Paradise Island and Nassau Embody the Best of the Bahamas
After flying into Nassau in the Bahamas on a sunny day, you drive across the causeway and pull up to the hotel portico in a pale blue Aston Martin and hand the keys to the parking valet. A bellman opens the door with a smile, and you walk confidently through the lobby to the bar and lounge which is full of well-dressed men and elegant women. Approaching the bar, you ask for a Vesper Martini and gaze across the room to the bright blue ocean and white sands of the beach at Paradise Island. For just a moment you continue to dream about what James Bond would do next. That is because you are at one of the luxury hotels on Paradise Island - the Ocean Club Four Seasons Resort which served as a backdrop for Daniel Craig's adventures in the 2006 James Bond movie Casino Royale.
Location and History
Paradise Island and Nassau are both part of New Providence Island, one of 16 major islands which make up the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. This island nation is an archipelago consisting of hundreds of coral reefs and small islands which stretch for over 600 miles from the east coast of Florida into the Caribbean in a southeastern direction. Although over 7 million people visited the Bahamas in 2019, the nation itself has a population of less than 400,000 people with the Nassau and Freeport areas accounting for over 80 percent of the nation’s population.
The Bahamas were visited and settled by the Arawak Indians for centuries before Europenas appeared. Everything changed however after Christopher Columbus set foot on San Salvador Island in 1492. His brief stop and the strategic location of the Bahamas led to an influx of Spanish traders, British settlers, pirates and even pilgrims in the following centuries. Eventually, the British fully supplanted Spanish influence in the region and formally exercised dominion over the Bahamas as a colony during the 1700s. In 1973, the Bahamas became an independent nation while remaining a proud part of the British Commonwealth.
Beautiful Beaches
Anyone who has traveled the world can see that the beaches of Paradise Island rank up there with other premium locations around the globe including the many fine beaches located on other Caribbean islands. Paradise Island is located on the north side of New Providence Island. While only 826 acres [n size, the hilly island has a 5-mile stretch of sand shaded by coconut trees that offer everything a traveler needs for a romantic getaway or a family vacation. The beaches at Paradise Island are clean, the waters are generally calm, and you can tan, swim, snorkel or just walk along the sand.
The western portion of the island is taken up by the Atlantis Resort including its water parks and pools. However, there are many options for public access to the beach as well. The easiest public beach to reach is Cabbage Beach which is accessible by a path located between the right side of the Atlantis hotel and the RIU hotel. It offers a 2-mile stretch of beautiful sand. At the east end of the island around the golf course is Arawak Beach which is also open to the public. Finally, a public beach close to town known as The Cove Beach can be reached by walking completely around the Atlantis grounds to the west. Services are limited at the public beaches and most of the beachfront is located directly behind the hotels, so staying at a hotel on the island will both enhance and simplify the experience of visitors. However, if you are visiting the island on a cruise or staying in town, you can still take advantage of the three public beaches by taking a water taxi directly to Cabbage Beach or taking a short cab ride from Nassau.
Other Activities
There are numerous other activities to pursue when visiting Paradise Island or Nassau. Some of the most popular and unusual ones include the following.
Water Activities - In addition to just languishing in the beautiful turquoise waters, there are huge water parks available for guests and visitors at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island and at the new Baha Mar Resort on Cable Beach in Nassau. Whether your pleasure is waterslides, floating on a lazy river or even snorkeling the ruins of Atlantis, adults and children can find hours of fun. Above the water, surface vessels offer everything from fishing charters to pirate cruises, catamaran sailing or sunset dinners. To commune with nature, you can take a tour to swim with stingrays or tropical fish, or even feed the unique Exuma swimming pigs.
Entertainment and Nightlife - Years ago, a typical night out in Nassau was a guided tour to a club where a steel drum band would play familiar tropical numbers, tourists would get up and dance, and drinks with umbrellas were standard fare. Today, the resorts offer everything from fine dining to casinos, and the entertainers on site may present a Las Vegas flair along with some local favorites. Nevertheless, visitors won’t have to look far to find other things to do. There are jazz clubs, culinary classes, wine tastings, ghost adventures and pirate treasure hunts available too.
Shopping - Frequent cruisers know the usual island routine of walking through town searching for bargains on jewelry, designer fashions and electronics. That option is available in Nassau along with a traditional straw market which is popular for its craft jewelry and handmade hats and purses. There is also a colorful village of 21 retail specialty shops and 5 restaurants at Atlantis called the Marina Village where you can look at the visiting yachts and do some shopping and eating too.
Where to Stay - Before the Atlantis Resort was built and the Ocean Club was renovated and upgraded by famous South African hotelier Sol Kerzner, another large resort known as the Merv Griffin Paradise Island Resort and Casino occupied the western tip of Paradise Island for several decades. Today, if you want a huge resort with all of the amenities for a romantic stay or a family vacation, the Atlantis Resort has many different styles of accommodations plus enough restaurants and entertainment options to keep guests occupied for an extended visit. Their prices are comparable to similar resorts in the United States. For a luxury experience at a premium price, some people prefer the Ocean Club Four Seasons Resort.. There are also other recognized hoteliers with fine properties on the island including the Comfort Suites, the Warwick, and the adults only RIU. Several miles away in Nassau, the Baha Mar offers an expansive resort experience at a beautiful location closer to the airport and the town.
How to Get There - Almost all the major American carriers fly to Nassau from several locations in the mainland as does Bahamasair. Most cruises heading out to the eastern or southern Caribbean will include a stop in Nassau and provide excursions featuring many of the activities discussed here.