Which country does the Bahamas belong to? Bahamas map in Russian. The capital of the Bahamas, the flag, the history of the country. Where are the Bahamas located on the world map

Every year about 6 million tourists rest in the Bahamas. For such a small island country, these are huge numbers. Tourists can be understood, because the Bahamas have created excellent conditions for beach holiday including diving and sailing. Some tourists are also interested in seeing the places that were once "native" to the famous pirates of the Caribbean.

The Bahamas (officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas) is a state in the Atlantic Ocean, which includes more than 3,000 islands and coral reefs. The Bahamas are north of Cuba and Haiti, northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the Florida peninsula. total area countries - 13,938 sq. km.

The largest islands that make up this state are New Providence, Grand Bahama, Andros, Bimini, Inagua, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador, Aklins.

The landscape of all the Bahamas is flat. The highest local peak is Mount Alvernia, whose height reaches 63 meters.

It should be noted that the territory of the Bahamas is prone to frequent hurricanes. The last destructive hurricane occurred in 2005.

Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas. In this city, which is located on the island of New Providence, more than 250 thousand people now live. Nassau was founded by the British in 1666.

The official language of the population of the Bahamas is English.

About 35% of the population are Baptists, about 15% are Anglicans, and about 13.5% identify themselves as Catholic.

The Bahamas is a constitutional monarchy ruled by a governor-general appointed by the Queen of Great Britain. The head of government is the Prime Minister.

The bicameral local parliament consists of the Senate (16 senators) and the House of Representatives (38 deputies).

The main political parties are the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement.

The climate is subtropical and tropical, strongly influenced by the Gulf Stream (especially in winter). Average annual temperature air - + 24-29C. The hurricane season lasts from June to November. However, in fact, hurricanes in this country are a rare occurrence. The weather service warns in advance if a hurricane is expected.

The best time to visit the Bahamas is winter.

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is surrounded on all sides by the Atlantic Ocean. The average annual water temperature near the shore is +25C.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries, millions of Africans were brought to the Caribbean islands, under whose influence the modern culture residents of the Bahamas.

The main cultural events are festivals, carnivals, fishing and sailing regattas. The most popular of them: in January - Junkanoo festival, Sailing regatta, in February - Farmer's Cay Festival, in March - Bacardi Billfish Tournament, in April - Bahamas White Marlin Open, in May - Long Island regatta, in June - Eleuthera festival Pineapple, Independence Week in July, Cat Island Regatta in August, All Abaco Sailing in September, Discovery Day in October, Guy Fawkes Day, One Bahamas Music & Heritage Festival in November, and Junkanoo Boxing Day in December .

Cuisine, unfortunately, is not one of the main reasons why tourists choose the Bahamas for holidays. Majority local restaurants offer dishes of the so-called. international cuisine. In general, the cuisine of the Bahamas focuses on seafood and fish (mainly sea bass and oysters).

The best restaurants are in Nassau, Cable Beach, Paradise Island, and, to a lesser extent, Freeport.

Bahamian fish soup is most often made with sea bass, adding celery, onions, tomatoes and various spices and spices (for example, thyme), as well as lime juice and a little rum. Many tourists still order turtle soup in restaurants, although the turtles themselves have the status of endangered animals.

The national dish in the Bahamas is oysters, which are eaten as a main dish, made into salads and appetizers. Oyster soup is very popular. Each local chef has his own recipe for this soup. Usually, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet peppers, onions, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, and, of course, salt and pepper are added to oyster soup.

We also recommend trying the original local oyster pancakes - they are made in the shape of balls, served with hot sauce, as well as "Cracked conch" (fried clams with Creole sauce), baked crab, "Johnnycake" (baked bread with milk, flour and sugar) .

For dessert, we recommend trying local fruits, sour cream apple ice cream, Sapodilla pudding and guava dessert duff. The traditional alcoholic drink is rum. Rum-based Bahamians have invented several local drinks (Yellow Bird, Bahama Mama, and Goombay Smash).

Tourists, of course, do not expect any serious unique attractions from the Bahamas. However, in this small island This country has something to see, because it was discovered by Christopher Columbus himself. After the Spaniards and the British (they captured the Bahamas in the middle of the 17th century), many beautiful houses, churches and forts remained.

