Bahamas population. Private guides in the Bahamas. customs and practices

Bahamas- a state located on the archipelago of the same name in the Atlantic Ocean, 90 km southeast of Florida and about the same distance northeast of Cuba. It extends for 970 km from the northwest to the southeast, covering an area of ​​about 259 thousand square meters. km (land area about 13.9 thousand sq. km). The capital is Nassau (New Providence Island).

The archipelago includes about 700 islands (of which only 30 are inhabited) and more than 2,000 coral reefs.

Climate

The climate is tropical trade winds in the north and subtropical in the south. The average summer temperature is +26..+32°C. In winter, the average temperature is +18..+22°C, the coolest is in the northwestern islands. The average water temperature is usually +27°C in summer and around +23°C in winter.

The best time to visit the country is the cool season from September to May.

In winter, rain is rare, usually in the form of short but powerful downpours. From May to November, hurricanes and tropical storms are possible, bringing heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds.

Population

Population of the Bahamas- 307,552 people (2009). Over 80% of the population of the islands are Africans and mulattoes, up to 12% are of European origin, and about 3% are immigrants from other countries of the Caribbean and Asia.

Composition: Baptist 35.4%, Anglicans 15.1%, Catholics 13.5%, Pentecostals 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodists 4.2%, other Christians 15.2%, atheists and undecided 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census).

Some, especially in the southern and eastern islands, practice bothah, a religion similar to voodoo. Voodoo itself is practiced exclusively by immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

The official language is English, immigrants from Haiti use their own dialect (based on French).

Currency

The Bahamian dollar (B$, BSD), which is equal to 100 cents, is rigidly pegged to the US dollar.

In circulation there are banknotes of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 3 and 1 dollars (in total there are more than 40 different denominations of all denominations in circulation), as well as coins of 1 and 2 dollars, 50, 20, 15, 10 and 5 cents.

American coins and banknotes also circulate freely.

Currency can be exchanged at bank offices, hotels and large stores. The Bahamian dollar is firmly pegged to the US dollar, but exchange rates can vary quite a lot between institutions. The most stable rate is at the offices of international banks in Nassau and Freeport, change money in tourist areas most disadvantageous.

All types of credit cards are accepted for payment. Traveler's checks can be cashed in the same place where you can change currency - at bank offices, hotels and large stores. Some hotels, restaurants, and money changers charge high commissions for cashing checks, so it's always best to find out the terms and conditions in advance.

Communication and communications

Telephone code: 1 - 242.

Internet domain: .bs

Rescue service: 911.

How to call

To call from Russia to the Bahamas, you need to dial: 8 - beep - 10 - 1 - 242 - subscriber's number.

To call from the Bahamas to Russia, you need to dial: 011 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

Fixed line

The communication system on the islands is quite modern and well developed. Payphones for making international calls are ubiquitous and work with telephone cards from the national telephone company Batelco, which are sold at post offices, telephone company offices, hotels and supermarkets. You can also make a call from a payphone through an operator.

Many hotels provide a telephone in every room from which you can make an inexpensive local call (seven-digit numbers) or get through the operator to international line(usually the cost of a call from hotel room 10-15% more expensive than from a pay phone).

International calls can also be made from the post office.

mobile connection

Cellular communication of the GSM 900 standard covers all the islands and is well developed. The operator Batelco (Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd) - www.btcbahamas.com - provides full coverage of the country. Handsets of foreign operators must be registered with Batelco.

Internet

Network technologies and means of their service are developing quite intensively on the islands. The BaTelNet provider - www.batelnet.bs - provides almost all types of network services. Internet cafes can be found in the capital and other major cities of Grand Bahama (usually open seven days a week). The cost of connection is usually about $5 per hour.

Mail

Only Bahamian postage stamps are valid in the Bahamas. In Nassau and Freeport, post offices are open on weekdays from 8.30 to 17.30, on Saturday - until 12.30. On outer islands Post office hours may be shorter. The main post office in Nassau, which is located on East Hill Street, has a philatelic office.

Mail, however, travels slowly from the Bahamas, so use the services of international commercial postal services for prompt delivery of correspondence.

shopping

The country has canceled all duties on the import and export of perfumes, leather goods, jewelry, watches, photographic equipment, porcelain, and so on. Therefore, the prices for the mentioned goods are lower than in the USA by 25-50%. And in many areas that have the status of free trade zones, their cost is another 15 percent lower, so the Bahamas are considered one of best zones for shopping in the mid-Atlantic.

Shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday from 09.00 to 13.00 and from 15.00 to 17.00. Many shops close for lunch at 12.00 and open their doors again only at 14.30-15.00. Even though the government insists on opening shops on Sundays, very few establishments follow this rule. Therefore, Sunday is usually a day of calm in trade.

The Trade Center of the Bahamas is the world-famous Bay street. There you can very favorable prices buy everything - watches of famous brands, jewelry, porcelain, crystal, leather bags, perfumes.

Where to stay

The hotels are very diverse: there are large high-rise complexes, and small but cozy establishments. The local all-inclusive system is recognized as the best in the Caribbean.

Sea and beaches

The beaches in the Bahamas are municipal, free. However, certain sections of the beach are assigned to the hotels, which are diligently guarded.

Story

The first settlers in the Bahamas are considered to be the Lucayans, a branch of the Arawak tribe, who arrived here around the 9th century. The islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. One of the islands of the archipelago - Watling Island (San Salvador) - the first land of the New World, discovered on October 12, 1492. Three years later, the first Spanish colonists settled in the archipelago.

It is believed that by the time the islands were discovered by Europeans, up to 40 thousand people lived here, who settled the islands in the period from the 7th to the 12th centuries. The Spaniards took the locals to Hispaniola (Haiti) as slaves, and after 25 years almost all the Indians died, and the Spaniards left the settlement.

For another century, the islands remained sparsely populated and unclaimed, until King Charles I of England handed them over to the Attorney General. In 1650, a few English settlers arrived here with Bermuda who created settlements on the island of Eleuthera. At the same time, pirates began to settle in the Bahamas, creating their bases for rest and repair of ships on several islands of the archipelago. Pirates were expelled from the Bahamas by the British in 1718.

The Bahamas became a British colony in 1718, but remained sparsely populated until about 8,000 loyalists arrived here at the end of the 18th century, deported to the islands along with their slaves from the proclaimed independence of the United States (from New York, Florida and North and South Carolina). After the American War of Independence, English Loyalists began to bring thousands of people to the islands and in three years greatly increased the population. In addition, they contributed to the appearance of slaves and cotton on the islands, which shaped the future of the islands. American-style plantations were built here, but since the soil was not so good, most of the plantations ceased to exist in the very first years.

In 1781, the islands were captured by Spain, and returned to Great Britain in 1783.

When the slave trade was banned in Great Britain in 1807, the Royal Navy began to intercept slave ships and free slaves in the Bahamas. Many loyalists left the Bahamas after the abolition of slavery, often leaving their lands to former slaves who began to lead a meager existence without their masters, mainly engaged in fishing and agriculture. Although equality and political rights were conditional, power on the islands belonged to the white minority. In the 19th century, a share of smuggling emerged in the agrarian economy. Also important for the future of the islands was the fact that rich people appeared in the United States, ready to spend money on vacations in a tropical paradise. By the end of the 19th century, Florida became a tourist region and the Bahamas received little additional income.

In 1920, money poured into the country like a river, after the adoption of Prohibition in the United States, and smugglers became more active in Nassau. The Bahamas were the perfect platform for illicitly supplying the United States with alcohol, and Nassau soon became a huge warehouse for rum. The city invested a lot of money in construction, a huge number of hotels appeared.

The repeal of Prohibition in the United States in 1933 brought the Bahamas into the Great Depression.

As well as in the USA Second World War marked the end of the economic downturn. During the war, the mass of the American military came to the islands for recreation, which significantly improved the economy of the Bahamas.

After the war, wealthy Americans began to come to the islands for recreation, encouraged by the governor and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The Duke and Duchess made a great contribution to the development of tourism, as they believed that this great way to pull the Bahamas out of post-war devastation, and after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the islands were in a favorable position, due to the fact that many Western travelers were forced to abandon the resorts of Cuba. An American Air Force base has been expanded in Nassau to receive international flights, the port was updated and an active advertising campaign began. The rise in prosperity provoked the development of party politics and the aggravation of ethnic tensions, since the white elite received huge incomes from tourism, while the black majority remained below the poverty line.

In 1964, in accordance with the new Constitution, the islands were granted internal self-government.

The black-backed Progressive Liberal Party came to power in 1967 and ended white dominance. The country has embarked on the path of gaining independence.

