How to Plan a Spring Break Trip to the Bahamas

The Bahamas are a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean between Florida and Cuba. The crystal-clear waters and tropical weather have made it a popular tourist destination, especially for college students looking to unwind over spring break. To plan a spring break trip to the Bahamas, there are a few things you'll need to know.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Plan Your Travel and Accommodations

1. Fly into the Bahamas via the Lynden Pindling International Airport. Located in the capital city of Nassau, it's the busiest airport in the island chain. As an alternative, you can plan to fly into the Grand Bahama International Airport and continue on to your destination.

2. Reach the Bahamas by boat. Cruise ships can be the only way to reach some of the privately owned islands in the Bahamas.

3. Travel by jitney for an authentic Bahamas experience. Instead of public buses, the major tourist cities of Nassau and New Providence rely on a network of minivans called jitneys. Jitneys are run by several independent companies.

4. Reserve your hotel early, since rooms will book quickly during spring break. Most of the popular hotels and resorts are located on the islands of Nassau or Grand Bahama, but you can search for a hotel on any of the 17 islands by visiting the Bahamas Hotel Association (see Resources below).

Hit the Clubs and Bars

5. Bring extra cash for cover charges, especially on the weekends. Plan on asking your hotel staff or taxi drivers if they have any discount passes available for the clubs you want to visit.

6. Invest in an entertainment pass. For one flat fee, you can buy entries to several different clubs. You'll receive a schedule of different clubs you can visit, along with pre-arranged times.

7. Sample the rum. Rum is one of the favorite drinks in the Bahamas. Bartenders are known to pour the rum drinks strong, so this can be a good way to drink economically.

Tips & Warnings

• Trips shorter than 3 months don't require any serious immigration or customs forms, though you should plan to show a passport on your return trip.
• Bike rentals aren't recommended in the more populated areas of the Bahamas. Traffic can be dense and dangerous. It's a better idea to pay for cab or jitney rides during your spring break trip.
• Roads in the Bahamas can be tricky for U.S. visitors to navigate because all traffic runs on the left side of the street. The streets are even marked with road signs like you'd see in England.

Resources

• Hotels at the Bahamas Hotel Association