Six Ways To Get From Miami to Nassau, The Bahamas
By Kylie Morrow - Writer for Hello Paradise, Sandals Resorts Blog
Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas, is located on New Providence Island and a top choice for visitors who are looking for a dream getaway to the Caribbean. Nassau is one of those international island destinations you can easily get to from U.S. cities like Miami, and as such, it is one of those places that simply must be checked off any wanderlust hot list.
There are lots of incredible things to do in Nassau including its gorgeous white sand beaches, taking boat trips to secluded islands and cays, and even dancing along with a Bahamian Junkanoo band depending on the time of your visit. To make things easier, Nassau is home to several luxurious resorts.
You can get to The Bahamas from Miami via plane, cruise, boat charter, and even by ferry through the island of Bimini which is the closest point in The Bahamas to the U.S. In this post, we’ll share the deets on how to get there in the fastest or most leisurely time frame possible.
Note that for most options, you’ll need to be in possession of a passport to enter The Bahamas. Find more information here.
A dream getaway just an hour away
The best part of any vacation is getting there. You hardly need to be a seasoned traveler to share these sentiments, but it's true; the sooner you can get to your vacation destination, the sooner you’ll get to enjoy yourself.
Traveling to Nassau from Miami proves this point flawlessly. New Providence island in The Bahamas is just 180 miles off the southern coast of Florida, and travellers can get there easily with many direct flights available. In fact, if you plan on going to The Bahamas from Miami, you’ll be able to get there in as little as one hour, which means a couple hours after take-off, you can find yourself sprawled out on a white sand beach.
The list of airlines that fly this superbly convenient route from Miami to Nassau include Bahamasair, American Airlines, Delta, and JetBlue Airways. There are also numerous cruises with stops at the always bustling Bahamian cruise ports.
Get there by plane: flights from Miami to Nassau
Commercial flights
As it takes just about an hour to get to The Bahamas from Miami by commercial flight, this makes Nassau the ideal destination for both short and longer stays. The short distance between these two cities means they’re close enough to allow for last-minute trip bookings, and also conveniently near enough to home just in case you need to return at a moment’s notice.
Price wise, you can expect to spend between $200 - $300 on airfare for non-stop round-trip flight tickets from Miami to Nassau. Prices vary depending on when you book; you can choose to fly during the low, shoulder, or peak seasons, all of which have their own benefits. Prices also vary depending on the airline.
Good to know: From Miami International Airport, you will depart from terminal H, G, or S to get to The Bahamas depending on which airline you choose.
Private jet
Want to get to The Bahamas in style? Zip on over via private jet for a truly luxurious experience. Going via private jet is the perfect way to avoid long airport wait times, and even if you don’t have the luxury of your own jet, you can charter one. This is a great option especially if you’re going to The Bahamas to celebrate a special occasion.
With a party of 5, you can expect to spend around $4,500 and upwards for a private jet. The price varies depending on the number of people you want to bring along and the type of aircraft. With a private jet you’ll be able to get to The Bahamas in about one hour, much like on a commercial flight, just with added perks and less waiting.
Get there by boat: from Miami To Nassau
Ferry
There aren’t any ferries that will take you directly from Miami to Nassau, but there are ways to take a ferry trip to get to this Caribbean capital avoiding having to go on an international flight. To do so you’ll need to go there by way of Bimini, which is the closest island of The Bahamas to Miami (Bimini is 53 miles off the coast of Florida). It’ll take about 2 hours to get from Miami to Bimini and ferry tickets usually cost around $100 per person.
From Bimini, you’ll be able to make your way to Nassau via plane. It takes about 45 minutes (nonstop) to get to Nassau from Bimini by plane.
Sailboat or yacht
Want to sail smoothly from Miami and right on into your glamorous Bahamas vacation? That’s totally a possibility if you own a personal sailboat or yacht or at least have access to one.
This trip is usually quick and easy, and especially scenic as you near the island chain of The Bahamas. One way, it takes about 8 - 10 hours to get to The Bahamas by yacht, while on a sailboat this journey can take up to 3 days. Deciding which to go for depends on how much time you have at your disposal, what kind of trip you’re looking to have, and the cost.
If you don’t own your own yacht, you can charter one for the trip for around $5,000 for the day. The cost will depend on the type of boat you will be travelling in and the amenities you want included. The best part about going to The Bahamas by boat from Miami is that it is easier to cross the gulf stream from this point, which makes for a smoother voyage. Sailors and yachters know this well, so depending on when you go, you’re likely to find many other people taking the trip as well.
