The Best Beaches

Beaches 101: Paradise Island, Cable Beach & More

In The Bahamas, the issue about public access to beaches is a hot and controversial subject. Recognizing this, the government has made efforts to intersperse public beaches near private ones, where access would otherwise be impeded. Although megaresorts discourage nonguests from easy access to their individual beaches, there are so many public beaches on New Providence Island and Paradise Island that all a beach lover has to do is stop his or her car (or walk) to many of the unmarked, unnamed beaches that flank these islands.

If you stay in one of the large beachfront resorts, all you need to do is leave the grounds of the hotel and head for the ocean via the sand in front the resort. But if your accommodation is not beachfront or you want to explore another beach, here are a few details:

Cabbage Beach: On Paradise Island, this is the real showcase, with broad, white sands that stretch for at least 3km (2 miles). Casuarinas, palms, and sea grapes border it. While it's likely to be crowded in winter, you can find a little more elbowroom by walking to the northwestern stretch of the beach. You can reach Paradise Island from downtown Nassau by walking over the bridge, taking a taxi, or boarding a ferryboat at Prince George Dock. Cabbage Beach does not have public facilities, but you can patronize one of the handful of bars and restaurants nearby and use their restrooms Technically, you should be a customer, even if that means buying only a drink, even a Coca-Cola.

Cable Beach: No particular beach is actually called Cable Beach, yet this is the most popular beachfront on New Providence Island. Instead of an actual beach, Cable Beach is the name given to a string of resorts and beaches that lies in the center of New Providence's northern coast, attracting the most visitors. This beachfront offers 6.5km (4 miles) of soft white sand, and the types of food, restaurants, snack bars, and watersports offered at the hotels lining the waterfront vary. Calypso music floats to the sand from hotel pool patios where vacationers play musical chairs and see how low they can limbo. Vendors wind their way among sunblock-slathered bodies. Some sell armloads of shell jewelry, T-shirts, beach cover-ups, and fresh coconuts for sipping the sweet "water" straight from the shell. Others offer their hair-braiding services or sign up visitors for water-skiing, jet-skiing, and banana boat rides. Kiosks advertise parasailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling trips, as well as party cruises to offshore islands. Waters can be rough and reefy, then calm and clear a little farther along the shore. There are no public toilets here because guests of the resorts use their hotel facilities. If you're not a guest of the hotel or a customer, you are not supposed to use the facilities. The Cable Beach resorts begin 4.8km (3 miles) west of downtown Nassau. Even though resorts line much of this long swath of beach, there are various sections where public access is available without crossing through private hotel grounds.

Caves Beach: On the north shore, past the Cable Beach Properties, Caves Beach lies some 11km (6 3/4 miles) west of Nassau. It stands near Rock Point, right before the turnoff along Blake Road that leads to the airport. Since visitors often don't know of this beach, it's another good spot to escape the hordes. It's also a good beach with soft sands. There are no toilets or changing facilities.

Delaporte Beach: Just west of the busiest section of Cable Beach, Delaporte Beach is a public access beach where you can escape the crowds. It opens onto clear waters and boasts white sands, although it has no facilities. Nonetheless, it's an option.

Goodman's Bay: This public beach lies east of Cable Beach on the way toward the center of Nassau. Goodman's Bay and Saunders Beach often host local fundraising cookouts, where vendors sell fish, chicken, conch, peas 'n' rice, or macaroni and cheese. People swim and socialize to blaring reggae and calypso music. To find out when one of these beach parties is happening, ask the staff at your hotel or pick up a local newspaper. There is a playground here, plus toilet facilities.

Paradise Beach: On Paradise Island, this is one of the best beaches in the entire area. The white sandy beach is dotted with chikees (thatched huts), which are perfect when you've had too much of the sun. Mainly used by guests of the Atlantis Resort, it lies at the far western tip of the island. If you're not a resident, access is difficult. If you're staying at a hotel in Nassau and want to come to Paradise Island for a day at the beach, it's better to go to Cabbage Beach .

Saunders Beach: East of Cable Beach, this is where many islanders go on the weekends. To reach it, take West Bay Street from Nassau in the direction of Coral Island. The beach lies across from Fort Charlotte, just west of Arawak Cay. Like Goodman's Bay , it often hosts local fundraising cookouts open to the public. These can be a lot of fun. There are no public facilities.

Western Esplanade (also called Junkanoo Beach): If you're staying at a hotel in downtown Nassau, such as the British Colonial Hilton, this is a good beach to patronize close to town. The narrow strip of sand is convenient to Nassau and has toilets, changing facilities, and a snack bar.

Back to Top

Maps

• The Best Beaches of the Bahamas

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

		Email			Print			RSS

				Frommer's Bahamas 2008 Author: Darwin Porter Pub Date: September 04, 2007 Price: $17.99				Related Titles: Bahamas For Dummies, 4th Edition Caribbean For Dummies, 4th Edition Frommer's Bahamas 2009