On July 10, 1973, the Bahamas became an independent state within the British Commonwealth.

Attempts to reform the PLP led to a decrease in the value of real estate and the cessation of economic growth. Party leaders were mired in corruption, some of them involved in the international drug trade.

After aid provided by the United States to stop the drug trade in the 1980s. and the election of an administration representing the interests of the business community, the Bahamas began to gradually revive.

In 1999, Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd tore through the islands, destroying houses, roads, reefs and resorts. By 2001, the damage had been repaired, and the Bahamas again attracted the attention of tourists.

Spearfishing with the use of spearguns and other devices is prohibited on the islands. Sportswear allowed fishing, but a fee must be paid for one exit to the sea - provided that no more than six spools of fishing line are installed on the vessel. Independent archaeological work on sunken ships is also prohibited. Violation of these rules can result in a hefty fine and deportation from the country.

In addition, local laws regarding drug trafficking are very strict: for the sale and even simple use of drugs, it is quite possible to get a long prison term.

A separate danger is represented by regular outbreaks of conjunctivitis, which, although easily treated, still causes a lot of inconvenience in the local climate.

Tap water is usually chlorinated and relatively safe, although often brackish, so bottled water is recommended. Drinking water outside the main cities may be contaminated and not recommended for consumption.

The pace of local life, despite the strong American influence, is leisurely and calm. Even numerous entertainment establishments are famous for their calm atmosphere and clear work schedule.

The Bahamas is the center of the gambling business. All casinos are open 24 hours a day. The largest casino in the Caribbean is also located here (in the Atlantis hotel).

How to get to the Bahamas

There are no direct flights from Russia. The best time-consuming travel option is a flight by British Airways with a change in London (flights five times a week, travel time from 13 hours).

Another possibility is a flight to the US, with a subsequent transfer to American airlines in Nassau. However, this option requires an American transit visa. The flight from Miami to Nassau will take about 35 minutes, from New York - 2.5 hours, from Philadelphia - 2 hours 45 minutes, from Toronto (Canada) - 3 hours.

Another means of connecting the United States with the Bahamas are ferries departing daily from Fort Lauderdale, Florida (journey time 5 hours).

The Bahamas also have air links with other Caribbean countries, including Cuba (Aeroflot's direct flight from Moscow to Havana is operated five times a week, travel time is about 13 hours).

Bahamas- a fabulous corner of our planet, which, probably, every tourist dreams of visiting. The Bahamas are an archipelago in the middle of the blue expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, which is the center of world tourism. The Bahamas is washed by the warm Gulf Stream, thanks to which a mild climate reigns here all year round. The composition of this state includes two and a half thousand reefs and seven hundred islands, although only thirty of them are inhabited. The Bahama coast delights sophisticated tourists with hundreds of kilometers of white sandy beaches, beautiful coral reefs, crystal clear coastal waters and picturesque Caribbean nature. About the amazing vacation in the Bahamas, we will tell in our article.

Price for tours and flights to the Bahamas. Holidays in the Bahamas belong to the elite, therefore, you need to be prepared that vouchers will be expensive. When choosing tours on the Internet, please note that many travel agencies offer tours to the resorts of the Bahamas, without airfare. Approximately, week tour to the Bahamas for two adults will cost from eight hundred euros. The price includes accommodation in a three-star hotel, with breakfast, and transfer from the airport to the hotel and back. So beloved by Russians, all-inclusive food in the Bahamas is a rarity. It is very convenient that a visa to the Bahamas for our compatriots planning to rest there for less than ninety days is not needed. It is quite possible to buy relatively cheap tickets to the Bahamas, you just need to know that ticket prices vary from time of year, city of departure, availability of promotions and discounts from this airline at that moment. It is most profitable to purchase a ticket to the Bahamas from Moscow or St. Petersburg, then an economy class one-way ticket will cost you about fifty thousand rubles. But you can find even more profitable options, for example, with the Delta airline, a one-way flight will start from twenty-three thousand rubles, and with the Transaero airline, with a departure from Vnukovo, you can go to the paradise islands for twenty-eight thousand rubles. But there are practically no direct flights to Freeport Airport, you still have to make one or two transfers. Most transplants take place in or in the USA.