Cruise ship
A Caribbean cruise is worth experiencing at least once. Cruising to The Bahamas, even more so as this is quite the popular destination for the cruise crowd. Cruise travellers love how easy it is to book a cruise from Miami to Nassau, and how simple it often is to schedule tours while in The Bahamas to amazing beaches, and even to some of the ‘Out Islands’ of The Bahamas like Eleuthera, Cat Island, Andros, and others.
Near the cruise ports in The Bahamas, you can easily find places to eat, shop, and generally have some fun before the ship sets off to another location. There are a number of cruises that leave from Miami and make stops in Nassau, so it won’t be difficult to find the right one for you.
If you take a cruise to Nassau, you’ll have options like 3 to 6-night trips for about $115 per person / per night from various cruise lines, as a starting point.
Nassau is usually a one-day stop for cruises and some of the other stops in The Bahamas can include Freeport, Coco Cay, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk. Stops on your cruise depend on the length of the cruise and the trip you select, so definitely look into the finer details before booking.
When in Nassau…
What to do when on a shorter trip to Nassau
Staying in Nassau for a daytrip, or the (long) weekend? Make sure to spend a good amount of time on one of its amazing beaches and book a snorkeling / boat tour.
Junkanoo Beach is always a party and located near the cruise port. If you’re looking for a bit more peace and quiet, Love Beach out in the west of the island is the most popular beach among locals. While at Love Beach, make sure to have a drink at Nirvana beach bar! Another pretty beach to avoid the crowd is Jaws Beach, which is located further out to the west, near the largest underwater statue in the world.
Cable Beach and Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island are popular in their own rights, these are some of the larger beaches near Nassau and this is where you’ll find the most popular resorts on the island.
Great places for lunch include Señor Frogs and the Pirate Republic brewery near the cruise port. This is also the best area to do some shopping.
Bringing the kids? Make sure to plan a visit to the Pirate Museum and get a day pass at one of the water parks.
A great way to explore Nassau’s highlights within a day is to go on a Jeep sightseeing tour or culinary walking tour.
End the night at Aura, Bond or the Skybar. Philosophy Smokehouse is a fantastic place to enjoy a beer and some live music on Thursday nights.
What to do when on a longer trip to Nassau
If you’re staying a bit longer, you’ll have the time to truly enjoy all that Nassau has to offer without having to rush from one attraction to another.
Besides visiting all points of interest mentioned above, make sure to visit Fort Charlotte, John Watling’s rum distillery, the Rum cake factory and Graycliff chocolatier (and make sure to taste some wine across the street).
Looking for lunch places that are worth a visit, but are located further out the city center? Try out Wild Thyme (intimate garden setting), Latitudes (looking out over the water and Paradise Island), The Ocean Club (looking out over Cabbage Beach) and the Pink Octopus (restaurant and beach club out in the east). Enjoy a cocktail with a stunning oceanfront view at Compass Point.
The more time you spend on the turquoise waters of The Bahamas, the better your experience: book day trips to Rose Island, Blue Lagoon Island and perhaps even the swimming pigs of Exuma. Make sure to apply enough sunblock!
If you love scuba diving on your vacation, Nassau is the place to be! Sandals Royal Bahamian offers free scuba diving trips (max. two tanks a day) for all PADI® certified guests. This includes equipment and professional dive staff. Not certified yet? Get certified at an additional cost on the resort and dive the rest of your vacation for free.
Where to stay
Convenience matters when selecting island accommodation, and the key to making the right choice is selecting somewhere on the beach. There’s no Uber in Nassau and getting a cab can be quite expensive and difficult, unless you order one from the convenience of your hotel or resort. When in The Bahamas, ideally, you’ll be able to walk to the beach from your room.
You might have noticed that in the previous section we referred to some of the great lunch spots in and around Nassau, but didn’t go into depth when it comes to restaurants that are great for dinner. That’s because the best restaurants in Nassau are part of the resorts and hotels.
Therefore, it’s not only important to find great accommodation on the beach, but also find a place with plenty of restaurants to choose from. Take note that The Bahamas is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Expect to pay 10 USD for a beer and 18 USD for a cocktail at a hotel / resort that is NOT all-inclusive. This is why many visitors choose to stay at an all-inclusive resort when visiting Nassau.
From Miami to Nassau – a short trip to a perfect island getaway
There are so many ways to get to Nassau from Miami, including by plane, on a private charter, via cruise, and even by jet. The fastest and most economical means to get from Miami to Nassau, however, is by commercial plane.
Originally posted here.