Parks and reserves are very popular with tourists - Inagua National Park, Abaco National Park, Man-O-War Reef and Embrister Creek on Cat Island.

The biggest local cities- West End, Freeport and Nassau. All these and other settlements are excellent beach resorts, especially Nassau.

The best local beaches include the following:

1. Cable Beach (New Providence Island)
2. Cabbage Beach (Paradise Island)
3. Xanadu Beach (Grand Bahama Island)
4. Tahiti Beach
5. Ten Bay Beach
6. Pink Sands Beach (Harbor Island)
7. Saddle Cay (Exumas)

You should also highlight the beaches on Stocking Island and Cat Island. All beaches in the Bahamas have white sand and surrounded by coconut palms.

Tourists in the Bahamas buy handicrafts, straw baskets, linen towels, local soaps and lotions, bags, wallets, hats, guava jelly, pineapple jam, rum as souvenirs.

Banks:
Mon-Thu: 09:30-15:00
Fri: 09:30-17:00

The shops:
Mon-Sat: 09:00-17:00/18:00
Grocery stores are open on Sundays from 07:00 to 12:00.

Associated with the fringe of palm trees, the warmth of the sand, the turquoise of the lagoons and the roar of the waves. The Bahamas are in the West Indies. The Bahamas consists of hundreds of small and thirty big islands. Thanks to the mild climate, lush tropical nature, the relative isolation of the Bahamas and their natural beauty, it is always full of tourists at any time of the year. The capital of the Bahamas is Nassau. Nassau is located on the island of New Providence. At first, New Providence was an ordinary, unremarkable island, but today more than half of the country's population lives on the island. Nassau was founded by English settlers, it was they who gave the city its name - Charlestown, in honor of King Charles II of England. After all, Charles II gave these lands to English settlers. Later, the town was renamed Nassau, and this name has stuck with it to this day. The town owes the name of Nassau to the English settlers, who renamed the city in honor of King William III, who is a representative of the Orange-Nassau dynasty. In addition, in the past of the island there are notes of pirate prowess and adventurism. Nassau was the command post of the famous pirate Blackbeard. The famous inventor of the pirate flag, Rackham, was also based here.

#atlantisbeachtowerbahamas #Honeymoon

A comfortable hotel on the territory of the Atlantis Paradise Island 5 * DeLuxe resort complex, located in its western part, next to Atlantis Beach, a short drive from Nassau and international airport. Hotel guests can use the entire infrastructure of the Atlantis Paradise Island 5* DeLuxe complex....

#atlantisparadisebahamas #Honeymoon#new year tours #santour #suntour

The best resort in the Bahamas, Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas is located on Paradise Island and occupies a vast area. The resort complex belongs to the Kerzner International group. ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND BAHAMAS 5* is fantasy world joy that will not leave indifferent any vacationer and will give a huge amount of positive emotions. It offers: a water park, a dolphinarium, 11 lagoons-aquariums, where more than 50,000 representatives of the oceans and seas live, which can be observed through a transparent tunnel, exquisite shopping, programs for newlyweds, organizing and holding wedding celebrations, a modern conference room, SPA center, the largest casino in the Caribbean, nightclubs, bars, first-class restaurants, magnificent beaches, numerous swimming pools. The complex can rightfully be called the Atlantis of our time.

#riuparadisebahamas #Honeymoon#new year tours #santour #suntour

Situated on popular beach Paradise Beach, next to famous resort Atlantis.

#fowlcayresorthotel #bahamas tours #holidays in the bahamas #honeymoon #caribbean #bahamas #luxury hotels #suntour #santour #tours

It's secluded private island, where there are no neighboring hotels, passing ships, crowds of tourists, only 6 beautiful villas in the green area. Each villa has a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom with shower. In the vicinity of the resort, you can go fishing, take a boat and swim or explore the many tiny islands, go snorkeling. The hotel has 3 beaches, a tennis court and a swimming pool...

Bahamas

The name Bahamas is associated with the fringe of palm trees, the warmth of the sand, the turquoise of the lagoons and the roar of the waves. The Bahamas are in the West Indies. The Bahamas consists of hundreds of small and thirty large islands. Thanks to the mild climate, lush tropical nature, the relative isolation of the Bahamas and their natural beauty, it is always full of tourists at any time of the year.