When and where is the best time to visit the Bahamas? For the Bahamas, there are two main seasons: summer, when the air temperature warms up to thirty-three degrees, and the water to twenty-eight, and winter, when the temperature outside is twenty-five degrees, and the water is twenty-three degrees. Prices for tours to the Bahamas are always higher in winter, especially since they rise on holidays, but also during summer holidays, the cost of the tour will also grow. Although, it is at this time that you can find a lot of last-minute trips to the Bahamas with significant discounts. When choosing a vacation spot, you should know that the northwestern islands of the archipelago are cooler. The hottest islands of the Bahamas are southern: Big and Small Inagua, Mayaguana. In winter, it rains here, but very rarely, and winds, high waves, hurricanes on these islands are also very rare. That is why, it is winter that is more preferable for holidays in the Bahamas. But in the period from May to October, the season of rains, typhoons and storms begins here. In all hotels, at the reception desk, warnings are posted about all weather disasters predicted for the day. Resting in the Bahamas in the summer is quite romantic, because it is during this period that bright tropical flowers begin to bloom on the islands and shrubs bloom, everything is green around, exotic birds and insects flutter.

Resorts of the Bahamas. It is clear that all the islands of this archipelago are divided into resort areas, and each of them is attractive in its own way, everywhere tourists are offered a lot of interesting excursions and a variety of entertainment. Each resort has several restaurants, bars, cabarets, casinos, shops.

Resorts and beaches of New Providence Island- this is the most densely populated island of the Bahamas, where the capital is located - a beautiful city Nassau, which combines all the best that the local nature has given. Calm - during the day, and capable at night, to turn anyone, even the most passive tourist, into an unleashed reveler. In the city, one can trace a vivid mixture of styles of architecture: colonial, modern - and this can be explained by the fact that this sea harbor has always been an area of ​​​​someone's interests and each people who took possession of it contributed to the urban architectural component. Connoisseurs of snow-white beaches and a clear ocean prefer to relax in Nassau, who are not ready to leave civilization and be alone with nature. It is worth noting that along the entire coast of the Nassau resort there are hotel complexes, shopping centers and parks that make the rest of tourists more intense and interesting. And yet, Nassau is a real paradise for connoisseurs of excellent shopping. Here are the most luxurious boutiques, numerous shops " duty free". The city of Nassau is one of the world's largest offshore centers, where four hundred banks and trust funds are located, it is not for nothing that it is called the "Zurich of the Tropics". The islets located near New Providence are the location of luxury hotels designed for elite vacation in the Bahamas, there are a lot of upscale restaurants and the Crystal Palace casino. The most popular beaches of New Providence Island are: Cable Beach - "Cable Beach" is the best beach in the Caribbean, as well as the opposite resort islands, with Long Cay Beach and North Cay Beach.

Resorts and beaches of Grand Bahama Island- the largest island with an international airport that receives flights from America and Europe. Connoisseurs of noise and fun come to relax on this Bahama Island, because the music does not stop here, there are a lot of entertainment centers, discos, night clubs, and in each mall there is a duty-free point. The island has a superbly developed infrastructure. The main natural advantages of this island are long white beaches, huge pine forests. The most popular resort of Grand Bahama - Freeport or Lukaya - is a modern city with free spirits. And the best beach is Gold Rock, with romantic palm trees leaning towards the water, vine bushes around and beautiful lush orchids. For those who like to tickle their nerves, we advise you to get to Tiger Beach - the habitat of tiger sharks, and then you will have enough impressions for a lifetime. A very popular holiday destination in the Grand Bahamas - gorgeous beach"Paradise Bay", which is photographed on many booklets advertising exclusive holidays in the Bahamas.

Resorts and beaches of Andros island- this is the most uninhabited Bahama island, with centuries-old pine groves, fragrant pine needles, beautiful mangroves and palm trees located along the snow-white sandy beaches, smoothly fading into the turquoise sea surface. Supporters of the laid-back come here to relax. beach holiday in the bosom of nature, with pleasure, strolling along the turquoise ocean, to the melodic accompaniment of bird chirping: ibis, flamingos, spoonbills, hummingbirds, Bahamian parrots. Weddings and honeymoons are often held here. But this island is no less popular among eco-tourists, amateur kayakers, ornithologists, snorkelers, divers, just lovers of fishing. The three main resorts of Andros Island: Nicholls Town, Andros Town, Congo Town. But due to the small population of the island, there is almost no developed infrastructure and public transport, and traveling by taxi will cost you a pretty penny. The most popular beach in Andros is Somerset Beach. By the way, many local hotels, knowing that the newlyweds are trying to come to rest on this particular Bahama island, offer a “wedding package”.

