Planning a trip to New Providence

Getting There

By Plane

Flights land at Lynden Pindling International Airport (tel. 242/377-0209; www.nas.bs), formerly known as Nassau International Airport, 13km (8 miles) west of Nassau, in the pine forests beside Lake Killarney.

No bus service goes from the airport to Nassau, Cable Beach, or Paradise Island. Your hotel may provide airport transfers if you've made arrangements in advance; these are often included in package deals. You'll find any number of car-rental offices here, though we don't really think you need one.

If you don't have a lift arranged, take a taxi to your hotel. From the airport to the center of Nassau, expect to pay around $27; to Cable Beach, $18; and to Paradise Island, $34, a rate that includes the bridge toll for passage between New Providence and Paradise islands. Drivers expect to be tipped 15%, and some will remind you should you "forget." You don't need to exchange currency before departing the airport: U.S. dollars are fine for these (and any other) transactions.

By Cruise Ship

Nassau has spent millions of dollars expanding its port so that a number of cruise ships can dock at once. Sounds great in theory, but practically speaking, facilities in Nassau, Cable Beach, and Paradise Island become extremely overcrowded as soon as the big boats arrive. You'll have to stake out your space on the beach, and you'll find downtown streets, shops, and attractions overrun with visitors every day you're in port.

Cruise ships dock near Rawson Square, the heart of the city and the shopping area -- and the best place to begin a tour of Nassau. Unless you want to go to one of the beach strips along Cable Beach or Paradise Island, you won't need a taxi. You can go on a shopping expedition near where you dock: The Straw Market is at nearby Market Plaza; Bay Street, the main shopping artery, is also close; and the Nassau International Bazaar is at the intersection of Woodes Rogers Walk and Charlotte Street.

The government has added Festival Place (tel. 242/323-3182) to the Prince George Wharf (where cruise ships arrive). Designed as a welcome point and service center for cruise-ship visitors, it's a multicolored structure with about 45 shops selling sundries, gift items, duty-free luxury goods, and Bahamian-themed arts, crafts, and souvenirs. There's also a tourist information booth (tel. 242/323-3182 or 323-3183) and various snack bars and cafes. You can lounge and have a daiquiri while you listen to the live calypso entertainment, or get your hair braided. This mall-like facility is open daily from 8am to 8pm, but if cruise ships are in port, closing may be extended to as late as 10pm. From a point nearby, you can catch a ride by horse and surrey, or take a water taxi across the channel to Paradise Island.

Getting Around

By Taxi

You can easily rely on taxis and skip renting a car. The rates for New Providence, including Nassau, are set by the government. Although working meters are required in all taxis, some of them don't work. Consequently, the government has established a well-defined roster of rates for passage between the airport and various points around the island. When you get in, the fixed rate is $3, plus 40¢ for each additional quarter-mile. Each passenger 2 years and older pays an extra $3. For sightseeing purposes, taxis can also be hired at the hourly rate of $50 for a five-passenger cab. Luggage is carried at a surcharge of $1 extra per piece, although the first two pieces are free. To call a cab, dial tel. 242/323-5111. It's easy to get a taxi at the airport or at any of the big hotels.

If you'd like a personalized tour of the island, your best bet is to use Romeo's Executive Limousine & Taxi Service (tel. 242/363-4728; www.romeoslimos.com). Romeo Farrington is quite informative about the island, its legends and lore. He personalizes all tours. A typical island tour, lasting from 2 1/2 to 3 hours, costs $80 per hour for two passengers.

By Car

You really don't need to rent a car. It's a lot easier to rely on taxis when you're ready to leave the beach and do some exploring.