The capital of the Bahamas is Nassau. Nassau is located on the island of New Providence. At first, New Providence was an ordinary, unremarkable island, but today more than half of the country's population lives on the island. Nassau was founded by English settlers, it was they who gave the city its name - Charlestown, in honor of King Charles II of England. After all, Charles II gave these lands to English settlers. Later, the town was renamed Nassau, and this name has stuck with it to this day. The town owes the name of Nassau to the English settlers, who renamed the city in honor of King William III, who is a representative of the Orange-Nassau dynasty. In addition, in the past of the island there are notes of pirate prowess and adventurism. Nassau was the command post of the famous pirate Blackbeard. The famous inventor of the pirate flag, Rackham, was also based here.

Modern Bahamas no longer pose a threat to civilians, it is quiet and calm here. Today, the Bahamas have become a favorite vacation spot for Canadians and Americans. Thanks to the stable good weather, as well as the sea and the sun, you can relax in the Bahamas at any time of the year. Cable Beach is famous for the fact that it is here that all the famous hotels are located. The beach got its name in honor of the first telegraph, which was laid in the Bahamas. Paradise Island is famous for being located near New Providence and connected to it by two bridges.

CLIMATE IN THE BAHAMAS

Subtropical and tropical. Throughout the year - unchanged. Average temperatures in summer are 32 degrees and in winter - 20 degrees. The water temperature ranges from 23 to 27 degrees. From May to October, a large amount of precipitation is constantly recorded on the island.

TIMEZONE

The difference with Moscow time is eight hours.

English and Creole languages ​​predominate.

In the Bahamas, the main currency is the Bahamian dollar.

ATTRACTIONS

The main place where the main city attractions are located is Parliament Square, which was built in the 19th century. Here is the building Supreme Court, the building of the Colonial Administration, the Parliament and the statue of Queen Victoria.

Tourists should also visit small towns located on the west coast. In these towns, there used to be either pirates or secret rum makers. Worthy of attention is Fort Charlotte, which was built in 1788. Coral Island, Rand Memorial Reserve, Garden of the Groves, underwater caves - all these are the main attractions of the Bahamas, which every tourist should definitely visit.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Atlantis complex is the largest aquarium located under open sky. Here you can see a transparent underwater tunnel, copies of the Mayan pyramids with water slides, as well as a labyrinth that imitates the ruins of Atlantis. During the day you can go shopping in boutiques and shops, and in the evening visit a casino, bar or restaurant. The islands of Bimini, Berry and Andros have excellent fishing, and the most best diving- on the islands of Eleuthera and Abacos. You can feed sharks and swim with dolphins on Inagua Island. To play golf, you can go to the island of Grand Bahama.

LARGEST ISLANDS

The most important and most visited island in the Bahamas is New Providence. However, most tourists call this island Nassau, due to the fact that the eponymous capital of the Bahamas is located here. On the island is best beach- Cable Beach. In addition, there is also a huge number of shops, casinos, restaurants and bars. Nassau is the world's largest offshore center. More than 400 banks and trust funds are located in Nassau.

Paradise Island is famous for its bridges that connect it to New Providence. The island is quite popular with tourists. Here are the attractions of underwater walks, modern comfortable hotels, chic casinos and great resorts.

NATURE

The Bahamas are famous for their coconut palms, lagoons, coral reefs and sandy beaches. The climate of the Bahamas is tropical and mild. In the west, the Bahamas are washed by the Gulf Stream, and in the southeast, a warm equatorial wind always blows. During the year, the air temperature does not drop below 26 degrees. There is no rainy season on the island. However, tropical hurricanes occur here, which are typical for the entire Caribbean region. The most favorable time to visit the Bahamas is from November to May.

STORY

The Bahamas were discovered by Columbus. It happened in 1492. Naturally, the first inhabitants of the islands were adventurers and pirates. The Bahamas were an English colony for over three hundred years. However, since 1973, the Bahamas have been part of the UK as an independent state. The head of state in the Bahamas is nominally the Queen of Great Britain, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General.