Resorts and beaches of Eleuthera Island- This is the fourth largest island in the Bahamas, and a place of elite recreation, with the most expensive and luxurious hotels and restaurants. It is only two kilometers wide, but stretches for one hundred and eighty kilometers in length. The locals make their living thanks to the generous seafood and rich pineapple plantations, and, of course, tourism. Eleuthera Island is a quiet, but well-developed resort, with picturesque nature: high cliffs, leaving in the bright blue sea surface, numerous mysterious caves and grottoes, beautiful coral reefs, wide beaches with pink sand. The water here is very clean and transparent, and the entrance is gentle. The main beaches: "French Leave Beach", "Lighthouse Beach", "Surfers Beach", "Winding Bay Beach" are very popular among tourists on this Bahama island. Divers love to relax on the island of Eleuthera, who have long appreciated its beautiful underwater world.

Resorts and beaches of Great Abaco Island is the second largest island in the Bahamas, and favorite place recreation for people obsessed with sailing. Yachtsmen from all over the world meet here, in the "sailing season", which begins with the arrival of spring and lasts almost until the end of autumn. Travelers vacationing here will surely delight local coast with cozy bays and beautiful reefs, clear turquoise sea water, by the way, the local waters are calm and rather shallow, with a gentle entrance. The most popular sandy beaches are: Ocean Beach, Tahiti Beach, Guana Cay Beach, Abaco Beach Resort, Sandy Point Beach. On Abaco, you can do excellent fishing, because the local coastal waters are simply teeming with fish. For lovers of eco-tours, we recommend visiting the picturesque Abaco National Park.

Resorts and beaches of Long Island- the most picturesque Bahama Island, where there are very few tourists, but many natural places, completely untouched by civilization. The island stretches in a long, narrow strip along blue waters Atlantic Ocean. It is divided in two by the ridge of an ancient reef, so Long Island has completely different shores, on the one hand high cliffs and deep caves, washed by raging ocean waves, and on the other hand, these are ideal white-sand beaches with a gentle entrance to calm and still waters. It is this contrast that makes the rest of the Bahamas more interesting and exciting. The main resort town here is Stella Maris, all boat trips and other tours around the island start from here. At the northern tip of the island, there is the most beautiful Cape Santa Maria in the western hemisphere.

Resorts and beaches of Exuma island- this is an archipelago of three hundred and sixty-five coral reefs and small islands, the largest of them are Great Exuma and Little Exuma, they are washed by the sapphire waters of the Atlantic Ocean. On the island of Great Exuma, tourists are waiting for a lot of opportunities for interesting holiday, as there are excellent resorts here, with hotels offering high-class service, but you can also rent a modest fishing lodge, thus saving on accommodation. Local cozy bays, quiet bays and harbours, attract numerous yachtsmen and fans of sport fishing. Here since 1957, the world's most famous marine park- Exuma Case Land and Sea Park. The most popular beaches among tourists on Exuma Island are Tropic of Cancer Beach, Three Sisters Beach, Jolly Hall Beach, Coco Plum Beach, Hamburger Beach. No less beautiful beaches are Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Staniel Cay, Saddle Cay, Stocking Island - all of them are sandy with a gentle entrance to clear sea water.

Resorts and beaches of Bimini island- a picturesque archipelago of several islands, the largest of which are North Bimini and South Bimini. This picturesque archipelago is located on the edge of a powerful sheer underwater cliff, immersed in sea ​​abyss for thousands of meters. The Bimini Islands are a very attractive place for people who are interested in the unusual and unknown, because it is here that there are several unique places planets and monuments of nature, the properties of which have not yet been unraveled and explained by scientists. The most controversial place is the “Bimini Road” - “Bimini Road”, about which, back in the forties of the twentieth century, the famous predictor Edgar Cayce spoke, saying that in 1968, the ruins of one of the lost cities of the drowned Atlantis would be found here. And so it happened: in September 1968, near the shores of Paradise Point, on North Bimini, they found neatly laid out huge limestone blocks seven hundred meters long, which they called "Bimini Road". Long-term underwater archaeological expeditions and studies began, after which it was concluded that these megaliths were indeed laid down by people - representatives of a highly developed civilization that had long disappeared, but there were other opponents who claimed that these were just marine sediments - coastal rock.

