
Reefs, Wrecks, Blue Holes, Sharks and More
The Bahamas offers a lifetime of diving possibilities for everyone from resort divers to explorers. Discover the cinematic reefs off New Providence featured in films from Thunderball to Into the Blue. Swim with wild dolphins off Bimini, drift a wall on the Tongue of the Ocean, relax in sunlit coral gardens at the Exuma Land and Sea Park or descend into a blue hole. For big thrills, sign up for encounters with a tiger, hammerhead, lemon, reef and oceanic white tip sharks. Topside water sports include kayak and sailing tours, flats casting and big game fishing. Dance barefoot in the sand at a local beach bar or try your luck at Nassau’s glittering casinos.
Learn about Grand Bahama Island Dive Week.
Highlights
- Best for: Everyone from novice and casual divers to advanced explorers
- Best season to visit: Year-round, with some areas exposed to cold fronts in winter months
- Weather: Sub-tropical climate similar to Florida, with warm water temperatures in summer, becoming cooler in winter when cold fronts pass
Things to Do
Bahamas Information
About Diving in the Bahamas
Many dive sites are sheltered from prevailing trade winds and oceanic swells, but can be susceptible to local winds. Dive operators will select daily destinations accordingly. Water conditions are often calmest in summer. A limited number of sites—predominantly patch reefs— that can be reached from shore, but most will require a boat ride of 10 to 30 minutes. Underwater visibility often exceeds 100 feet, thanks to the lack of coastal runoff. Currents, depending on the region chosen range from non-existent to strong. Dive profiles range from less than ten feet to walls that drop well past 150 feet, making the Bahamas a suitable destination for divers of every experience level. Water temperatures range from the mids 70s in winter into the low 80s in summer.
Diving in the Bahamas Tips
Because most diving is done by boat there is no need for booties with thick, hard soles. Either open or closed-heel fins are fine. Video and still cameras work well even without lights, as the clear waters provide ample ambient light to bring out the details. For shark encounters, it is sometimes advised—though not required-— to wear dark wetsuits and possibly dark gloves and a light hood.
Best Places to Dive in the Bahamas
Popular favorites include the barrier reefs and blue holes of Andros, Tuna Alley and The Bimini Road, the walls and reefs of the Exumas Land and Sea Park, the coral grottoes of the Abacos and the renowned Shark Dive at Stuart Cove’s.
What to Pack for Diving in the Bahamas
A light skin suit or 3-mm wetsuit is sufficient for summertime. From December through March a 5-mm suit might be in order, and a cover-up to mitigate evaporative cooling during surface intervals. Pack a deployable surface marker if a drift dive is on the schedule.
Specials

Bahamas
Margaritaville Beach Resort Bahamas
Customize your Own Stuart Cove’s Dive Package including choice of Accommodations, multiple Dive options, Watersports and Topside Activities available in the shopping cart after dates and room category is selected.
For additional information call toll free 800.240.3686 or email sales@caradonna.com.
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Bahamas
Riding Rock Inn Resort & Marina
Valid through 5/31/25. Rate from $1825 per person double diver. Book by 2/28/25.
Valid through 8/31/25. Rate from $1,850 per person double diver. Book by 2/10/25.
All rates & discounts available in the shopping cart or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
From $1,825 per person double diver
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Bahamas
Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas
Valid 1/14-2/14/25. From 1,372 pp/dble. Book 1/13/25-2/28/25.
Valid 2/15-4/19/25. From $1,593 pp/dble. Book 1/13/25-2/28/25.
Valid 4/20-5/31/25. From $1,356 pp/dble. Book 1/13/25-2/28/25.
Airfare purchase required.
Or customize your Stuart Cove’s Dive Package choice of Travel Dates, Accommodations, and Dive options. Watersports/Topside Activities available in shopping cart after dates/room category selected. For additional information call toll free 800.240.3686 or email stuartcove@caradonna.com .
From $1,372 per person double diver
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Bahamas
SLS Baha Mar Nassau
Valid through 5/31/25. Rates from $1,689 per person/double diver. Book by 2/28/25. (airfare purchase required)
Or customize your Own Stuart Cove’s Dive Package with your choice of Travel Dates, Accommodations, and Dive options. Watersports and Topside Activities are also available in the shopping cart after dates and room category are selected.
Additional room categories and other dates also available! Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us stuartcove@caradonna.com .
From $1,689 per person double diver
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Bahamas
Orange Hill Beach Inn
Valid through 5/26/25. Rates from $899 per person/double diver. Book by 2/28/25. (airfare purchase required).
Valid 5/27/25-12/17/25. Rates from $1,019 per person/double diver.
Or customize your Own Stuart Cove’s Dive Package with your choice of Travel Dates, Accommodations, and Dive options. Watersports and Topside Activities are also available in the shopping cart after dates and room category are selected.
For additional information call toll free 800.240.3686 or email stuartcove@caradonna.com .
From $899 per person double diver
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Bahamas
Breezes Bahamas
Valid through 5/31/25. Rates from $1,496 per person/double diver. Book by 2/28/25.
Or customize your Own Stuart Cove’s Dive Package with your choice of Travel Dates, Accommodations, and Dive options. Watersports and Topside Activities are also available in the shopping cart after dates and room category are selected.
For additional information call toll free 800.240.3686 or email stuartcove@caradonna.com .
From $1,496 per person double diver
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Bahamas
Margaritaville Beach Resort Bahamas
Valid through 2/21/25. Rates from $993 per person/double diver. Book by 2/28/25.
Valid 4/19/25-5/31/25. Rates from $1,090 per person/double diver. Book by 2/28/25.
Customize your Own Stuart Cove’s Dive Package with choice of Travel Dates, Accommodations, and Dive options. For additional information call toll free 800.240.3686 or email stuartcove@caradonna.com .
From $993 per person double diver
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Bahamas
Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina
Valid 1/3/25-5/22/25. Double Diver rates from $1,936 per person!
Valid 5/23/25-9/2/25. Double Diver rates from $2,286 per person!
Great Hammerhead Shark Safari upgrades available November through April. Daily space is limited (additional $209 upgrade charge will apply-in the shopping cart on the next screen). Subject to availability.
Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
From $1,936 per person double diver
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Bahamas
Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina
Great Hammerhead Shark Safari upgrades available November through April. Daily space is limited (additional charges apply-in the shopping cart on the next screen).
Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
Book Now

