For more than 10 years, Blue Hole Watersports has been offering true hospitality to visitors by going the extra mile. Locally owned and operated, it is just a 15-minute walk from the cruise dock behind the Hilton hotel. Services include boat rentals, snorkeling, light tackle fishing, sightseeing tours, or customized tours. Pack a picnic and have them drop you off on a secluded island where you can escape the crowds. Two-hour snorkeling tours will offer opportunities to spot yellow tail snapper, queen angel fish, and parrot fish, among others.
Local Expert tip: You don't need a reservation, but they do accept them without any deposit.
On a dive trip with Custom Aquatics, a private driver will come pick up your party, and you will have the boat all to yourself. 40 miles from Nassau, lie the Exuma Cays, where owners Fran and Monty spend most of their time. Sites in the northern Cays, and the Exuma Park, (the first underwater park are remote, untouched, and filled with abundant fish life, and topside scenery.
Local Expert tip: If you have a specific place you'd like to go, let them know!
Stuart Cove's is the leading full-service dive center on New Providence, offering equipment sales and rentals in addition to a wide variety of organized trips. Join a snorkeling trip, a thrilling scuba dive, or even a ride aboard an innovative SUB (Scenic Underwater Bubble). The individual units resemble a cross between a motor scooter and a submarine, and allow you to breathe normally and even wear regular eyeglasses under water. Transportation to and from most area hotels is available. A bit of trivia: Stuart Cove has worked as a dive coordinator on numerous films, including "Never Say Never Again" and "Flipper."
The Flying Cloud, a 57-foot catamaran, sets sail for entertaining and exciting trips around Nassau Harbor. The half-day sail/snorkel adventure lasts about 3-1/2 hours, and features a high-speed sail to Rose Island where you can swim in the ocean, snorkel a nearby coral reef, or just lounge on the beach. The evening sunset cruise lasts about 2-½ hours, and offers a romantic view of the harbor and the city lights, complete with hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Sunday's excursion is similar to the half-day sail/snorkel trip, but it lasts about five hours and includes a Bahamian lunch. All trips include round trip hotel transfers, all necessary equipment and instruction.
Seahorse offers exciting half-day snorkeling trips to various spots around the island. Trips aboard the sailing catamaran depart from the Atlantis resort, and include any equipment you might need plus instruction. Tranquil sunset cruises are available as well.
For a truly unique snorkeling trip in the Bahamas, strike out on the Blackbeard Cay Stingray Adventure. The voyage launches northeast from Nassau Harbor to an idyllic island named for the infamous pirate Blackbeard. After a breathtakingly scenic 25-minute cruise, you can swim in the warm crystalline waters surrounding the private island. Friendly, majestic Atlantic Southern Stingrays glide by and even eat right out of your palm, making this excursion one-of-a-kind.
For over 40 years, Bahama Divers has been the premier vendor for scuba diving trips and lessons in the Bahamas. The locally owned and operated service ensures the utmost in quality, personalizing each lesson or excursion. The dive boats launch twice each day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon, and head out to some of the best diving spots in the Caribbean, including spooky shipwrecks and stunning coral reefs.
Those who appreciate long dive trips should consider Blackbeard's live-aboard scuba diving travel vacations to the Bahamas. Trips include shark dives, walls, high speed drift dives including the Washing Machine, night dives, blue holes and the beautiful coral reefs. Explore the secluded "Out Islands" of the Bahamas were on e the hideout of pirates and privateers.
Local Expert tip: Although headquartered in Davie, FL, the Morning Star and Pirate's Lady depart Nassau every Saturday for a week of live aboard diving.
