Banks -- The Royal Bank of Canada -- has a branch office in Alice Town (tel. 242/347-3031) with an ATM, open Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 3pm, Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm.
Clothing -- If you're going to Bimini in the winter months, take along a windbreaker for those occasional chilly nights.
Customs & Immigration -- The Chalk's flight from Miami stops right near the Alice Town office of Customs and Immigration (tel. 242/347-3100 for Customs; 242/347-3446 for Immigration) for The Bahamas. There's only one Immigration officer, plus another Customs official.
In Miami you will have been handed a Bahamian Immigration Card to fill out, and you must carry a passport.
Drugs -- The rumrunners of the Prohibition era have now given way to those smuggling illegal drugs into the United States from The Bahamas. Because of its proximity to the U.S. mainland, Bimini, as is no secret to anyone, is now a major drop-off point for drugs, many on the way from Colombia. If not intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard, these drugs find their way to Florida and eventually to the rest of the United States.
Buying and/or selling illegal drugs, such as cocaine and marijuana, is an extremely risky business in The Bahamas. You may be approached by dealers on Bimini, some of whom are actually undercover agents. If caught with illegal drugs, you face immediate imprisonment.
Emergencies -- To call the police or report a fire, dial tel. 919.
Medical Care -- Nurses, a doctor, and a dentist are on the island, as is the North Bimini Medical Clinic (tel. 242/347-2210). However, for a serious medical emergency, patients are usually airlifted to either Miami or Nassau. Helicopters can land in the well-lit baseball field on North Bimini.
Visitor Information -- There's a branch of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in Bimini, located in the Government Building, Queens Highway, Alice Town (tel. 242/347-3529). It's open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
