Which Island is Right for Me?

 

With so many islands to choose from, you may be wondering which island is the best fit for you. Different islands have vastly different offerings, communities and atmospheres. You can choose from the bustling city of New Providence, which offers nightlife, top restaurants and endless opportunities for cultural events, or look at removing yourself to an empty beach, with no one for miles around in the Out Islands. Below we’ll give you a rundown of some of the top choices of island communities. Contact us for additional information or to browse real estate listings on any of these islands. We have traveled to each island region and know the offerings of all of these areas in-depth.

New Providence

New Providence and the city of Nassau is by far the most expensive area for investment in The Bahamas, but it offers the most for those used to first world amenities who are looking to relocate and utilize The Bahamas as a tax haven. New Providence offers adequate medical care and quality grocery stores with most of the speciality items you might be looking for. Vegan, vegetarians, paleo, gluten free and dairy free diets will have no problem buying food or eating out at restaurants that are catered towards international palettes. Most people who purchase property in New Providence area are relocating to The Bahamas for business or tax reasons. This is also a great spot for investments. (elaborate)

 

Eastern New Providence & Downtown Nassau

Although real estate prices are some of the highest in the country, there are still great deals to be had. Eastern New Providence was historically where the elite maintained sprawling estate homes. Today, the draw has shifted towards Western New Providence, leaving amazing oceanfront homes available in the Eastern Road area at a discounted price. Nearby, Downtown Nassau offers a wide range of restaurants and nightlife, and there are great opportunities for artisanal food and drink connoisseurs. The downtown area is home to Pirate Republic craft brewery, John Watling’s craft rum distillery and Graycliff Village which offers Bahama Barrels winery, Graycliff Chocolate Factory and Graycliff cigars, not to mention top restaurants such as Cafe Matisse Italian restaurant, Lukka Karai which offers high end Bahamian/Caribbean fusion, and Graycliff Restaurant with one of the largest wine cellars in the world.

 

Paradise Island

Just over the bridge from Downtown Nassau, Paradise Island offers a laid back vibe, slowing down the pace from the bustling city center. The island is clean and well-kept, and offers condo developments such as newly built One Ocean residences and penthouses, and Ocean Club Estates, grand properties situated on the harbour or the ocean, edging a championship golf course. The island draws international visitors, centered around towering Atlantis which features nightlife, casinos and top restaurants and is edged by spectacular Cabbage Beach, one of the top beaches in The Bahamas.

 

Cable Beach & Western New Providence

Cable Beach is a 2 ½ mile stretch along the north central side of the island featuring are all-inclusive and resort hotels and the newly built Baha Mar Resort. Residential homes and condos line the Bay Street corridor. Further west of Cable Beach, the remainder of Western New Providence is residential with an upscale islandy vibe. Although it may seem fairly rural at first glance, there are actually a large number of restaurants scattered about, and local residents rarely venture to the bustling downtown area.

Western New Providence draws wealthy homebuyers to gated communities of Old Fort Bay, Lyford Cay and Albany. Outside the gated communities, condo living along West Bay Street, Love Beach and Cable Beach is becoming more desirable. You can step off the plane at Lynden Pindling International Airport, located in Western New Providence, and be at the beach in a matter of minutes.

Lynden Pindling International Airport offers direct flight service from Miami, Charlotte, New York, Dallas, Houston, Toronto, London Heathrow and many other major international cities. The ease of getting to Nassau makes it an appealing destination, and it’s a hopping off point to access the rest of the islands of The Bahamas.

 

The Out Islands

The Out Islands offer a true island getaway for those looking to escape from “reality”. Small communities cater towards boaters, fishermen and divers. Most people who purchase property in the Out Islands are looking for an escape for friends and family, and investment properties can be be slim on the return, depending on the community. Keep in mind that medical facilities are limited except for in Grand Bahama and Marsh Harbour, Abaco. Otherwise communities offer government clinics with basic services, and if you have any major issues you’ll be transported to Nassau or to the US.

We’ll provide a brief rundown of some of the popular communities that draw Out Island lovers.

 

The Abacos

Located just a short hop from Florida, The Abacos draw boaters throughout the year due to its ease of access. The Abacos in general are laid back and low key with a very unpretentious atmosphere. Marsh Harbour, the third largest city in The Bahamas, offers plenty of options for stocking up and getting supplies. This is a very community oriented region geared towards boaters, with ease of island hopping the many islands. On mainland Abaco you’ll find resort communities of Treasure Cay, Winding Bay and Schooner Bay. Treasure Cay attracts seasonal homeowners and offers canal front homes, geared towards boaters who want to island hop from their backyard. Treasure Cay Beach is one of the most beautiful Bahamas beaches, and a lively beach bar attracts locals and homeowners.