However, if you choose to drive (perhaps for a day of touring the whole island), some of the biggest U.S. car-rental companies maintain branches at the airport, in downtown Nassau, at Cable Beach, and on Paradise Island. Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 or 242/377-7121; www.avis.com), maintains a downtown office at Bay Street and Cumberland Street across from the British Colonial Hilton (tel. 242/326-6380). Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 or 242/377-9000; www.budget.com) has a desk at the airport and a branch downtown on Shirley Street (tel. 242/323-7191). Dollar/Thrifty (tel. 800/800-3665 or 242/377-8300; www.dollar.com) also has a desk at the airport and another one at the British Colonial Hilton (tel. 242/325-3716). Finally, Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 242/377-6321; www.hertz.com) is only at the airport.

Remember: Drive on the left!

By Bus

The least expensive means of transport is via any of the buses (some locals refer to them as "jitneys") that make runs from downtown Nassau to outposts all over New Providence. The fare is $1, and the exact amount, in coins or with a dollar bill, is required. The jitneys operate daily from 6:30am to 7pm.

Buses to the Cable Beach area and points west of that include the much-used no. 10, the no. 10A, and "the Western bus." They depart from the corner of Bay Street and George Street, with stops at various clearly designated spots along Bay Street. Buses headed to the eastern (mostly residential and rarely accessed by short-term visitors) part of New Providence Island depart from the Frederick Street North depot.

By Boat

Water taxis operate daily from 9am to 6pm at 20-minute intervals between Paradise Island and Prince George Wharf.

Ferryboats link the wharves at the end of Casuarina Drive on Paradise Island to Rawson Square, which lies across the channel on New Providence Island. The ferry operates daily from 9am to 6pm, with departures every half-hour from both sides of the harbor.

Both the ferryboats and the water taxis charge the same fixed rate: $6 per person, each way, for passage across the channel.

By Moped

Lots of visitors like to rent mopeds to explore the island. Unless you're an experienced rider, stay on quiet roads until you feel at ease; don't start out in all the congestion on Bay Street. Some hotels maintain rental kiosks on their premises. If yours doesn't, try Bowcar Scooter Rental (tel. 242/328-7300) at Festival Place near the cruise-ship dock. It charges $60 per day, which includes insurance and mandatory helmets for both drivers and passengers. Mopeds are rented daily between 8am and 5pm.

On Your Own Sturdy Feet

This is the only way to see Old Nassau, unless you rent a horse and carriage. All the major attractions and principal stores are within walking distance. You can even walk to Cable Beach or Paradise Island, although it's a hike in the hot sun.

Confine your walking to the daytime, and beware of the occasional pickpocket or purse snatcher. In the evening, avoid walking the streets of downtown Nassau, where, from time to time, muggings have been reported.

The Lay of the Land

Most of Nassau's hotels are city hotels and are not on the water. To stay right on the sands, choose a hotel in Cable Beach or on Paradise Island.

Rawson Square is the heart of Nassau, positioned just a short walk from Prince George Wharf, where the big cruise ships, many of them originating in Florida, berth. Here you'll see the Churchill Building, which contains the offices of the Bahamian prime minister, along with other government ministries.

Busy Bay Street, the main shopping artery, begins on the south side of Rawson Square. This was the turf of the infamous Bay Street Boys, a group of rich, white Bahamians who once controlled political and economic activity on New Providence.

On the opposite side of Rawson Square is Parliament Square, with its government houses, House of Assembly, and statue of a youthful Queen Victoria. These are Georgian and Neo-Georgian buildings, some from the late 1700s.

The courthouse is separated by a little square from the Nassau Public Library and Museum, which opens onto Bank Lane. It was the former Nassau Gaol (jail). South of the library, across Shirley Street, are the remains of the Royal Victoria Hotel, which opened the same year the American Civil War began (1861) and hosted many a blockade runner and Confederate spy.

A walk down Parliament Street leads to the post office. Philatelists may want to stop in -- some Bahamian stamps are true collectors' items.

Moving southward, farther away from the water, Elizabeth Avenue takes you to the Queen's Staircase. One of the major landmarks of Nassau, it climbs to Bennet's Hill and Fort Fincastle.

If you return to Bay Street, you'll discover the oversized tent that contains the Straw Market, a handicrafts emporium where you can buy all sorts of souvenirs.

