Things to do in the Bahamas

Ironic name really, as it is tiny. Come see the legendary swimming pigs – they gleefully paddle out to greet boats. Then frolic about in the shallows and on the shore with your new curly-tailed chums, the only inhabitants of this gorgeous paradise island. Maybe they escaped off a shipwreck, or perhaps they were brought by pirates or explorers – no one really knows how the pigs arrived here, but they’re oddly charming and there’s nowhere else in the world quite like this.

A Boat ride from Elizabeth Harbour in Georgetown and best enjoyed on a Sunday for KB’s legendary hog roast at Chat & Chill – or any other days of the week for conch burgers and cocktails galore.

Don’t come to this private island only for the thirteen gorgeous, deserted beaches, but also Rachel’s Bubble Bath – a lovely lagoon where the water froths on the surface – and the friendly nurse sharks at the marina.

Positioned on the narrowest bit of the island, cliffs drop into the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. A manmade bridge puts you in a spectacular vantage point.

This staircase was named to honour Queen Victoria after her 65 years on the throne. Its 65 steps were carved from limestone by slaves and took sixteen years to create. They link a waterfall and market with Fort Fincastle and were used by soldiers for speedy access to the fort.

In downtown Nassau’s Buena Vista Estate, John Watling’s distillery is the creator of the Spirit of the Bahamas rum. Watling was a pirate in the seventeenth century, and the distillery named in his honour was opened in 2013. It uses sand from San Salvador Island (previously known as Watling Island) to filter the water. Don’t leave without a sip of Wilfred’s legendary John Watling’s Rum Dum cocktail.

Atlantis on Paradise Island has some stonkingly good attractions. First off, there’s the biggest open-air aquarium in the world, with over two hundred species of exotic marine life including sharks, dolphins, rays and barracuda. There are a few ways to experience the sea life, from a slide through a shark lagoon to snorkelling with rays and swimming with dolphins. Then you’ve got the Aquaventure water park, which has eleven different pools – three for kids and an adult-only one – a mile-long river ride and waterslides of all shapes and sizes. Book a day pass and whether it’s just for the beach (which you can watch dolphins from) or for an action-packed agenda, this is an incredible place to visit.

With over 40 shops, 11 restaurants and 10 bars, the Port Lucaya Marketplace is the largest shopping, dining and open-air centre in the Bahamas. Discover duty-free stores, straw markets, and wonder Bahamian craft shops. Don’t miss a stop at Grand Bahama’s only shopping paradise.

Forty acres of protected parkland, opened in the eighties and home to the Lucayan caverns – six miles of caves and tunnels that make up one of the world’s longest underwater cave systems. Gold Rock Beach is part of the National Park, a natural beauty of white sands and pale waters, that withdraw at low tide to reveal the ripped ‘welcome mat’. Elsewhere, you’ll find mangroves and tropical trees and plants – wonderful to kayak, walk or cycle around.

Experience one of the Caribbean's most popular Carnival celebrations, Junkanoo. The colourful costumes and street parades come out to celebrate the Bahamian culture and history on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. The biggest party takes place on Bay Street in Nassua but you will find festivties across the 16 islands.