion

Protestant

One of the most churched countries per capita anywhere. Sunday is genuinely quiet and many businesses close.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Greet properly before any transaction — good morning first, then the question
• Dress smartly in the evening; Bahamians dress well
• Tip 15%, checking first whether a service charge is already on the bill
• Drive on the left, though cars are mostly left-hand drive

Don't

• Do not wear swimwear away from the beach or pool
• Do not haggle at established shops; only at straw markets
• Do not wander far from tourist areas at night in Nassau
• Do not be brusque — skipping the greeting reads as genuinely rude