Places / North & Central America / Bahamas
Nassau
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At a glance
- Country
- Bahamas
- Region
- New Providence
- Population
- 275,000
- Best time to go
- December to April
- Main airport
- Nassau Lynden Pindling International (NAS)
- Coordinates
- 25.04°N, 77.35°W
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Overview
Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence, where pastel colonial buildings line the harbour and cruise ships tower over Bay Street. It was once a haven for pirates, and the town still has a lively, slightly raffish edge.
Downtown is best explored on foot in the morning, before the heat. Afterwards, head to the beaches, the fish fry or a boat out to the cays.
Things to see
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Photo: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 Queen's Staircase
Sixty-six limestone steps cut by hand into a narrow gorge in the 18th century, shaded by trees and waterfalls.
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Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 Fort Fincastle
A small fort shaped like a paddle steamer at the top of the staircase, with views over the harbour.
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Photo: Larry Syverson from Richmond, VA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 Parliament Square
Pink colonial government buildings and a statue of Queen Victoria at the heart of downtown.
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Photo: Bluerasberry, CC BY 4.0 National Art Gallery of the Bahamas
Bahamian art in a restored 19th-century villa on the hill above Bay Street.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: LittleT889, CC BY 4.0 Fish fry at Arawak Cay
A row of colourful shacks serving conch salad, fried fish and cold drinks, busiest in the evening.
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Photo: Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0 Cable Beach
A long curve of white sand west of downtown, lined with resorts and calm turquoise water.
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Photo: Philip Gabrielsen, CC BY-SA 4.0 Paradise Island
Cross the bridge for the beaches and resort life of this small island facing the harbour.
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Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Fretwurst assumed (base, CC BY 2.5 Day trip to the Exumas
Speedboat trips to the cays to snorkel, swim and meet the famous swimming pigs.
Find tours
Where to stay
Downtown
Historic hotels and guesthouses near the harbour, best for sightseeing.
Hotels in DowntownCable Beach
Big resorts on the beach, a short drive or jitney ride from downtown.
Hotels in Cable BeachParadise Island
Upmarket resorts and beaches, more self-contained and expensive.
Hotels in Paradise Island
Getting around
Jitney minibuses run along the main routes, and taxis are plentiful. Traffic drives on the left.
The airport is around 25 minutes by taxi from downtown and 15 minutes from Cable Beach.
When to go
December to April is warm, sunny and dry, and Junkanoo parades fill the streets on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
Plan your trip to Nassau
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.