The Bahamas
If you're heading to The Bahamas you HAVE to stay at the Atlantis.. but do you?
The Bahamas is a tropical cluster of islands found in the Caribbean. You fly into Nassau (the capital) and from there you can fly or get ferry/boat to other smaller islands. Since we visited The Bahamas as part of larger trip to the US we decided to stay on Paradise Island which doesn't require extensive further travel. Paradise Island is exactly what it says on the tin! Palm trees line the beach where crystal clear sea laps the unspoilt white sand for miles. There are very few hotels on the island (connected by bridge to mainland about 20 mins from the airport). The most noteworthy hotel is the very popular Atlantis. Found only here, on the Palm in Dubai and in China, travellers flock for the adult’s equivalent of Disney world. Within the hotel is an abundance of restaurants and bars, a casino, aquarium, shopping plaza and a world famous water park. The Atlantis hotel certainly offers it’s guests a lot but for £250 a night I would expect it to.
I have always loved the concept of staying at the Atlantis but in reality I just couldn’t justify the cost. Instead a little research revealed the 'Riu Palace Paradise Island' hotel is placed directly next door. Charging a similar price to the Atlantis but offering full all inclusive facilities we were able to experience the glamour of Atlantis life whilst paying a fraction of the cost on our overall trip. Though the cost of the rooms at Atlantis aren't extortionate the cost of onsite food and drink quickly escalates the final cost of your trip. (We ate at a 'grab and go' eatery when at the water park and paid just short of $50 for burgers, drinks and fries) - similar to the Disney experience in more ways than one!
Riu is a worldwide hotel chain that specialise in all inclusive 5* resorts. We have stayed in many before and we were sure that we would experience the same level of the service and luxury offered at the Atlantis by staying there instead. In reality we probably experienced better. Nothing can prepare you for the scale of the Atlantis hotel. Only a 2 minute walk from the Riu we couldn’t believe how much further it was to reach the casino, beach, aquarium etc within the Atlantis! It really is massive!! In comparison, the Riu felt like a bnb but the customer service reflected the personal touch you get at a smaller hotel which we like l;. The Riu Palace offers an all inclusive buffet dinning option as well as bookable a la carte restaurants. For those who aren't familiar with all inclusive hotels, they really are all inclusive. The Riu offers 5 restaurants, 24 hour room service, ice cream palors and your own liquor dispensers in your room above the mini bar. I would definitely recommend it as a great alternative to those considering Paradise Island, it was worth every penny!
Back to The Bahamas in general. Given the close proximity to the USA, the Bahamas is a hit with Americans. Paradise Island in particular appeals to the most wealthy. As is typically shown on TV shows, American guests can get a bit loud and rowdy, never parting with their bar stool at the swim up bar. But everyone’s entitled to enjoy their holiday and personally, I love nothing more than to earwig on any stranger’s story, let alone a crazily wealthy American!
The weather in The Bahamas is generally beautiful. However given that it’s part of the Caribbean a tropical climate is to be expected. It has a rainy season and hurricane season (June - November). I have travelled to the Caribbean many times and always thought the risk of travel during the rainy season is worth it for the discounted cost. On this occasion were hit with the side of a hurricane which caused the closure of Atlantis’ water park and prevented any trip to the Exuma islands for the foreseeable. Even with those holiday disruptions storms tend to pass and we were back on a sun lounger in no time at all. (I am playing it cool but I did cry like a baby at not being able to go to Exuma so always research the weather! summer doesn't mean sunny).
Exuma islands are the place to go for picturesque images of clear waters and swimming pigs. If you’re half the animal lover I am then you’ll be giddy to learn how friendly and welcoming the pigs are to visitors. Only when we were in the Bahamas did I learn you can actually stay on the Exuma Islands. This makes travelling to the lil piggies more accessible and less costly than a small plane/speedboat needed from Paradise Island. This is still on our hit list and in my opinion a pretty fab experience if you’re heading to the Bahamas.
The bustling town of Nassau is filled with luxury boutiques and rustic little eateries. It’s the perfect balance of old and new. In keeping with the Caribbean feel multi coloured buildings line the streets. Additional to all things tropical, The Bahamas has British heritage. Only in the 70s did The Bahamas gain independence from British ruling and the town reflects the history of this. Many taxi companies offer private chauffeur service and island tours to delve into the history of Bahamian life. All of the people we encountered were so proud of their heritage and quick to share their passion for their country. Don’t be fooled into thinking the Bahamas is all boats and bottles of champers. There’s certainly a luxury feel to this country but it’s not without it’s depth too. We paired the Bahamas with a US trip so didn’t spend as much time there as we would like (there is lots more to do than discussed). The flight from Miami was less than an hour so for anyone in the East coast of the US try to pop across - you won’t regret!
(please note the pictures don't show the true beauty of this island as the storm stirred up the sand in the sea and sun from the sky before I could take any piccies - still crying)
date of visit- Summer 2016
necessary time - 3 days
recommend time - 5/7 days
overkill - 2 weeks
approximate budget (based on 2 adults for a week all in - flight cost from the US only) - £2500
highlights - Atlantis water park (all 141 acres of it was very very fab), Exuma islands swimming with pigs (or i am sure it would be if we’d have got there ðŸ˜)
pros- the most amazing beaches and ocean (when it's not hurricaney), close to the US for a multi-centre holiday, amazing people and heritage
cons- rainy season really can be rainy
Random info:
- Atlantis water park charge is $157 for an adult day pass but so worth it for a big kid like me
- driving is on the left hand side of the road (due to the British background) so those who may normally be hesitant to drive abroad may find it easier here. That said local transport is very accessible.
- local currency is Bahamian dollar, don't mistake $ sign for the US dollar, that said US dollars are regularly accepted all over the island.
- the Riu palace hotel is an adults only hotel