POPULATION

The total population of the Bahamas is 300 thousand people. However, about 170 thousand people live in Nassau. The bulk of the population is represented by Chinese, Europeans, mulattos and descendants of Negro slaves. The official language is English.

RELIGION

The bulk of the population is represented by Protestants.

VISA

For citizens to visit the Bahamas Russian Federation no visa is required for up to ninety days.

ELECTRICITY

The islands have American standard plugs and 120V voltage.

HEALTH

Vaccinations are not required to enter the country.

REST ON THE ISLANDS

Casinos are open around the clock on the islands. The Atlantis is home to the largest casino in the Caribbean.

The coastal waters of the Bahamas are a paradise for divers, and fishing is the hallmark of a vacation in the Bahamas.

PURCHASES

Bay Street is the center of trade in the Bahamas. Here you can buy literally everything, and the purchased items will be authentic. A pleasant surprise will be that all purchased goods are exempt from taxes.

In the Atlantic Ocean between Cuba and Florida, there is an archipelago of more than seven hundred islands, whose total area is about 14 thousand square kilometers.

These are famous for their white sandy beaches without strong waves (due to the protection of coral reefs), clear turquoise waters of the lagoons, greenery of coconut palms and mild tropical climate. Most favorable period for a visit to the Bahamas - from November to May, at this time rains and tropical hurricanes are extremely rare here.

Capital of the Bahamas Nassau- is located on the largest of them, the island of New Providence. On this island, 11 kilometers wide and 34 kilometers long, there is perhaps the best beach Caribbean Islands- Cable Beach. The island itself is full of boutiques and shops. duty free, restaurants and bars, casinos and cabarets. But it is known not only for the entertainment industry - more than 400 banks and trust funds have placed their offices here, which is why Nassau is sometimes called the Zurich of the tropics.

Since Columbus discovered the Bahamas in 1492, they managed to visit both the refuge of pirates, and the English colony, and an independent state. The islands are now part of the British Commonwealth. No more than 300 thousand people permanently live on the islands, and about 200 thousand live in Nassau. English is considered the official language here, but there are many borrowed words in everyday life - from African and Indian languages.

Russians do not need to enter the territory of the Bahamas apply for a visa (if their visit lasts no more than 90 days), and no vaccinations are required. And I must admit that this place is very attractive for tourists from all over the world. Bahamas - major center gambling business. Numerous casinos here are open around the clock. Shopping enthusiasts first visit the world-famous Bay Street, where a variety of tax-free goods are sold, and only genuine - no fakes. Diving enthusiasts love diving into the calm, clear coastal waters here. In addition, there is excellent fishing on the islands.

Tourists from all over the world rest in the Bahamas, but there are more Canadians and Americans than others. Numerous hotels are located on the island of New Providence. The main attraction of the island - Parliament Square in Nassau. Small pirate towns have survived on the western coast of the island. Worth a visit too Fort Charlotte, Garden of the Groves, Rand Memorial Preserve And Coral island, as well as the famous underwater caves. All these sights are the pride of the Bahamas, as is the complex Atlantis, the largest open-air aquarium.

As already mentioned, there are more than 700 islands in the Bahamas, but only 30 of them are inhabited. With New Providence Island bridged Paradise island. They play golf on the island of Grand Bahama, go fishing to the islands Bimini, take And Andros, divers prefer islands Eleuthera And abacos. Children will be very interested in the Pirate Museum, where you can see a real pirate ship, pirate clothes and other paraphernalia.

Beach lovers are especially attracted to the Bahamas. It's incredibly clean here. sandy beaches striking whiteness and tranquility. Along coastline there are private villas and hotels, whose guests can use sun loungers, beach umbrellas and hammocks.

In addition to a luxurious beach holiday in the Bahamas, numerous educational excursions are organized, because the locals are good for their history and willingly talk about it. The Bahamas is a unique combination natural beauty and well-organized tourism infrastructure.

When it comes to the Bahamas, many people think of luxurious beaches surrounded by sprawling palm trees, blue sea and bright sun. And this is understandable, since the tourism industry is really well developed here. But what else is interesting about this area? We will talk about this in this article.