Hopping across to the islands are Hope Town on Elbow Cay, quaint and colonial community, Green Turtle Cay where top marinas abound, and sleepy Guana Cay which is mostly residential, but with some of the funnest beach bars in the region. Those looking for more privacy chose to purchase property at Baker’s Bay, Scotland Cay, for a more exclusive escape.

Marsh Harbour receives direct flights from the US and from Nassau.

 

Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama and the Freeport/Lucaya area offer reasonably priced canal front homes. Freeport is the second largest city in The Bahamas with good health services, ease of access to the US, and plenty of options for nature enthusiasts. The community has struggled over the years with major hits from hurricanes, but it has the infrastructure in place, and is more affordable than Nassau. Don’t go there looking for a cosmopolitan city vibe, but on an Out Island level it has everything you might need.

 

Eleuthera

Eleuthera is an affordable and easy accessible escape and has been flourishing in recent years. This 110 mile long island is long and skinny, and the ocean bears down on you from all sides on the narrow landmass. To the west, is the ever-calm “Caribbean” side, and to the east, the roaring Atlantic Ocean. A narrow strip in North Eleuthera called the Glass Window Bridge, showcases the sharp contrast between the shallow turquoise banks and the cerulean blue as the ocean plummets thousands of feet just off the coastline. Empty beaches, nature trails, caves and rocky shorelines draw nature lovers for its unending beauty.  The homes on the island are modest, with very few huge mansions and sweeping estate homes, and it has a fairly low key feel to it.

North Eleuthera offers direct flights from the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Charlotte, and is the hopping off point for Spanish Wells and Harbour Island. The eclectic community of Gregory Town draws surfers and those looking for a laid-back island community. The Cove Eleuthera is located nearby, for a top dining option. Small communities of Hatchet Bay, Rainbow Bay and James Cistern dot the way down to Governor’s Harbour.

Governor’s Harbour offers a variety of dining options, a local Friday fish fry, gorgeous stretches of white sandy beaches, and colonial style homes on the hillside overlooking the harbour. This agricultural stretch provides visitors and homeowners with the option of buying fresh, seasonal produce and local food stores and farms. There is an international airport that receives flights from Nassau and the US.

A ½ hour south of Governor’s Harbour near the community of Savanna Sound is Windermere Island. Windermere Island is a well-kept secret, a 5 ½ mile long island that has been attracting celebrity visitors and royalty over the years, including Princess Di and Prince Charles who spent their honeymoon on the island, and early homeowners in the 1960s Lord Trefgarne, Jacques Cousteau, and David Hicks. Today a new wave of celebrities own property including India Hicks and Mariah Carey, and many members of British Royalty are regular visitors to the island. Visitors are drawn to the seclusion, as the island is only accessible by a small guarded bridge which only residents and their guests are allowed, and the stunning four-mile pink sand beach. 

South Eleuthera is sleepy without many options for dining or diversions. The community of Rock Sound has an airport that sees flights from Nassau, and Cape Eleuthera draws visitors looking for top fishing opportunities.

 

Harbour Island

Step into a scene from Coastal Living magazine in the color-splashed colonial town of Harbour Island where visitors and residents cruise around in golf carts and ooze an aire of sophistication. The community was one of the first settlements in The Bahamas, at one time the capital of The Bahamas, and colorful wooden homes dating back to the 1700’s line the calm harbour side. On the ocean side, three miles of glorious Pink Sands Beach is lined with boutique hotels and vacation rental homes. The island is home to the highest concentration of top restaurants in the country, and celebrity sightings are the norm. The atmosphere is probably more on the pretentious side due to the high concentration of wealthy homeowners accustomed to rubbing shoulders, but that being said, it’s still very laid back. Millionaires and billionaires go to Harbour Island to relax and get away from the headaches of their daily lives. People tend to dress up a bit more with island resort wear, opposed to cut-offs and tank tops.

This community is probably the second most expensive in The Bahamas, and you’d be hard pressed to find anything under $1m, but property prices have held their value, and it has been long-time known that it’s one of the safest investments. Valentine’s Resort and Marina is a fantastic option for those looking to purchase property, and cover costs through their rental pool. Those looking for a project have been purchasing older homes and renovating. We have plenty of experience with project management and owner’s representation for construction projects in Harbour Island, so make sure you reach out to us if you are considering purchasing property or building in Harbour Island!

The island can be accessed via flight from North Eleuthera, and is just a short 5 minute taxi ride and a 10 minute water taxi ride. You can also take the Bahamas Fast Ferry from Nassau that departs from Potter’s Cay in Downtown Nassau.

