Nassau layover options?

If you are going/returning from the Out Islands be careful - Nassau can be a shock to the system.

We simply hate it - 3 weeks ago we spent 6 hours in a similar layover just sat at the Sheraton Beach Bar.

Nassau town is very cruise boaty and can be quite dangerous.

I could be wrong but I don't think non residents can get into Atlantis.

Like Markrosy, I have no use at all for Nassau or Paradise Island- tried it several times on layovers and it is just not my kind of place either. Are you on your way to or back from the out islands (I think I saw on another post you may be headed to Eleuthera)? What time of day? You might consider going to Compass Point- very near the airport but not Nassau- and enjoying some lunch, pool, bar and relaxation to either begin or end your trip. Look at their website- if you are planning to eat and drink I am sure they would secure your luggage while you are there.

I partly agree with the others and an Atlantis day pass is ridiculously over priced plus the Straw Market is dire (IMO).

I'd check out ishribbl's idea of Compass Point if you're interested in lunch, pool, beach time or if there are kids in your party then perhaps a casual lunch at the Fish Fry and an hour at the zoo nearby which has pretty gardens, a flamingo show and you can feed the lorikeets (not sure where you'd park your luggage with this option unless your party split up and some chose the Compass Point option).

We had a long layover a few years ago and hired a cab to show us around the island and took us to Atlantis. Some parts are open to non-guests. We had lunch and departed.

I'm an out island girl so it wasn't my cup of tea but it gave us something to do during our long layover.

My best suggestion?
Have a taxi take you to Compass Point for lunch--lunch is terrific, there's a small beach nicer than anything on Paradise Island, it's only a 10 minute cab ride. Compass Point is ultra colorful, and much better to hang out for a couple of hours.

I know that Nassau will be a shock to our system but since we are going to be there anyway I thought maybe we should see some of it. What is wrong with the Straw Market? I thought it was large outdoor area to buy local made products? What about the fort? Good to know that the day pass for Atlantis is a possiblity I will look up prices. I wish this layover was on the way to Eleuthera but unfortunatly it is on the way home.
Thanks!!

The straw market is full of junk and also of fully paid up, card carrying cruise robots. It also didn't feel safe, drugs and aids were very on show. The only entertainment we had was watching a stall holder knocking out fake Gucci handbags for $50 whilst being 25 yards from the real shop who had no chance in competing as they were charging $3000!

There are some amazingly expensive and stylish shops in Nassau which cater for the very high end that passes through. But there is also a lot of tat.

Local culture are not two words to rub together and apply to Nassau.

Finally, do not dream of camping out at the airport Lynden Pindling Internation it is not Milan Malpensa. It is just about one step up from the average airstrip in Zaire. Wendys is it's only eating outlet - judge yourself!

Anyone been to the Traveller's Rest? - it has good tripadvisors but we turned up and left as it looked awful. Same with Orange Hill but it was a cold, cloudy, rainy day.

Atlantis has a few different day passes. They only give out day passes if they are not busy. I think it's about $60 per adult for a pass that includes lunch, the dig, aquarium BUT NOT the waterpark, pools etc. The lunch is burger/ fries.. not upscale.
It's about $35 a pass without lunch (again NOT for the waterpark)

I spent a day at Atlantis and would only consider if going to the waterpark itself.

Straw Market? See markrosy's first sentence!! Many of the 'local' products have made in China stickers.

I've been to Traveller's Rest a couple of times. The point of the place is to watch the sunset/ arrive by boat preferably. The food is OK/ good depending on what you order (not wonderful but typical local Caribbean food .. very good fish/fries). I've tried their rum punch and another cocktail once ... stick to beer or water!!

Orange Hill is a very low key place to stay but don't go there for lunch!

I'm very sad to read about the "made in China" stickers. Only a matter of time, I guess.

When on Cat Island, a lovely lady at Fernandez Bay (sorry I can't remember her name) was making small bags and I ended up buying one. It was a pain to carry home but I think of her whenever I carry it.

tdelano- 25 or 30 years ago the straw market was what you are thinking it is today (someone can correct my history but that one burned down years ago) but those days are long gone. It is there to draw in cruise ship visitors who think they are going to a real straw market. It is crammed wall to wall in tents and the whole thing felt very closed in - there truly are no (or very few) locally made products- not really even that much straw- think Chinatown in NYC with people trying to sell you any and everything. Or- you are the one from Tuscaloosa, right? Think of the N.O. French Market (the part with the 3 t=shirts for $10 and hawkers selling all kinds of junk, not the vegetable market or locally made goods parts) and multiply that times 50 or more because basically most of the people in the French Market are not as pushy as those in Nassau. And I love N.O. and have spent lots of time there over my 50 years - best friend still lives there- so I am in no way bashing New Orleans.
We have sought out and bought beautifully made straw items in Long Island and the Exumas- I did not buy anything in Nassau last time.

mark rosy- we spent the night twice at Orange Hill on the way to and back from Eleuthera and it was fine- pretty basic but a pretty view from our room and it was clean, comfortable and convenient to the airport. We also had dinner one night at Traveller's Rest- the conch salad was very good and the guava cake was to die for- I don't remember the rest of the meal particularly but we sat outside on a porch overlooking the water/sunset across the street and it was nice for what we needed at the time- I would go back.
Just my 2 cents worth.

