Fast Facts

American Express -- Representing American Express in The Bahamas is Destinations, 303 Shirley St. (between Charlotte and Parliament sts.), Nassau (tel. 242/322-2931; www.destinations.com.bs). Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. The travel department is also open Saturday from 9am to 1pm. If you present a personal check and an Amex card, you can buy traveler's checks here.

Area Code -- The area code for The Bahamas is 242.

Business Hours -- In Nassau, Cable Beach, and Freeport/Lucaya, commercial banking hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:30am to 3pm, Friday from 9:30am to 5pm. Hours are likely to vary widely in the Out Islands. Ask at your hotel for specific information. Most government offices are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and most shops are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

Drinking Laws -- Alcohol is sold in liquor stores and various convenience stores; it's readily available at all hours, though not for sale on Sundays. The legal drinking age in The Bahamas is 18.

Drug Laws -- Importing, possessing, or dealing unlawful drugs, including marijuana, is a serious offense in The Bahamas, with heavy penalties. Customs officers may at their discretion conduct body searches for drugs or other contraband goods.

Electricity -- Like Canada and the U.S., The Bahamas normally uses 110 to 120 volts AC (60 cycles), compared to 220 to 240 volts AC (50 cycles) in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. American appliances are fully compatible; British or European appliances will need both adapters and downward converters that change 220-240 volts to 110-120 volts.

Embassies & Consulates -- The embassy of the United States is at 42 Queen St., P.O. Box N-8197, Nassau (tel. 242/322-1181; http://nassau.usembassy.gov).

The consulate of Canada is at Shirley Street Plaza, P.O. Box SS-6371, Nassau (tel. 242/393-2123; cdncon@batelnet.bs).

There is a British High Commission in Jamaica, at 28 Trafalgar Rd., Kingston (tel. 876/510-0700; http://ukinjamaica.fco.gov.uk).

Emergencies -- Throughout most of The Bahamas, the number to call for a medical, dental, or hospital emergency is tel. 911. To call the police anywhere in The Bahamas, dial tel. 919. To report a fire, call tel. 411.

Gasoline (Petrol) -- Gasoline is plentiful on New Providence Island (Nassau/Cable Beach) and Grand Bahama Island (Freeport/Lucaya), but be prepared to pay almost twice the price you would in the United States. In the Out Islands, service stations are not plentiful, so plan your itinerary accordingly. Some islands are small and compact, but others, such as Eleuthera and Andros, are very spread out with gas stations few and far between. In addition, watch out for those Sunday closings.

Holidays -- Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores and restaurants are closed on the following public holidays in The Bahamas: January 1 (New Year's Day), Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Whitmonday (7 weeks after Easter), the first Friday in June (Labour Day), July 10 (Independence Day), the first Monday in August (Emancipation Day), October 12 (Discovery Day), December 25 (Christmas), and December 26 (Boxing Day). When a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, stores and offices are usually closed on the following Monday, too.

Hospitals -- On New Providence Island (Nassau/Cable Beach), patients are treated at the government-operated Princess Margaret Hospital, on Shirley Street, Nassau (tel. 242/322-2861; www.phabahamas.org).

On Grand Bahama Island, patients are seen at the government-operated Rand Memorial Hospital, on East Atlantic Drive, Freeport (tel. 242/352-6735; www.phabahamas.org), and at several government-operated clinics.

A dozen or so health centers are located in the Out Islands. Many resorts also have either in-house physicians or on-site medical clinics. If intensive or urgent care is required, medical emergencies on the Out Islands are brought to Nassau by the Emergency Flight Service.

Internet Access -- Internet cafes are not common on the islands, but in Nassau you can try Cybercafe, in the Mall at Marathon (tel. 242/394-6254), where the cost is 15¢ per minute or US$7 per hour. In the Out Islands, your hotel may have a computer with Internet access for guest use.

If you're traveling with your own computer, Web access via Wi-Fi hot spots is increasingly common at hotels, even in the Out Islands.

Language -- In The Bahamas, locals speak English, but sometimes with a marked accent that provides the clue to their ancestry -- African, Irish, or Scottish, for example.

Lost & Found -- Be sure to notify all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen. Also file a report at the nearest police precinct: Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report or record of the loss. Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two. American Express cardholders and traveler's check holders should call tel. 800/221-7282. MasterCard holders should call tel. 800/307-7309. The emergency number for Visa is tel. 800/847-2911. For other credit cards, call the toll-free number directory at tel. 800/555-1212.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend, when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Mail -- You'll need Bahamian (not U.S.) postage stamps to send postcards and letters from The Bahamas. Most of the kiosks selling postcards also sell the stamps you'll need to mail them, so you probably won't need to visit the post office.

Sending a postcard or an airmail letter (up to 1/2 oz. in weight) from The Bahamas to anywhere outside its borders (including the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.) costs 65?, with another charge for each additional half-ounce of weight.