Another very controversial place in Bimini is the "Fountain of Youth" - a rejuvenating source that Juan Ponce de Leon was looking for, who heard a story about him from representatives of the Arawak people - akin to the Taino Indians. Many indigenous people of the island say that their distant ancestors passed from mouth to mouth, the legend that this miraculous fountain is located in the shallow backwaters of South Bimini. The next mysterious place of the island is the "Healing Grotto", located in the backwaters of the mangrove forest that covers North Bimini, this place is the end of the mysterious labyrinth of underground tunnels through which, at low tides, cool fresh water, rich in mineral salts - lithium and sulfur, which is why it has a powerful healing effect. After bathing here, people experience physical rejuvenation and phenomenal mental clarity. The main resort of the Bimini Islands is Alice Town, with the best restaurants, shops, hotels. Fishing enthusiasts often come here, as well as fans of eco-tourism, who are happy to get acquainted with the natural beauties of the islands, watch the numerous representatives of the marine and air fauna that live here. Flocks of dolphins and giant turtles swim right up to the shores of the island. The most popular beaches of Bimini, with clear sea water, a white-sand coast and a gentle entrance: Radio Beach, Blister Beach, Spook Hill Beach, Tiki Hut Beach.

Resorts and beaches of Greater Inagua- the southernmost island of the Bahamas, the third largest, with several lakes and a large ornithological reserve, home to eighty thousand species of birds. The main resort of the island is the city of Matthew Town, and the most popular beach Inagua - Iron Badge Beach. Fans of eco-tours, divers, as well as just supporters of a quiet contemplative vacation will really like to relax on the island. Here you can observe life in its natural environment. pink flamingos, swim with dolphins.

Resorts and beaches of Harbor Island- a small island, five kilometers long and a kilometer wide, with the only resort town - Dunmore Town. Here is the famous pink sand beach - Pink Sands Beach, which, thanks to coastal reefs, protects vacationers from huge waves. Harbor Island - considered the best Caribbean island and the most elite holiday destination in the Bahamas, for the richest people in the world. Rest here is calm, since there are no noisy entertainment centers on the Harbor, lovers of silence and solitude in the bosom of picturesque nature will like it here. Here are the most luxurious villas and luxury holiday homes in the Bahamas.

Resorts and beaches of the Berry Islands- here you will find the most economical vacation in the Bahamas. This cluster of thirty small reef islands is located southeast of Bimini. They are completely covered with greenery, there are many beautiful sandy, snow-white, like flour, beaches. With a gentle slope, these beaches are ideal for families visiting the Bahamas with children. So, seven miles of the best sandy beaches await you: Dannenberg Beach, Queen's Beach, Sand Dollar Hill l, Shark Creek, Shelling Beach, Sugar Beach, The ship Yard Beach. There is absolutely uninhabited islets, with virgin nature and beautiful sea ​​depths which have long been chosen by divers and snorkelers. Berry hosts sport fishing championships.

Paradise island resort- is located northeast of New Providence, and is connected to this island by a bridge. On Paradise is a huge complex of hotels "Atlantis", with amazing beaches, with white sand and palm trees on the shore, excellent golf courses, a huge water amusement park, a casino, and numerous shops. Here is waiting for you peace of mind and entertainment for all tastes.

The Bahamas are, in fact, one big resort and a place for an elite beach holiday. Most resort areas have a well-developed infrastructure and a lot of entertainment for vacationers, here you can go diving, fishing, snorkeling, yachting, and get acquainted with interesting sights.

The Bahamas, or the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, in the vernacular of the Bahamas, is a state located on almost 700 islands to the north caribbean and Cuba, southeast of the Florida peninsula, with a population of 391,232 (2016 data). The Bahamas are part of the British Commonwealth, state language is English, the head of state is the monarch of Great Britain.

The Bahamas archipelago includes about 700 islands and 2,000 coral reefs, it covers an area of ​​​​more than 250 thousand km2, while the land area is 13,878 km2. Only 30 islands are inhabited, the population is concentrated on the island of New Providence (New Providence) with the capital of the state of Nassau and the island of Grand Bahama (Grand Bahama) with the second largest city of Freeport. Most big Island archipelago - Andros (Andros).

