“Bahama-Bahama-ma-ma…” – this is the song that satisfied tourists sing, squinting from the bright friendly sun and busily disembarking in the port of Grand Bahama, a large island of the archipelago. And from the very first minutes, each of them understands that a noisy, bright rest is provided for them. Everything here is created for a great pastime: magical beaches, wild parties in nightlife, shopping centers with a pleasant compliment of duty-free Grand Bahama is the northernmost island in the Bahamas archipelago, located just 90 km from the coast of Florida.
How to get there
According to Baglib, Grand Bahama International Airport receives direct flights from American Airlines, Continental Connection and Bahamasair from Miami, Delta flies from Atlanta, US Airways from Philadelphia and other US cities. Tourists from Russia often first arrive in Nassau (the capital of the Bahamas), and only then make a forced march to Grand Bahama on one of the Bahamasair flights (five times a day, 30 minutes on the way).
No buses run from the airport to the main resort area with hotels, but many hotels send a transfer for their future guests. And of course, taxis are waiting for their customers, the cost of a trip to Freeport or Lucaya is from 15 USD to 39 USD, about 10 minutes on the way.
Transportation
On the island you can rent a car, scooter, get around by taxi or on foot. All taxis are metered (or should be, better check beforehand), fare is 3 USD for the first 3 km, and then 40¢ for every 1.6km (1 mile). Each additional passenger over 2 years of age pays in excess of 3 USD per nose. For example, the cost of a trip from the cruise port to the Xanadu Beach hotel will cost 24 USD, to Port Lucaya Marketplace 29 USD, to the Flamingo Beach Resort hotel 28 USD, and to Viva Fortuna Beach – 35 USD.
If lying quietly on the sand is not your thing, a trip to Tiger Beach, inhabited by striped sharks, is a true test of strength. It’s only an hour to go to the beach, and the impressions will last for half a lifetime.
Buses run from International Bazaar and down downtown Freeport to Lucaya. Fare: $1.50 adults, $0.5 children. Timetables can be found at the hotel reception or at the Grand Bahama Tourism Board.
Perhaps the best way to explore the island is to rent a scooter, the roads are good, there are no hills, and the scenery can compete with the notorious Bounty advertisement. You can find an iron horse in almost every hotel or in the port, in the Freeport Harbor zone, in rental stands along the Freeport and Lucaya roads. The cost is 40-65 USD per day.
Shopping
It’s nice to be in the Bahamas not only to soak up the sun and splash in perfectly turquoise waters, but also to spend your hard-earned savings in the shops of the Freeport Mall, located between Renfarley Seques and Churchill Square. All goods in this city are exempt from taxes.
Beaches
Numerous bays filled with harmony beckon with their gloss and comfort, especially the magnificent Gold Rock Beach, faceted with coconut palms, thickets of sea grapes and orchids. If lying quietly on the sand is not your thing, a trip to Tiger Beach, populated by huge striped sharks, is a true test of strength. It’s only an hour to go to the beach, and the impressions will last for half a lifetime. 20 km from Freeport is Paradise Cove, as if copied from advertising posters, famous for the Dead Man’s Coral Reef and stunning colorful underwater world, where you can even find black corals.
Entertainment and attractions in Grand Bahama
The focus of all holiday amenities is Freeport, a modern, vibrant, exciting, dizzying resort town, the capital of the island. Nearby is the Rand Memorial Nature Center with cozy alleys, a garden fragrant with the exotic splendor of tropical vegetation, and the Grand Bahama Museum, which is dedicated to the history of the Lucayans. Another abode of natural wealth is Lucayan National Park, famous for its mysterious 12-kilometer system of underwater caves infested with bats and remipedia. You can get there by car or by boat from Freeport.
After the vast park areas, a small escape will be a visit to the picturesque village of Jack-Ter, a haven for pirates and underground rum producers in time immemorial.
4 things to do in Grand Bahama
- Eat richly seasoned BBQ chicken at Le Chicken Snack in Fleaport’s ethnic district.
- Spend a few hours doing yoga at the ashram, a camp located on one of the coasts.
- As souvenirs before leaving, buy local sweets – rum cakes. They cost from 7-9 USD (small) to 20-25 USD (large).
- Find those places in the Lucayan reserve against which the frames of the second and third parts of “Pirates of the Caribbean” were filmed.