Click here to read more about Harbour Island

 

Spanish Wells

We had the opportunity to purchase property in Spanish Wells several years ago and our kicking ourselves that we didn’t. Colonial cottages were available for under $100,000, but in recent years Spanish Wells has exploded and those same homes are going for closer to $200,000. With very few options for accommodations, those that have purchased property have chosen to renovate and place their homes on Airbnb or VRBO for vacation rentals. The island was historically a fishing village with little to no interest in tourism. With the seafood industry becoming less sustainable, the  younger generation is transitioning towards drawing tourism to their beautiful island. New restaurants and bars have popped up in recent years on what once was a dry island, locals drive around in golf carts, and the north side offers a beautiful stretch of sandy beach. Locals are hard-working and friendly and the community is safe and clean. The island is easily accessible via North Eleuthera airport, a 20 minute taxi ride, and a 10 minute water taxi ride, or by Bahamas Fast Ferry from Potter’s Cay in Downtown Nassau.

 

The Exumas

How do you describe The Exumas to someone who has never been? If you’ve visited, you know the utter appeal to this beautiful pocket of the world. 365 islands and cays run northwest to southeast, spanning 136 miles from Ship Channel Cay in the north to the “mainland” of Great Exuma in the south. In between you’ll find private islands of the rich and famous, the Exuma Land and Sea Park and the traffic of sailboaters and yachters that spend the winter months at remote anchorages or settled into one of the private marinas. Snorkeling, diving, sandbars, swimming pigs, and rock iguanas draw visitors from all over the world to these untouched, rocky islands.

Staniel Cay has been attracting those looking for a community setting with the Out Island feel. The Staniel Cay Yacht Club attracts locals and visitors from all around the surrounding islands. The airstrip receives flights from Nassau and from Ft. Lauderdale on Watermakers Air.

On Great Exuma is George Town, the main center of commerce. George Town offers decent food stores, a bit of nightlife and plenty of options up and down the island to purchase your dream home. Sailboaters spend the winter months parked in Elizabeth Harbour, enjoying the beach bar scene at Chat ‘N’ Chill, and regularly organizing social gatherings, activities and even the George Town Cruising Regatta. The airport receives flights from Nassau and international flights from several major cities in the US.

 

Long Island

For those looking for a real escape, the warm and inviting island of Long Island will surely capture your heart. Just far enough off the beaten path to avoid major development, sleepy settlements offer island style restaurants, capturing a fun crowd, a mix of sailboaters that venture away from George Town, seasonal homeowners, and locals. Opportunities for purchasing large tracts of oceanfront land are available. Long Island has become one of our specialty focuses. We have quite a few connections and several real estate listings in Long Island, so contact us for additional information.

 

Off the Beaten Path

 

Located just a stone’s throw from Florida, Bimini is perhaps the most internationally diverse island, seeing folks come and go on a daily basis. There is a passenger ship that travels back and forth from Miami. The island of North Bimini, and home to Alice Town, is the busiest area. Homes and businesses are crammed on almost every inch of space. There’s a great party vibe and anglers are drawn to the many marinas. It’s the furthest removed from Nassau, and many Bahamians never even make the trek, but it is closest to Florida, so if you have your own boat, it’s an option.

Andros is a nature lover’s island. This is the largest island in the Bahamas, but is also largely undeveloped. The island has the largest collection of blue holes, a wide array of avian diversity including the West Indian Pink Flamingos, and for bonefishing enthusiasts, some of the best bonefishing flats in The Bahamas. Just a few short minutes from land is the Tongue of the Ocean for deep sea fishing, and the island is lined with the Great Barrier Reef featuring endless dive sights. You’ll find little in the way of restaurants or nightlife, but real estate is desirable on the private island of Kamalame Cay, just 30 minutes from Fresh Creek. Click here to read about Kamalame Cay

The Berry Islands are remote and unspoiled. Great Harbour Cay is a tiny settlement in the northern Berries. Beautiful vacation homes line the ocean and a few are put on the market for vacation rentals. There’s limited options for dining on the island, but locals will be happy to cater dinner for you.

For one of the most authentically Bahamian islands, venture to Cat Island. The land of obeah, black magic, the highest point in The Bahamas, Mt. Alvernia. Cat Island only has a population of about 1500 people, but you’ll find genuine souls welcoming you to their island home. Some of the most breathtaking beaches are located on the island, as well as top dive sites for dive enthusiasts, bonefishing flats of Orange Creek.

The remaining islands of Acklins & Crooked Island, San Salvador, Great Inagua, Ragged Island, Rum Cay and Mayaguana are for die-hard Out Islanders who are looking to drop completely off the radar. There is very little in the way of restaurants above and beyond local food, and perhaps a few all-inclusive fishing lodges. You’ll have to put together a great team in order to build on these islands.

 

Private Islands

Private island ownership is definitely a desirable way to live the island life. Numerous private islands are available in a wide range of price points. Click here to read more about private island ownership in The Bahamas.

 

Moon Bahamas travel guidebook will be released in early 2019 with detailed information for planning your visit to your dream island. Stay tuned! In the meantime, feel free to contact us with any questions about which island is best for your investment.