Located just 180m (590 ft.) off the north shore of Nassau, Paradise Island is a favorite vacation spot for East Coast Americans who flee their icy winters for the stunning white sands of Paradise Beach. In addition to its gorgeous strands, the island boasts beautiful foliage, including brilliant red hibiscus and a grove of casuarina trees sweeping down to form a tropical arcade.
Now the priciest piece of real estate in The Bahamas, this island once served as a farm for Nassau and was known as Hog Island. Purchased for $294 by William Sayle in the 17th century, it cost A&P grocery-chain heir Huntington Hartford $11 million in 1960. He decided to rename the 6.5km-long (4-mile) sliver of land Paradise before selling out his interests. Long a retreat for millionaires, the island experienced a massive building boom in the 1980s. Its old Bahamian charm is now gone forever, lost to the high-rises, condos, second homes of the wintering wealthy, and gambling casino that have taken over. The centerpiece of Paradise Island is the mammoth Atlantis Paradise Island Resort & Casino, which has become a nightlife mecca and a sightseeing attraction in its own right.
For those who want top hotels, casino action, Vegas-type revues, fabulous beaches, and a posh address, Paradise Island is the place. It's now sleeker and more upscale than Cable Beach, its closest rival, and Freeport/Lucaya. True, Paradise Island is overbuilt and overly commercialized, but its natural beauty still makes it a choice vacation spot, perfect for a quick 3- or 4-day getaway.
Paradise Island is treated as a separate entity in this guide, but it is actually part of New Providence, connected by a bridge. You can travel between the two on foot, by boat, or by car. It's easy to stay in Nassau or Cable Beach and come over to enjoy the beaches, restaurants, attractions, and casino on Paradise Island. You can also stay on Paradise Island and head over into Nassau for a day of sightseeing and shopping. View Paradise Island as a companion to Nassau.
