Just take a short stroll around downtown Nassau and you see it. On one corner, a sparkling new Margaritaville-branded resort anchoring a new mixed-use development. A few steps away, a cutting-edge gallery by one of The Bahamas’ greatest artists. Just up the hill, a colorful, vibrant heritage village celebrating the best of Bahamian culture. A few blocks away, a sparkling new cruise port with a Junkanoo museum and an amphitheater.
If you haven’t been to Nassau lately, you’re missing out on one of the Caribbean’s greatest renaissances — a movement that has helped turn the historic heart of Nassau into a walkable, energetic, fascinating city that is an exemplar for the wider region.
It’s part of a broader dynamism you’ll find in Nassau and Paradise Island, a place where travelers have been flocking since the pandemic and one that continues to hit new heights in just about every category that matters for travelers.
There are the new hotels, like the magnificent new Goldwynn Resort and Residences on Cable Beach, and the recently-reimagined British Colonial downtown, along with the aforementioned Margaritaville and its sister resort, the residential One Particular Harbour. They join an already-strong lineup of places to stay in every category, from all-inclusives like Sandals Royal Bahamian and Warwick Paradise Island to luxury resorts like The Cove at Atlantis, The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort; and Rosewood Baha Mar, among others.
The biggest story might just be the food scene, where local chefs and international culinary stars have combined to create as exciting a gastronomic destination as you’ll find, well, anywhere in the hemisphere.
Indeed, the list of big-name chefs is almost endless: Jose Andres, Michael White (who just opened the celebrated Paranza at Atlantis); Nobu Matsuhisa; Jean-Georges Vongerichten; Marcus Samuelsson; Katsuya Uechi; Dario Cecchini; JJ Johnson; Alon Shaya, who just opened Silan at Atlantis. (Even better? Many of them are gathering at next month’s second edition of the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival).
If you want a truly authentic taste of The Bahamas, head for the conch stalls under the Sidney Poitier Bridge at Potters Cay, or take a seafood journey at the Arawak Cay Fish Fry.
That’s along with an already-impressive slate of existing fine-dining spots, from the world-renowned Graycliff (the first-ever five-star restaurant in the Caribbean) to Edwin Johnson’s Sapodilla.
But it’s not just for foodies; there is something for everyone: championship golf courses like the Ocean Club and Baha Mar’s Royal Blue; pristine beaches on just about every corner, whether you’re on popular spots like Cable Beach and Cabbage Beach or smaller, out-of-the-way stretches of sand like Love Beach.
There’s world-class gaming; marinas, fascinating landmarks like the Queen’s Steps (now getting a makeover of its own) and a booming art scene that includes the outstanding National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (and the Baha Mar’s impressive art program).
It’s also easier than ever to visit: more and more carriers continuing to add new flights: top airlines like American Airlines, Delta and JetBlue; and, in a significant development, Alaska Airlines’ first-ever flights between the West Coast and Nassau.
When you get there, you can always truly immerse yourself in Bahamian culture with the country’s unrivaled People to People program, where you can enjoy a tea party at Government House or be welcomed into a Bahamian home for a home-cooked meal.
It’s never been a better time to visit Nassau and Paradise Island — and this destination has never been better.
For more, visit Nassau Paradise Island.