I don't believe that day passes to the Atlantis Resort's water park are available to non-cruise passengers. Many people get a room at the Comfort Suites on Paradise Island, which includes a day-pass for up to 4 guests in the room (five, unfortunately, is not a possibility, so this leaves one of your party out of luck ... or gambling). But a room there would give you a place to store your luggage if you wanted to do that. But it could be expensive because you have to pay a surcharge above the regular rates (not sure how much it is now, but it adds up though is still cheaper than the $110 per person that cruise ships typically charge for a day pass).

Well, after all of this great information I decided to book my return tickets without the Nassau layover! I am sure we will be tired and ready to come home and it doesn't sound like Nassau is worth the money and effort!! Thanks very much!

ishkribbl, when were you @ Orange Hill? Recent pix show that it is kind of "tired". Some may say run down. We have friends who are looking for a place to stay for a couple of nights upon returning from Exuma & they are considering Orange Hill. Do you know anything about the Sheraton ( used to be a Radisson I think....). The Sheraton beach looks nice.

tdelano

Please don't let all this negative talk put you off your trip.

In the Out Islands, you are visiting one of the world's great destinations. They are a world apart from Nassau and most of the world's impression of the Bahamas is Nassau. Which is great because that means that most of the world gives the Bahamas a miss as being tacky, thus leaving the relatively secret Out Islands to us!!!

markrosy, which of the Out Islands wld you recommend for people looking for a "beach holiday" in February? Places to stay? Restaurants? Groceries for the week?
If we fly to Nassau then how do we get to the Out Islands?

OB, we stayed at Orange Hill in 2008. Tired is a good word for the regular rooms. The cottage is much nicer. Call direct for a better deal than the website.

How many will the cottage sleep?

Only 2 I think.

>>If we fly to Nassau then how do we get to the Out Islands?<<

It depends on which island you choose to visit. Check out the Bahamas Tourism website and it should offer the air for that island.

www.bahamas.com/out-islands/out-islands

BahamasAir is a main service as is Continental and AA to some of them from Ft. Lauderdale, Miama and Nassau. Of the three, Ft. Lauderdale is our preferred airport as it is smaller and easier.

Check out what island(s) interests you and then we can be more specific.

BeachGirl, We wld be flying from Toronto so wld you recommend FLL instead of Nassau? I read somewhere that they have private charter planes from Nassau to the Out Islands.

Which islands do you prefer?
Thx for the Bahamas link!

My experience is only two very active trips to The Abacos but I have done a lot of research for the The Exumas.

The Abacos are absolutely great and there are many reviews and comments from probably a mix of the posters above if you search Abacos on this forum.

Getting there is very easy from Nassau. There is :

American eagle
Bahamas Air
Flmaingo Air (The Exumas)
Abaco Air
WestAir
Yellow Air Taxi

and many others who provide scheduled flights from Nassau and Florida to each Out Island for about $200 return per seat. BahamasAir are the state run largest operator. Booking with them fairly well assures that they will be aorund when it comes to fly. A few have bitten the dust during the recession which will leave you stranded.

Groceries are fairly expensive - $5 for a loaf and more for milk. It is sometimes cheaper to eat out. Some of the small resorts on Harbour Island offer high standards and prices. The Abacos have a good range of restaurants but basically be warned this is not Tuscany or Paris - you don't go to the OI for the food (unless of course you can catch it and eat it fresh).

Take a look at The Sea of Abaco or The Exuma string of islands on google earth and get a feel for the layout and appreciate why there are very few places like this on earth.

As we have all said before The Abacos is a very safe and very cheap place to hire boats. We tried this in GA/SC - the daily rate for boat hire was the same as the weekly rate in The Abacos. The sea is 20 feet deep with very few rocks and totally protected from the ocean - I have done a lot of boating but am still adamant that anyone can do it.

Febraury? difficult - we stayed in Hopetown for two weeks this February. I will defend the place to the hilt but have to say that it was just too cold. The locals claim this was a winter of a century in terms of low temperatures. We are from northern England and can cope with anything. The problem is that we forked out $13,000 for two weeks and didn't what to just cope. Overnights were 15oC, daytimes 20oC. Two Mays ago we had very little rain and 34oC day and night with a 2oC variation over two weeks - heaven! If you want to go in February head further south to say The Exumas which should be 3oC warmer.