Nassau, Bahamas - Nassau Travel Guide - Nassau and New Providence Tourism

New Providence and Nassau

Cable Beach at the Sheraton, Nassau, Bahamas (cc)

New Providence

New Providence island, which measures 21 miles long by seven miles wide, offers a diversity of accommodations, from ultra-modern luxury resorts to intimate hotels.

There's a wide variety of attractions, from the all-in-one world of the Atlantis International Resort & Casino on Paradise Island, to Crystal Cay Marine Park, deep-sea fishing, diving, walking, swimming, bicycling, driving, windsurfing, parasailing, waverunning, shelling, and snorkeling, to diving beneath the waves in a full-blown submarine.

Nassau

The largest and best known city in the Bahamas is Nassau. Located on the island of New Providence, it boasts a population of more than 175,000 people. In times gone by, Nassau was an international playground for the rich. Today, the first city of the Bahamas attracts not only the affluent of the world, but vacationers of every class and culture, especially from America. The city has become a tax haven – Nassau has more than 400 banks – and is a popular location for international business conferences and meetings.

Nassau is also a microcosm of the nation’s history. Visitors can explore its narrow streets, the old British forts, climb the Queen’s Staircase and wander through outlying villages dating back to the days of slavery and beyond.

Throughout the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, at the height of the Bahamian tourist season, Junkanoo – a spirited, Mardi Gras-style celebration born of slavery – explodes across the islands, but nowhere is it quite as exciting as in Nassau.

Paradise Island

Paradise Island, a long, narrow barrier island connected to Nassau by a toll bridge, is as different from Nassau as Key West is from Miami. While Paradise Island is a world of hotels, restaurants and exciting nightlife, it’s also a world still quite unspoiled where you can enjoy the sea and beaches that lie close to the bustling streets of the city.