The Bahamas

Understand

The name of the country is said to be derived from the Spanish words "baha mar" or shallow water. Before 1973, the islands were officially the Bahama Islands although often dubbed the Bahamas. The country's name was formally changed when the country gained Independence from the United Kingdom.

The people of the Bahamas are Bahamians. While the country's name is pronounce "buh-HA-muss", a person from the Bahamas is called "buh-HAYm-yun" (Bahamian).

See

thumb|Fort Fincastle Lucayan National Park and Port Lucaya in Freeport Dolphin Cay on Paradise Island The Thunderball Grotto in Exuma Flamingos, iguanas and other tropical wildlife. Fort Fincastle, the Old Town and the Pirate museum in Nassau

Do

Diving: The "shallow seas" of the Bahamas lie over extensive submerged limestone platforms, with high points here and there just breaking the surface to form an archipelago. The climate is good for diving year-round, and hurricanes seldom strike. All the inhabited islands have local diving, and some have extensive inland cave systems. Nassau on New Providence is the base for liveaboard cruises.

Eat

thumb|240px|Cracked conch, peas and rice, coleslaw and a cold Kalik beer

As you'd expect in an island nation, seafood is very popular. The national dish is conch (pronounced "conk" with a hard K), a type of mollusk, served deep-fried ("cracked") or raw with a twist of lemon, and as elsewhere in the Caribbean, the classic accompaniment is peas and rice.

Ordinary meals can be purchased for anywhere from $5-25 a plate. Authentic island food can be found at the Fish Fry, a collection of small open air restaurants where many locals hang out. Meals can be had for about $8. Sunday night the locals flock to this area for some authentic Bahamian nightlife. You can find fast-food chains such as KFC or McDonalds, especially in the downtown areas, but as it is a highly touristed country, you can find many nice restaurants serving many different cuisines. Most restaurants serve American or British food, though you can easily find the normal island flair, especially during the Fish Fry during June. A 15% service charge is added to the bill at most establishments; additional tips are optional.

Service is distinct from the American standard. There is a concentration on the customer at hand. You are expected to patiently wait your turn. At fast food restaurants the server will take care of only the first customer until they have left the service area. Don't expect to be in a hurry even at a fast food establishment.

Service in the Bahamas takes place at a relaxed pace. Travelers can expect…

Sleep

Accommodation on the Bahamas is expensive, and there is virtually no backpacker/hostel-type lodging. The cheapest hotels start at around US$70, and most hotels cost US$200-300/night, with the very best resorts easily pushing up above US$500. Deals may be available in the summer off-season though.

The Bahamas charge a Service Fee or Resort Fee to every person staying overnight. Hotels collect the fee of $18 per night per person and a $6 per person one time bellhop fee. This is an addition to the rate of the room and is not optional and cannot be waived. Often tourists first hear about this when checking into their hotel for the first time.

The Bahamas Government levies a Hotel Guest Tax which is payable by each guest. This tax is 10% of the hotel rate, it submitted monthly to the Bahamas Government by the hotel operator.

Hotels in the Bahamas may levy a number of other charges upon guests in addition to the standard bill, including; gratuities-maid/bellman), a hotel 'Levy' (Promotion Board), cable, telephone, water & sewerage, energy surcharge, pool/towels.

Most hotels and resorts in the Bahamas are found in New Providence (Nassau) and neighbouring Paradise Island. The rest of the country remains rather off the beaten track for tourism, and places like Eleuthera, despite being 100 miles (160 km) long, has only three hotels.

Stay healthy

The adult HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has reached 3.0% or 1 in 33 adults.

Tap water is generally potable, but bottled water is recommended for visitors.

Respect

Bahamians are good-natured but do not suffer fools gladly.