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| Travel Guide » Bahamas Tourist Information |
Bahamas Travel Guide
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 Bahamas Visa & Embassy Info »
Full country name: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Population: 294,982
Capital City: Nassau
Language: English
Religion: Baptist (32%), Anglican (20%), Roman Catholic (19%), other Protestant (24%)
Government: Independent State within the British Commonwealth
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -5
Dialling Code: 242
Electricity: 120V, 60Hz
Weights & measures: Imperial
Money & Costs:
Currency: Bahamian Dollar |
Meals
Budget: US$5-15
Mid-range: US$15-25
High: US$25-40
Top: US$40+ |
Accommodation:
Budget: US$30-75
Mid-range: US$75-140
High: US$140-200
Top: US$200+ |
Geography: Located adjacent to US and Cuba, the Bahamas is an extensive island chain of which 23 are inhabited, meaning newcomers to the Islands of the Bahamas quickly realize that they have stumbled upon not one, but many destinations. Cosmopolitan Nassau, once ruled by pirates, seems a world away from the desert-like wildlife sanctuary of Inagua. On many of the islands, tiny villages seem lifted from the Massachusetts coast and set down amongst palms and pines and iridescent sands. These beautiful islands lie only 50 miles off the Florida coast - far closer than any destination in the Caribbean.
Climate: The southern Atlantic high-pressure system and constant trade winds make Bahamian weather consistent throughout the year, with temperatures averaging 24ºC (75ºF) during the dry winter season from December to May, and 5-8 degrees warmer in the summer rainy season. Just as a steady cooling breeze moderates the hottest hours of the day, nights in the Bahamas are temperate and, in the northern islands, even cool. Late summer and fall comprise hurricane season , delivering the occasional menacing tempest as well as less destructive tropical storms. Luckily, the Bahamas are rarely in the direct paths of hurricanes, which usually bypass the islands to the south before hitting mainland North America directly.
Required clothing: Lightweight or tropical, cottons all year round. Light raincoats are useful during the wet season.
Public Holidays:
January 1 - New Year's Day
Easter Holidays - Good Friday, Easter
7 weeks after Easter - Whit Monday
First Friday in June - Labour Day
July 10 - Independence Day
First Monday in August - Emancipation Day
October 12 - Discovery Day
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 26 - Boxing Day
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