Bahamas
Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina
Great Hammerhead Shark Safari upgrades available December through April. Daily space is limited (additional charges apply).
Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
Book Now

Bahamas
Riding Rock Inn Resort & Marina
Riding Rock Resort offers 4-, 5-, 6- & 7-night packages, various specials & group discounts throughout the year – Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Resorts

Bahamas
Viva Fortuna Beach by Wyndham
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Bahamas
Orange Hill Beach Inn
For additional information call toll free 800.328.2288 or email sales@caradonna.com.
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Bahamas
Margaritaville Beach Resort Bahamas
For additional information call toll free 800.328.2288 or email sales@caradonna.com.
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Bahamas
Green Turtle Club Resort & Marina
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Bahamas
SLS Baha Mar Nassau
All 299 rooms include SLS signature bedding, Bahamian-designed furniture, walk-in rainfall shower, wall-mounted HDTVs, full in-room technology connectivity, safe, plush SLS signature robes and slippers, custom Ciel Reserve bath amenities, and a mini bar curated with SLS Signature refreshments.
For additional information call toll free 800.328.2288 or email sales@caradonna.com.
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Bahamas
Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas
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Bahamas
Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina
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Bahamas
Riding Rock Inn Resort & Marina
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Bahamas
Bluff House Beach Resort & Marina
Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Bahamas
Embrace Resort
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Bahamas
Small Hope Bay Lodge
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Bahamas
Greenwood Beach Resort
This intimate resort provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy a variety of fun activities including diving, snorkeling, and kiteboarding.
Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
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Liveaboards