Fast Facts

ATMs -- Major banks with ATMs in Nassau include the Royal Bank of Canada (tel. 242/322-8700; www.rbcroyalbank.com), Scotia Bank (tel. 242/356-1517; http://scotiabank.com), and First Caribbean Bank (tel. 242/356-8000; www.firstcaribbeanbank.com). Some accept cards only in the Cirrus network (tel. 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com), while others take only PLUS (www.visa.com). ATMs at the Paradise Island and Cable Beach casinos dispense quick cash. Be aware that, whereas ATMs within large hotels and casinos tend to dispense U.S. dollars, ATMs within banks and at the airport dispense Bahamian dollars. Since both U.S. and Bahamian currencies are readily accepted anywhere, it's not a crucial issue, but it's a good idea to read the information on the individual ATM before proceeding with your transaction.

Babysitting -- Hotel staff can help you hire an experienced sitter. Expect to pay between $12 and $15 per hour, plus $4 per hour for each additional child.

Dentists -- The Princess Margaret Hospital, on Sands Road (tel. 242/322-2861; www.phabahamas.org), has a dentistry department.

Doctors -- For the best service, go to the Princess Margaret Hospital, on Sands Road (tel. 242/322-2861; www.phabahamas.org).

Drugstores -- In the center of Nassau, Lowes Pharmacy at Palm Dale (tel. 242/322-8594), is your best bet, and it's open Monday to Saturday 8am to 6:30pm. The location is at the Palmdale Shopping Centre between Madeira Street and Alexander Street. Another Lowes Pharmacy is at the Harbour Bay Shopping Centre (tel. 242/393-4813), open Monday to Saturday 8am to 8:30pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm. The location is on East Bay Street (east of the center of Nassau by Fort Montagu and the Nassau Yacht Club).

Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 or 919.

Eyeglass Repair -- The Optique Shoppe, 22 Parliament St., at Shirley Street (tel. 242/322-3910), is convenient to the center of Nassau. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to noon.

Hospitals -- The government-operated Princess Margaret Hospital, on Sands Road (tel. 242/322-2861; www.phabahamas.org), is one of the country's major hospitals. The privately owned Doctors Hospital, 1 Collins Ave. (tel. 242/322-8411), is the region's most modern private healthcare facility.

Hot Lines -- For assistance of any kind, call tel. 242/326-HELP (4357).

Internet Access -- Check out Cyberjack at the Mall on Marathon Road (tel. 242/394-6254), which charges 15¢ per minute to get online using one of its computers or your own laptop. The mall, lying at the intersection with Robinson Road, is 3 miles south of the center of Nassau. Take Mackey Street to Wuff Road, which leads to Marathon Road. If you're on Cable Beach, take the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway and the East West Highway north to the intersection of Marathon Road and Robinson Road. Most of the larger hotels offer guests Internet access for a fee, which can in some cases be as high as 50¢ per minute.

Laundry & Dry Cleaning -- Superwash, at Nassau Street and Boyd Road (tel. 242/323-4018), offers coin-operated machines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Drop-off service is available for a small additional fee. In the same building is the New Oriental Dry Cleaner (tel. 242/323-7249).

Newspapers & Magazines -- The Tribune and the Nassau Guardian, both published in the morning, are the country's two competing daily newspapers. Hotels and tourist information desks distribute various helpful magazines, brochures, and booklets.

Police -- Dial tel. 911 or 919.

Post Office -- The Nassau General Post Office, at the top of Parliament Street on East Hill Street (tel. 242/322-3344), is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Note that you can also buy stamps from most postcard kiosks. A postcard sent airmail to the U.S. or Canada costs 50¢; a letter to the same destinations costs 65¢ per half-ounce.

Safety -- Avoid walking along lonely side streets in downtown Nassau at night, when robberies and muggings sometimes occur. Because the local government is particularly punitive against crimes against tourists, most visitors from outside The Bahamas are never affected -- but it's always better to be safe than sorry. Cable Beach and Paradise Island tend to be safer than downtown Nassau after dark.

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