CITY: NASSAU

HOW LONG: 6 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

My sister and I stayed at two very different locations while in the Bahamas, one a hostel, the other a resort!

The first: BahaSea Backpackers Hostel This place was great! I’ve never stayed at a hostel that was beachfront before It’s literally on the water and there are two pools. We stayed in a 10 person all female dorm, which had a en-suite bathroom and lockers under the bunk beds to lock up out stuff. My sister and I had a great time meeting other travelers. We met two lovely German gals who we played cards with each night. Overall this was an awesome hostel and to stay in the Bahamas for $50 per night is nothing to complain about.

BahaSea

View from our room!

Lounging around at the hostel

The second: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Normally I wouldn’t stay at a resort like this because I would choose being able to travel for longer by staying at hostels, than traveling for shorter, but staying at more luxurious hotels. However, this trip was part of a Christmas gift from my parents, so hello Grand Hyatt! This place is magical. It’s right on Cable Beach, has 7 pools and 20 dining options! My sister and I felt like it was an adult Disneyland. We spent each day getting up to workout at the gym, going to a lovely breakfast, then heading to the pool for some sun, reading time and a drink. It doesn’t get much better. Each day we had fun deciding which pool we would make our home base for the next 6 hours. Our two German friends came to the hotel to spend two days by the pool/beach with us, and it was fun to share the resort with them. If you’re not on a budget, then this is definitely the place to stay in Nassau.

Looking out at Baha Mar

WHERE TO EAT:

While at the hostel, there were two main restaurants in walking distance: News Cafe, which we went to for breakfast twice, and Spritz Restaurant & Bar, which we went to for dinner twice. Both were fine, but nothing to write home about. Spritz had a nice view though, so points for that.

View at Spritz Bar

At the Hyatt, you can’t really go wrong, but our favorites for breakfast were 3 Tides Fish House for their Breakfast Sandwich and Stuffed Brioche French Toast, & The Palms Cafe for their Acai Bowl and Banana Bread French Toast. For lunch/dinner (we would often do linner at around 4:30/5pm) our favorites were Umami Burger for it’s Impossible Burger & The Swimming Pig for their Truffle Pizza, Truffle Fries, and the best Spinach Caesar Salad you have ever had! The food at the Hyatt, while not cheap, was delicious.

WHAT TO DO:

Honestly, if you are in the Bahamas, your plans for what to do should center upon spending time at the beach and at the pool. BUT if you want to leave the relaxation of being by the water, there are many options for you! First, you can go to another island and sit by the water there My sister and I did a day trip through Sandy Toes. It was about a 30 min boat ride to another island and once there you can swim with pigs, go snorkeling, or just lay back in a chaise lounge by the turquoise water.

The other must-do is to take a walk around the downtown area. Visit Graycliff to see a whimsical street, the chocolate factory, and the cigar factory.  After Graycliff,  just walk along Bay Street for some window shopping and some ice cream.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

The Bahamas were the perfect spot to relax, catch up on reading, and sleep in. The water is unbelievable beautiful and we had the best time soaking up the sun. In the weeks leading up to our trip, I had read some travel advisories warning of some safety issues, however, my sister and I never felt unsafe, either at the hotel or when we were walking around in the downtown area. We even took the public busses and taxis, and not once did we have issues. Overall I would highly recommend a trip down the Bahamas!