Bahamas on the map

The state, called the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is located north to southeast of the island of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. The archipelago consists of 700 islands of various sizes and coral reefs, which occupy an area of ​​250 thousand km2. Only 30 of them are inhabited.

The land area can be compared with the area of ​​Jamaica. The composition includes the Caicos and Turks Islands, which contain overseas land Great Britain. The largest of them are Andros, Grand Bahama, New Providence, Eleuthera.

State capital

All tourists arriving at the beginning of their acquaintance with this unusually picturesque territory from the capital of the state. It is located on the island of New Providence. This is a very small island (the smallest in the Bahamas archipelago). The capital of Nassau is small and modern city which is famous all over the world harmonious combination ultra-modern buildings with buildings of colonial architecture. The once noisy and small village founded by pirates has turned into a wonderful modern city of Nassau (Bahamas).

Many original and colorful buildings surround the port promenade and harbor, business districts are always lively, and numerous shops and markets offer tourists goods from different countries.

At the beginning of the 20th century, after the construction of an international airport and the deepening of the harbor, the Bahamas (the capital in particular) received up to a million tourists annually. And by the 70s, when the bridge to Paradise Island was built and Cable Beach was landscaped, the city began to receive up to 2.5 million guests a year.

Attractions in Bahamas

At the beginning of our journey, we will get acquainted with some of the islands that are of interest to tourists.

Grand Bahama located in the north of the archipelago. It is the second most visited island in the country by tourists. Despite its name, it is not the most major island. It attracts tourists with snow-white shores, vast forests and rich wildlife. Its most popular area is the city of Freeport.

Andros

Archipelago. It is covered with extensive palm thickets. In addition, mahogany and pine grow here. The forest here, according to the islanders, is inhabited by aggressive little red-eyed elves. They call them “chikcharniz”.

The island is sparsely populated, only on its east coast you can find shabby shacks, surrounded by old cars and abandoned refrigerators. Therefore, Andros is visited most often only by extreme divers, who are attracted here by the third longest barrier reef in the world. It stretched along all the coasts of the island. The city of Andros Town is also one of the attractions of this island, along with an old lighthouse and beautiful beach Somerset Beach. In the town of Red Bay, located in the northwest of Andros, the descendants of the Seminole Indians live, who are famous for their skill in weaving various straw products.

Eleuthera

The Bahamas, whose photos often adorn the covers of glossy magazines, attract very wealthy tourists to rest. As a rule, they prefer this small island, which is traditionally considered to be elite. luxury resorts and various clubs alternate with magnificent villas and fine restaurants.

The Harbor Island reef, located in the northwest of Eleuthera, deserves special attention. Here is the vibrant and distinctive city of Dunmore Town, wonderful beach and superb snorkelling and diving sites.

Long Island

Not all Bahamas are visited by tourists. The map shows that Long Island is an island elongated in length (one hundred kilometers long and five kilometers wide). It is practically not visited by tourists. And absolutely in vain. This is the most picturesque island of the archipelago, which has many corners untouched by human civilization.

The landscape of Long Island is formed by a combination of hilly terrain, surf-eroded coasts, which are washed by the richest marine life waters, sandy beaches. In the north of the island there is a long white sand beach - one of the most beautiful in the western hemisphere.

Nassau Cathedral

But not only interesting nature famous for the Bahamas. The capital of the state is famous for its architectural structures. One of them - Cathedral. This is the largest place of worship in the country. The construction of the cathedral dates back to the end of the 17th century. Next to it, you can see many commemorative plaques with the names of people who died here during epidemics.

Queen Victoria staircase

In Nassau (Bahamas) there is an unusual staircase. It was carved into the limestone rock by slaves in the 18th century. It has sixty five steps. It got its current name much later. This happened during the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria.

The stairs run along the wall of the fort. WITH opposite side carries its waters a small waterfall. At the very bottom, at the steps, there is a seating area. And from the top steps offers a breathtaking view of Nassau.

Houses of Parliament

This small two-story building is located in the very center of Nassau, on its main square. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century, for the meetings of the colonial government. The first officials from Britain appeared here in the middle of the 17th century. And today there is a direct influence from London in the state, since formally the head of the Parliament of the country is still the Queen of Great Britain.

