Planning a Trip

Getting There

Note: A passport or an original birth certificate or a voter's registration card with a government-issued picture ID is required for entry to Bimini (bring your passport to be on the safe side), and an outbound (return) ticket must also be presented to Bahamian Customs before you will be permitted entry. If you're flying from the U.S., you must have a valid passport.

By Plane -- The island's only airstrip is at the southern tip of South Bimini, a time-consuming transfer and ferryboat ride away from Alice Town on North Bimini, where most of the archipelago's hotels and yacht facilities are.

Yellow Air Taxi (tel. 888/935-5694; www.flyyellowairtaxi.com) flies in from Fort Lauderdale four times a week (Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday). Island Air (tel. 800/444-9904 or 954/359-9942; www.islandaircharters.com) also flies four times a week from Fort Lauderdale to South Bimini. Finally, Western Air (tel. 242/347-4100; www.westernairbahamas.com) wings in from Nassau's domestic air terminal to South Bimini.

By Boat -- In the old days, the way to get from Nassau to Bimini was by slow-moving boat. You can still do it, but it'll take you 12 hours on the MV Sherice M, which leaves from Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau and stops at Cat Cay and Bimini. The vessel leaves Nassau on Thursdays at 2pm. For details about departures, call the dock master at Nassau's Potter's Cay Dock at tel. 242/393-1064.

Getting Around

If you arrive at the small airport on South Bimini, you'll need to pay for a US$5 taxi and ferry ride to Alice Town, on North Bimini.

You won't need a car on Bimini -- and you won't find a car-rental agency here. Most people walk to where they want to go (though your hotel may be able to arrange a minibus tour or rent you a bike or golf cart). The walk runs up and down King's Highway, which has no sidewalks. It's so narrow that two automobiles have a tough time squeezing by. Be careful walking along this highway, especially at night, when drivers might not see you.

This road, lined with low-rise buildings, splits Alice Town on North Bimini. If you're the beachcombing type, stick to the side bordering the Gulf Stream so that you can find the best beaches. The harborside contains a handful of inns (most of which are reviewed in this chapter), along with marinas and docks where supplies are unloaded. You'll see many Floridians arriving on yachts.

Visitor Information

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism maintains a branch office at Bimini's Government Building, Queen's Highway, Alice Town (tel. 242/347-3529). It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.