The first inhabitants of the archipelago are the Lucayans from the flame of the Arawaks (South American Indians), who appeared here in the 9th century. According to scientists, the population of the Bahamas at that time numbered about 40 thousand people. The first European to arrive in the Bahamas in 1492 was Christopher Columbus, who landed on Watling Island (now San Salvador) on October 12, 1492. In 1495, Spanish settlers began to colonize the islands of the archipelago, and soon almost the entire island population was sold into slavery in Haiti. Shortly thereafter, the Spanish colonists left the islands.

For the next 100 years, the islands were virtually uninhabited. In 1650, the first English settlers from Bermuda arrived in the Bahamas. At the same time, pirate bases appeared on the islands, which existed until 1718. In the same 1718, the Bahamas were officially declared a British colony. The population began to increase at the end of the 18th century, when 8,000 loyalists were sent here after the declaration of independence by the United States. It was the loyalists who began to actively develop agriculture on the islands, in particular, to grow cotton.

In 1781, power on the islands again passed to Spain, and was returned to England already in 1783. After the prohibition of the slave trade in Great Britain in 1807, the slaves in the Bahamas also received freedom, after which a large number of the white population left the islands. Local residents - former slaves - existed at the expense of fishing and agriculture. The economic prosperity of the islands came along with the development of beach tourism in the United States, and also after the adoption of Prohibition in the United States - the Bahamas turned out to be the base of smugglers and bootleggers. The capital of the Nassau archipelago turned into a single large warehouse of rum, which led to the development of " alcohol tourism” from the USA, and many hotels of various categories appeared in the Bahamas.

During the Second World War, American soldiers rested on the islands, and after the war and the revolution in Cuba, the flow of wealthy tourists from America only increased.

In 1964, the Bahamas gained the right to self-government, and on July 10, 1973, they declared independence as part of the British Commonwealth. Today, the Bahamas is a member of a number of international organizations, including the Organization of American States and the UN, as well as the Caribbean Community.

Current time in Nassau:
(UTC -5)

The basis of the state economy is the beach, eco- and sports tourism and the provision of banking services. The absence of many taxes also plays a leading role in the development of the economy of the Bahamas.

How to get there

In addition to these two, there are 62 more airports and runways on the rest of the islands of the Bahamas.

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Climate and weather in the Bahamas

Cities and regions

Currently, the state is divided into 31 districts. This system was created in 1996, and, until 1999, there were 23 districts in the country. The largest or most noteworthy tourist islands are listed below, as are Largest cities on these islands. Follow the links to find a description of the islands and cities, their location and other information.

New Providence is the most populous island of the Bahamas, the center of tourism and recreation for Americans, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich is almost completely occupied by the capital of the Bahamas - the city of Nassau.

Lying in the north of the archipelago, Grand Bahama is the second most visited region in the country. The most famous city of the island is Freeport.

Andros is the largest island of the Bahamas archipelago, it covers an area of ​​5957 km². The population of Andros is 7386 people (data for 2010).

Eleuthera is an island in the Bahamas archipelago, located 80 km east of Grand Bahama and Nassau. Long (180 km) and narrow (about 2 km) the island covers an area of ​​484 km². It is home to 7826 people (2010 data).

The Abaco Islands are located in the north of the Bahamas. They include the main islands of Great Abaco and Little Abaco, 13 smaller islands and the Abaco Cays coral reef group. The area of ​​the islands is 1681 km², 16,692 people live on them.

Long Island is one of the most picturesque islands in the Bahamas. It has a length of 100 km and a width of 5 km, and is famous for its excellent sandy beaches, rich flora and fauna of coastal waters. The capital of the island is the city of Clarence, but the main tourist point is the area of ​​Stella Maris.

The Bimini Islands, or "Ernest Hemingway Islands", is a chain of islands in the Bahamas archipelago, located between the island of Andros and south coast Florida, having an area of ​​23 km². The capital of the island chain is the city of Alice Town, mentioned more than once by Ernest Hemingway in his works ("The Old Man and the Sea", "Islands in the Ocean", "To Have and Not to Have").

Cat Island is an island located in the central part of the Bahamas, which is the sixth largest island in the country and has an area of ​​388 km². The main city of the island is Arthur's Town, it is home to 1503 people (2010 data).

What to see

Despite the fact that people go to the Bahamas mainly for beaches and related entertainment inquisitive tourist There will also be something to please yourself - there are several remarkable places on the island, links to which you will find below. Follow the links for more detailed information.

Where to go in the Bahamas

Attractions

Museums and galleries

Entertainment

Parks and recreation areas

Leisure

Transport

Private guides in the Bahamas

Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with the Bahamas in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.