The Parliament building has an antique portico, which is decorated with four columns. Like all the buildings on the square, it is painted in a rich pink color. It looks especially beautiful in the evening hours.

Bimini road

These are two almost parallel tracks paved with stone slabs that are under water. Some slabs reach a length of six meters. The road is at a depth of nine meters, through absolutely clear water it is perfectly visible from the sea surface. Its length is five hundred meters, its width is ninety meters.

This is not the only unusual find. Not far from the Bimini road, a J-shaped sleeve stretched out. It is also lined with such plates. Here, under water, other strange structures were also found - platforms and concentric circles.

Alice Town

Today, many are attracted to the Bahamas, photos of which you can see in our article. They have many different clubs in their territory. In Alice Town is the most famous of them. E. Hemingway began to write his novel “To have and not to have” in it. Tourists are shown this historical monument, which presents unique photographs of the famous writer, his personal belongings.

Royal Victoria Gardens

The Bahamas are famous for their unusual vegetation. The capital of Nassau has a unique botanical garden on its territory, built here at the beginning of the 19th century.

The Royal Victoria Gardens has a rare collection of plants from tropical countries. There are more than three hundred types of them. A huge number of rare varieties of orchids twine around the trees and fill the air with a delicious aroma.

The Bahamas are famous for their excellent beaches, beautiful underwater world and original culture. The archipelago includes about 700 islands, of which only 40 are inhabited. local resorts are perfect both for a leisurely vacation in complete unity with nature, and for extreme diving, because there are many underwater tunnels and blue holes.

Information about the Bahamas

The Bahamas have official name- Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The state is located in the Atlantic Ocean on an archipelago stretching for 1500 km, and is separated from Cuba by the Old Bahama Strait, and from the United States by the Gulf of Florida. The total area of ​​the islands is about 14 thousand square meters. km. The largest of them are Andros, Great Abaco, Grand Bahama, Great Inagua, New Providence, Great Exuma, Eleuthera and several others.

Capital: Nassau.

Population: 377,374 (2013 data)

State structure: A constitutional monarchy headed by the Queen of Great Britain, represented in the Bahamas by a Governor General.

Language: English, Patois (Creole) is common among immigrants from Haiti.

Religion: Most of the population are Christians, mostly Baptists (35%). Folk beliefs also have a distribution ("obea").

Time: 8 hours behind Moscow in summer and 9 hours in winter. On the last Sunday in March, time is set forward one hour (valid until the first Sunday in November).

Climate

The climate in the Bahamas can be described as subtropical (in the south) and trade winds (in the north). In summer, the air temperature here reaches +32 °С, in winter - +22 °С. In the central part of the archipelago it is always cooler than in southern islands. The water temperature in the resorts of the Bahamas is about +27 ° C in summer and +23 ° C in winter.

Most of the precipitation on the islands falls from May to October, during the same months strong storms and hurricanes are possible. Based on this, best time for holidays in the Bahamas, the period from late October to early May is considered.

Average daily temperature in the resorts of the Bahamas, °C

Bahamas map

Nature

The Bahamas are limestone plateaus protruding above the ocean. Its underwater part has deep cracks and glandular layers, due to which undersea world The Bahamas are very picturesque. Numerous coral reefs add beauty to it, blue holes and long tunnels connecting deep underwater caves. All this makes the islands of the archipelago very attractive for divers.

Previously, the entire territory of the Bahamas was covered rainforests, but today they are preserved only on the islands of Grand Bahama, Abaco and Andros. On their territory you can see valuable species of wood - red iron and logwood, Caribbean pines, as well as different kinds exotic flowers - orchids, jasmine, bougainvillea, etc. Often on the islands you can find artificial plantations with coniferous trees, casuarina and mahogany.

The fauna in the Bahamas is not very diverse. The most common are bats, frogs, snakes, lizards, as well as birds - red flamingos, pelicans, herons, etc. Numerous species of fish are found near the coasts - mackerel, barracuda, Atlantic sailboat, etc. Thanks to this, fishing in the Bahamas is very exciting class.

Another feature of the nature of the Bahamas is the beautiful sandy beaches with fine sand, which attracts many travelers who want to soak up the sun and swim in the purest coastal waters.