Mail to and from the Out Islands is sometimes slow. Airmail may go by air to Nassau and by boat to its final destination. If a resort has a U.S. or Nassau address, it is preferable to use it.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Three newspapers are circulated in Nassau and Freeport: the Nassau Guardian, the Tribune, and the Freeport News. Circulation in the Out Islands is limited and likely to be slow. In Nassau, you can find such papers as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Miami Herald, London's Times, and the Daily Telegraph at newsstands in your hotel and elsewhere around town.

Pharmacies -- Nassau (New Providence Island) and Freeport/Lucaya (Grand Bahama Island) are amply supplied with pharmacies. However, if you're traveling in the Out Islands, it is advisable to carry your prescribed medication with you, since pharmacies are harder to find.

Police -- Dial tel. 919.

Smoking -- The government is on a drive to crack down on smoking in public places. Health officials are now in the process of drafting legislation that will ensure that non-smokers are not subjected to second-hand smoke.

Taxes -- A 6% to 12% tax is imposed on hotel bills; otherwise, there is no sales tax on any purchase made within The Bahamas. Visitors leaving The Bahamas pay a US$20 departure tax, a tariff that's automatically included in the price of any airline or cruise-ship ticket.

Telephones -- Though some of the Out Islands are still difficult to reach by telephone, direct long-distance dialing is available between North America and Nassau (New Providence Island), Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos, Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, the Exumas, and Stella Maris on Long Island.

To call The Bahamas:

1. Dial the international access code: 011 from the U.S.; 00 from the U.K., Ireland, or New Zealand; or 0011 from Australia.

2. Dial the country code: 242.

3. Dial the seven-digit local number.

To make international calls from The Bahamas: First dial 00 and then the country code (U.S. or Canada 1, U.K. 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New Zealand 64). Next, dial the area code and local number. For example, if you wanted to call the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., you would dial 00-1-202-588-7800.

For local calls within The Bahamas: Simply dial the seven-digit number. To call from one island to another within The Bahamas, dial 1-242 and then the seven-digit number.

For directory assistance: Dial tel. 916 if you're looking for a number inside The Bahamas, 0 for numbers to all other countries.

For operator assistance: To reach an international or domestic operator within The Bahamas, dial tel. 0.

Toll-free numbers: Numbers beginning with 881 within The Bahamas are toll-free. However, calling a normally toll-free number within the U.S. (that is, one beginning with 800, 866, 887, or 888) usually involves a charge if made from The Bahamas. In fact, it usually costs the same as an overseas call unless the merchant has made arrangements with local telephone authorities. Note: Major airlines generally maintain toll-free 800, 866, 887, or 888 provisions for calls made to them within The Bahamas. If you dial what you think is a toll-free phone number and it ends up costing the long-distance rate, an automated recording will inform you of this fact. In some cases, the recording will suggest a local toll-free alternative -- usually one beginning with 881.

To reach the major international services of AT&T, dial tel. 800/CALL-ATT (225-5288), or head for any phone with AT&T or USA Direct marked on the side of the booth. Picking up the handset will connect you with an AT&T operator. These phones are often positioned beside cruise-ship docks for disembarking passengers. MCI can be reached at tel. 800/888-8000.

Note that the old coin-operated phones are still prevalent in The Bahamas and do still swallow coins. Those old phones, however, are gradually being replaced by phones that use calling cards (debit cards) that come in denominations of US$5, US$10, US$20, and US$50. They can be bought from any office of BATELCO (Bahamas Telephone Co.). BATELCO's main branch is on Kennedy Drive, Nassau (tel. 242/302-7102; www1.btcbahamas.com), although a popular local branch lies in the heart of Nassau, on East Street off Bay Street.

Time -- Eastern Standard Time (EST) is used throughout The Bahamas, and daylight saving time is observed in the summer.

Tipping -- Many establishments in The Bahamas add a service charge, but it's customary to leave something extra if service has been especially fine. If you're not sure whether service has been included in your bill, don't be shy -- ask.

Bellhops and porters, at least in the expensive hotels, expect a tip of US$1 to US$2 per bag. It's also customary to tip the chamber staff at least US$2 per day -- more if she or he has performed special services such as getting a shirt or blouse laundered. Most service personnel, including taxi drivers, waiters, and the like, expect 15%, or 20% for waiters in deluxe restaurants.

Toilets -- Public toilets are few and far between, except in hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, museums, department stores, bus stations, and service stations. Large hotels and fast-food restaurants are often the best bet for clean facilities. Restaurants in resorts or heavily visited areas may reserve their toilets for patrons.

Useful Phone Numbers -- Sources of information include:

U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory: tel. 202/647-5225 (24 hr.)

U.S. Passport Agency: tel. 202/647-0518

U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hotline: tel. 800/232-4636

Water -- Technically, tap water is drinkable throughout The Bahamas. Still, we almost always opt for bottled. Resorts tend to filter and chlorinate tap water more aggressively than other establishments; elsewhere, bottled water is available at stores and supermarkets, and tastes better than that from a tap. On many of the Out Islands, rainfall is the main source of water -- so be sure to drink bottled water there.