Things to do

The beaches of the Bahamas

The Bahamas are the perfect place for a beach holiday. Almost all islands of the archipelago have beaches with white or pink sand, surrounded by palm groves on the shores of emerald lagoons.

Kitchen

The cuisine of the Bahamas is a culinary mix of various cultures, each dish of which combines the generosity of tropical Caribbean nature and the culinary traditions of one or more groups of people who inhabited the islands - Arawak Indians, Spaniards, British, French, Dutch, Africans, Indians, Chinese and Americans.

hallmark Bahamian cuisine is the use of fresh vegetables, fruits and seafood. At the same time, meat dishes are also present in Caribbean cuisine - from chicken, lamb and mutton. Other types of meat are imported, most often cooked and served in restaurants of European and American cuisine.

On the Caribbean table there is a group of dishes called Salsas, characterized by intense flavor, and which is a cross between spices and side dishes. Salsas are prepared from a variety of fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs and are served with any meal on their own to enhance its flavor.

The first liquid hot dishes occupy an important place in the Bahamian menu. Most often they are represented by soups - vegetable, fish and meat, as well as liquid dishes from stews of meat and vegetables, similar to stews.
The most popular Caribbean soup is sea bass soup with celery, onions, tomatoes and spices, as well as sherry, dark rum and lime juice. There are also soups from other seafood on the Bahamian table.
Less common today is turtle soup, which has been one of the most popular dishes for centuries. The decrease in demand for turtle soup is due to the fact that turtles are endangered on the islands.
Vegetable soups are very popular, in particular pea soup, which is cooked with smoked meats, rice or dumplings.
The Asopao group of dishes, which means "liquid" in Spanish, is a liquid, stewed in the form of a stew, meat (chicken, lamb) or seafood with rice, vegetables and spices.

Peas "n" Rice - the basis of the Bahamian table, a traditional dish from peas and rice, cooked with the addition of salted meat, tomatoes, celery, green peppers and spices. Used as a garnish, Peas "n" Rice is poured over hot sauces.

Fish dishes form the basis of the menu of the Bahamas. Fish on the islands is cooked in a variety of ways - grilled, stewed, salted, dried and made into fish cakes. It is worth trying red snapper (reef perch) filet, grilled or steamed, served with aromatic Creole sauce or with white wine, mushrooms, onion and thyme sauce.

The Bahamas are famous for their abundance of seafood, among which lobsters, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, shellfish, etc. are considered delicacies. They are baked on coals, stewed, fried, marinated, and salads are prepared based on seafood. So, one of the most popular seafood is the local spiny lobster, which is served seasonally (from April to August) with curry sauce, lime juice and fresh coconut pulp. Baked sea crab is also one of the most famous dishes in the Bahamas. The cook mixes the meat extracted from the crab with eggs and herbs, fills the empty crab shell with the mixture and bakes.

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It's no secret that the Bahamas have long been popular place for tourists from all over the world. And even the Russians fly there to relax. The truth scares away many distance. Which has to be flown. But when you get to the islands, you will immediately forget about everything that happened to you before. After all, the Bahamas is a paradise for relaxation on earth. It has everything you need and even what you never dreamed of! If you look at the Bahamas on a world map, you will see where they are. And they are in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Bahamas includes more than 700 islands, but only 30 of them are inhabited and inhabited. Why are the other islands empty? Some are too small to build on. And some islands are constantly flooded with water, so you can’t build there either.
But there are separate islands where you can go on an excursion. You will modern Robinson Crusoe, and you will remember this trip for a long time.

See where the Bahamas are located on the world map. And then you definitely want to fly here.

When it comes to the Bahamas, many people think 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 a small and modern city that 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 international airport and 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 eastern shore you can find shabby shacks, surrounded by old cars and abandoned refrigerators. Therefore, Andros is most often visited 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 the beautiful 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. Luxurious resorts and various clubs alternate with magnificent villas and gourmet restaurants.

The Harbor Island reef, located in the northwest of Eleuthera, deserves special attention. Here is a bright and original city Dunmore Town, wonderful beach and excellent 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 archipelago, which has many corners untouched by human civilization.

The landscape of Long Island is formed by a combination of hilly terrain, washed out by the surf of the coast, which are washed by the richest marine life in the 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. On the opposite side, a small waterfall carries its waters. 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 on its territory has a unique Botanical Garden 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.