The main feature of the Bahamians is slowness; it is not customary to rush anywhere on the islands. locals, mostly distinguished by calmness and friendliness, but sometimes they can express their emotions quite violently.

The dress code on the islands is unofficial. In most cases, a shirt and long trousers will suffice for men. IN resort areas shorts are also quite suitable; frankly beachwear should be avoided in cities. In the evening and on holidays, a long dress with ethnic patterns is considered good form for women, and a light suit for men.

Concerning culinary traditions, then in the Bahamas they are closely associated with seafood. Barbecued shells, crabs, shrimp, fish cakes, seafood salads, various variations of dishes with conch snails, reef perch in tomato or anchovy sauce, soup with lime juice, celery, meat and onions - these delicacies can be found in the menu of almost all restaurants in the archipelago. Big influence British colonizers had a hand in the cuisine of the Bahamas, so traditional English dishes prepared with local characteristics are also common here. Desserts include Caribbean coconut pies, rice puddings and fruit salads. In the bar menu you will definitely see Nassau Royal rum, the famous Bahamian beer Kalik, as well as various imported drinks.

The culture of the Bahamas was influenced by Africans, residents neighboring islands Caribbean and colonists. An important part of the national folklore is obea rituals, which are reminiscent of Santeria rites in Brazil and Cuba, as well as voodoo from Haiti. The practice involves turning to white and black magicians, communication with departed ancestors and spirits of the underworld, etc. Followers of both believe that evil spirits live in silk cotton, and with a special skill, their power can be controlled. Voodoo rituals are also common in the Bahamas, especially among immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

Another bright side of the culture of the Bahamas is music, which combines the traditions of the colonizers and African slaves. Especially popular are down-home styles (music is performed on accordions, guitars and maracas) and gumbay, which combines English folk songs with calypso melodies.

Dance art in the Bahamas is also common. In special halls or on the street, you can see real dance performances, which combine ritual African dances, classical ballet and modern choreography in a bizarre way.

There are also architectural sights in the Bahamas. Most of them belong to the period of colonization and are located in the capital of the state - the city of Nassau.

Main currency

The main currency on the islands is the Bahamian dollar, equal to 100 cents. Both coins and banknotes of various denominations are in circulation. US dollars are freely circulating. Credit cards of international systems are accepted almost everywhere.

You can exchange currency in the Bahamas in shopping centers, hotels and banks, which usually work on weekdays until 15:00. The most favorable exchange rate is in international banks located in Freeport and Nassau. There are a lot of ATMs in popular tourist areas, which cannot be said about the peripheral islands, where it is quite problematic to withdraw money. For cashing traveler's checks hotels, restaurants and exchange offices can charge a fairly large commission, so before using their services, find out about all the conditions. It is best to use traveler's checks in US dollars.

It is impossible to fly from Russia to the Bahamas using a direct flight. Most the best option- flight british airways with a change in London (five times a week), taking about 13 hours. You can also fly to the United States, and from there, with the help of American airlines, to the capital of the Bahamas - Nassau. The disadvantage of this option is that such a trip requires an American transit visa. From the US to the Bahamas can also be reached by ferry (the trip takes about 5 hours).

Mains voltage - 110V, 60 Hz. Sockets american type.

To rent a car in the Bahamas you need driver license international standard, passport and credit card. The driver must be at least 21-23 years old (depending on the rental company). Car rental offices are located at airports, large hotels and in central urban areas.

The tourist areas of the Bahamas are quite safe, but you should follow the usual precautions: do not walk around the outskirts at night, keep an eye on your wallet, and leave valuables in a safe.

You do not need to do any vaccinations to enter the country - they will only be needed if you arrive in the Bahamas from the outbreak infectious diseases. It is advisable to get immunized against tuberculosis, diphtheria and hepatitis B. You should also avoid swimming in local fresh water.

Tap water in the main cities is safe, although it tastes salty, so bottled water is recommended. Water outside popular tourist areas may be contaminated - do not drink it. Dairy products, meat, poultry, vegetables and fruits can be eaten safely - their safety is controlled.

To protect from the sun, you should use special creams, because the level of insolation in the Bahamas is very high. It is advisable to wear light clothing that covers the shoulders on the tour.