Bahamas
Cat Ppalu
Our dive destination for the week is the Exuma Cays. When the weather cooperates, we sail (versus motor) to dive sites only accessible to dive liveaboards. Explore local islands or relax and sunbathe on uninhabited islands.
Book online! Or Call 800.328.2288 for Special Pricing and Information.
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Bahamas
Aqua Cat Cruises
Book online! Or Call 800.328.2288 for Special Pricing and Information.
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Bahamas
Blackbeard Cruises
Book on-line or Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 or email us sales@caradonna.com.
Book online! Or Call 800.328.2288 for Special Pricing and Information.
See Packages & Learn MoreDiving in the Bahamas
Diving in the Bahamas is all about diversity. Tens of thousands of new divers have made their first submersions on the nearshore reefs of New Providence and Grand Bahama, but these same waters attract treasure hunters, adventurers and cave explorers, and have been the subject of hundreds of nature documentaries and feature films. The vast majority of the 700 significant islands of the Bahamas sit atop a pair of shallow limestone banks: Little Bahama Bank and Great Bahama Bank, which together encompass tens of thousands of square miles of submerged habitat. Many islands are surrounded by vast landscapes of shallow coral heads that are home to grouper, lobster and a wealth of colorful tropical species. Wrecks from Spanish treasure galleons to smuggler's yachts ran afoul on these reefs, and have since been joined by purpose-sunk wrecks. Beyond the shallows lie steep underwater walls, offshore pinnacles and blue water where big fish swim. The hand feeding of Caribbean reef sharks has long been a hallmark of the Bahamas diving scene, and each year thousands of divers earn bragging rights for swimming with the sharks, secure in the knowledge that these interactions have a stellar safety record. Emboldened divers seeking a less scripted encounter with apex predators can meet up with everything from hammerheads and lemon sharks to tigers, bulls and oceanic white tips. Even more compelling for some is the opportunity to interact with pods of wild dolphins in the sand flats near Bimini and north of West End. Island substrates are riddled with water-filled caverns that come to the surface in the form of blue holes. Cave divers have mapped miles of spectacular passages beneath the islands of Grand Bahama, Great Abaco and Andros, while Long Island is home to the world's deepest known saltwater blue hole, which plunges to a depth of 663 feet.
Passport and/or Visa Requirements
Entry/Exit Requirements: All U.S. Citizens are required to present a valid passport. No visa is required for American citizens. All persons, six years and over leaving the Bahamas, pay a Government Departure Tax of 29.00 which should be included in your international airline ticket taxes.
Immunizations
Vaccinations are not required for entry into the Bahamas. Check with your doctor and the Centers for Disease Control on recommended vaccinations for travel at Traveler's Health CDC The Bahamas.
Culture and Customs
Though still a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Bahama's English heritage is obvious only in the historic architecture of Nassau, a love for the Queen, and the nation's parliamentary system of government. The cosmopolitan resorts of Paradise Island and Grand Bahama may be more spiritually aligned with Miami or Las Vegas, but move into the Out Islands and you transition to island time, where the phrase “soon come” is the mantra for a relaxed, welcoming way of life. The big event on the calendar is Junkanoo, which is celebrated from December's Boxing Day to New Years Day. Every island stages a celebration, but the big show happens in Nassau when thousands of lavishly costumed revelers march through the streets to the accompaniment of horns, goombay drums and cowbells. Come March, the island sailboats are packed with passengers headed for the National Family Island Regatta in Georgetown. Here, crews from across the archipelago race traditional island sloops by day, then party the night away at Regatta Village Cricket season lasts from March to November, and ongoing commentary of the matches fills the local airwaves.
Celebrated since the 17th century, Junkanoo has grown into a large, organized event with groups that compete for cash prizes for best music, best costume, best dancing, etc. Traditionally held on New Year’s Day, Boxing Day and Independence Day, parades are also held during the annual “Junkanoo Summer Festival” and the “Just Rush” competition. Many hotels also offer Junkanoo shows for their guests throughout the year.
Electricity, Phone and Internet Access
Electricity in the Bahamas is 120 volts/60 cycles, which is the same as the U.S. and all U.S. appliances are compatible. the country code/area code for the Bahamas is 242. The local phone company BTC (Bahamas Telephone Company) should be available on your cell phone, so check with your carrier for costs for calls and data while in the Bahamas on roaming. There are many public hotspots, and you will find most hotels offer WiFi, as well as many bars, restaurants and shops.
Water Quality
Tap water is safe to drink on the main islands of the Bahamas. Bottled water is available for purchase.
Language & Currency
English is the official language, however you may hear locals speaking "Bahamian English" which has a mixture of African influence, island dialect and the Queen's diction. The H is often dropped so thanks sounds like tanks. The local currency is the Bahamian dollar (BSD) but U.S. Dollars are accepted everywhere. The Bahamian and the U.S. dollar are equivalent so as a visitor you don’t need to exchange any money. Credit cards are accepted at most locations on Nassau, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama Island. Cirrus and +PLUS ATMs can be found on Nassau, Paradise Island, Grand Bahama and most of the major Out Islands.
Time
The Bahamas are in the Eastern Time Zone. The Bahamian Islands do observe Daylight Savings Time. They are 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-5 during Eastern Standard Time) and 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time during Daylight Savings Time (-4 Eastern Daylight Time).
Location, Size and Population
The Bahamas are located in the North Atlantic Ocean on the eastern edge of the Caribbean. They are approximately 45 miles Southeast of Florida. The Bahamian Islands are made up of approximately 700 islands and 2,000 cayes of which about only 30 are inhabited. The islands are north of Cuba, northwest of the Turks and Caicos, and Southeast of the Florida Keys. The size of the Bahamas is approximately 5,382 square miles with a coastline of 1,368 square miles. The capital city of the Bahamas is Nassau, located on New Providence and is approximately 80 square miles. The population of the Bahamas is 392,575 (2016).