Why Travel Writers and Editors Think You Should Go to the Bahamas?

Kamalame Cay

I like the people’s positive attitude, vitality, and friendliness. They are very pleased to tell you about their heritage. The staff at Kamalame Cay, a private island resort that has been a reader favorite for years, treats you like family, whether that means preparing your eggs just as you want them at breakfast or whipping up a batch of rum-based hot toddies when the weather turns chilly. You may also go for lengthy, peaceful walks on the beach, far from dordle the prying eyes of others.

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis told the Associated Press that “one of the best ways that people around the world can show their support and solidarity… is to visit our other islands by air or by cruise ship.” Airports, cruise ports, and hotels on the northern, central, and southern islands of the Bahamas are all open and operational, as confirmed by Bahamas Minister of Tourism & Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar in a statement to Travel + Leisure.

Paradise Island

While on a family trip to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving a few years ago, my sister and I made a stop at the Atlantis, Paradise Island, and went directly to the Aquaventure water park. I immediately headed for the resort’s magnificent Serpent Slide, which winds its way through five floors of the building and ejects its guests into an aquarium below. I tried to take it all in as I slowly floated in a tight tunnel surrounded by sharks. I had gone cage diving with sharks off the coast of South Africa just a few months previously, but the water was too cold and I had to leave after only a few hours. Coming face to face with these magnificent and much misunderstood animals in the Bahamas was an experience I will never forget. Author’s Byline: Alison Fox

My mother and I took a spontaneous trip to the Bahamas six years ago, and it was just what we needed. The Bahamas will always be one of my go-to spots for complete relaxation and letting go. It was the middle of winter in Boston, we were both working like crazy, and we needed a break. The genuine warmth and welcome we received in the Bahamas immediately put us at ease. The location we stayed at was beautiful, and the water was incredible (that crystal clear blue is what the love eyes emoji was meant for). What really stuck with me, however, was the sincere and thankful group of natives who took us out to supper one night and showed us around their beautiful city. They were full of the vitality I need to get through the long, cold winter in the Northeast, and for that I am eternally grateful. Contributing Author Maya Kachroo-Levine

I have fond memories of the annual family vacations my family and I had to The Atlantis. Swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Cay, playing in the resort’s water park, and snacking on coconuts plucked directly from the palms are some of my first vacation memories. The natives are always happy to see you and will go out of their way to make you feel at ease. The people, the beaches, the food, and the ocean in the Bahamas are all picture-perfect. Contributing Author Lindsay Paige Stein

The Bahamas were my first trip outside of the United States. The arches of Atlantis seemed like an entryway to the world to me and my family. I think the scorching sun, the white beaches, and the warm seas of the Bahamas had something to do with my undying passion for tropical vacation spots. For hours, my brother and I body surfed in front of the world’s most recognizable skyscrapers. On the water slides, we zipped by sharks as the cheerful Bahamian workers smiled and brought me ice cream after ice cream. The Bahamas were paradise to my 12-year-old self. Since then, I haven’t stopped bugging my parents for more travel opportunities; I’m going to visit my 50th nation. Contributing Author Katie Lockhart

Fowl Cay

Big Major Cay’s swimming pigs may get all the attention, but the islands around Pig Beach are even more spectacular, and Fowl Cay is the ideal location from which to explore them. This little piece of heaven in the Exumas featured some of the bluest sea and most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, and I’ve gone to Bali, French Polynesia, and a lot of islands in the Caribbean. Fowl Cay, a private island of 50 acres with only six homes, is every bit as exclusive as it sounds. However, the island’s commitment to the carefree island lifestyle more than makes up for any potential airs of superiority.

The finest feature of staying at the resort, apart from the helpful and pleasant personnel, is the free use of the resort’s power boats for any purpose throughout your stay. You may go snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto, searching for sand dollars at Cocoplum Beach, meeting iguanas on Bitter Guana Cay, or grabbing a tropical drink at Staniel Cay Yacht Club (a Jimmy Buffett favorite) after your introduction. Even after all these years, I can’t shake the image of myself relaxing on a sandbar in the midst of a turquoise sea, surrounded only by pink conch shells. Digital Content Assistant Editor Nina Ruggiero

New Providence

There’s a lot to like about New Providence, the biggest and most populous island in the Bahamas. Stylish eateries, chic hotels, the freshest seafood stands, and a variety of resorts are all within easy driving distance of Nassau. In spite of being just ten minutes from the international airport, one of my fondest Bahamian recollections was drinking a Kalik outside of one of the food trucks at Baha Mar and people-watching. Associate Editor Hannah Walhout

Perfect Day at CoCoCay

While I had a wonderful time in the Bahamas, my recent cruise with Royal Caribbean was especially memorable since it was the first time I had ever taken my partner on a vacation outside of the United States. We were able to slide down North America’s largest water slide and swim in the Bahamas’ pristine blue seas. When I visit the islands, I am always touched by the warmth of the locals and their undeniable sense of pride in their homeland. Associate Digital Editor Tanner Saunders