Destination of the Month: Bask in the Beautiful Bahamas

With its sapphire blue waters, powder-white sandy beaches and picture-perfect coastlines, it is no secret that the islands of the Bahamas offer a true chartering paradise. The archipelago is made up of over 700 islands and cays strung together by shallow banks and ocean channels which stretch from their most northerly part south across 500 miles of ocean. For visiting charterers, the Bahamas provide unforgettable opportunities for diving, cruising, snorkeling, exploring and much more.

A fantastic place to begin and end your chartering adventure in the Bahamas is the highly-popular capital city of Nassau, where you can enjoy amazing snorkeling and diving around offshore coral reefs, enjoy wandering around the many historic, colonial buildings and try some amazing local cuisine.

One of the Bahamas’ most beautiful areas is the Exumas which consists of over 365 cays and islands. The largest island is Great Exuma, which is 37 miles in length and connected to another island, Little Exuma, by a small bridge. A must-visit, the Exuma Cays offer miles of hidden coves and spectacular, uninterrupted scenery, with frequent stops recommended to make the most of the views. 

Photo by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

In Allan’s Cay, you can see wild iguanas that swarm for food and make for great pictures, and swim and snorkel along the reef. The beach on the northside of Highborne Cay is perfect for all of your exciting water sports activities. This area also features a protected bay, perfect for jet skiing and towables pulled behind the tender. 

At Shroud Cay, located in the northernmost part of the Exuma region, you can also see the famous Mangrove Run during high tide. Shroud Cay is also home to Camp Driftwood, a unique area where cruisers from all over the world leave boat flotsam and memorabilia from their boats and cruises and offering a spectacular view from the top of the hill. 

Nearby, you can make an exciting stop at Norman’s Cay, the island infamous for its role as the headquarters of a major drug smuggling operation between 1978-1982. From here you can snorkel over a sunken DC 3 aircraft and view thousands of fish throughout the wreckage. A trip through the very shallow inside lagoon at Normans also offers a thrilling tour of the infamous Cocaine Cave and Conch Cave.

A trip around the Exumas would not be complete without a visit to the famous Sampson Cay and the Pipe Creek area. Arriving at the rear of the island you will see a stunning tropical lagoon, where your yacht will be floating in an aquarium surrounded by thousands of fish, rays, and nurse sharks. At night, turn on the underwater lights and illuminate the lagoon, creating an incredible underwater show. 

While you’re there, you can visit the nearby Thunderball Cave, made famous during the filming of the James Bond movie ‘Thunderball.’ Snorkel the caves at slack tides, and enjoy rum punch at the nearby Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Before you leave, make sure you visit the famous swimming pigs at Big Majors Spot. 

If you like to get up-close and personal with the natural world, Compass Cay is the perfect spot for you. Here you can feed the nurse sharks and then jump in the water and swim with them as well as hundreds of tropical fish. After cruising by tender across the Cay, you can set up camp on the beautiful crescent beach and make the most of your water toys!

Finally, you can stop by the Bahamas’ Warderick Wells, the center of the Exumas Land & Sea Park. Here, you can see a whole whale skeleton on the beach, hike up the bluff to Boo Boo Hill, and experience the famous Blow Holes. There are beautiful sandbars in this area, as well as one of the region’s most beautiful beaches. For more experienced snorkelers, Jeep Reef is a great spot to view a large tropical coral reef with thousands of fish and large coral formations and is an excellent spot for certified scuba divers.

With countless route options on offer to visiting yachts around the Bahamas, the chartering experts at Denison Yachting make use of their intimate and unrivalled knowledge of the region’s secret spots and highlights to craft a bespoke itinerary for yachts operating in the area. 

To make the most of your time in the Bahamas, a superyacht such as the 60-metre motoryacht Elysian, available for charter with Denison, is the perfect choice for your Bahamas chartering experience, with its spacious outdoor lounging areas perfect for admiring the region’s unforgettable views, and its generous selection of water toys ideal for all that on-the-water fun! 

If you are interested in yacht charters in the Exumas or on Elysian, contact Susan Harris directly at [email protected] or call on 561.870.4142.