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Nassau Basics

Nassau is is the capital, largest city and the commercial center of the Bahamas, a country of over 700 islands in the Atlantic Ocean just east of Florida. Nassau is located on New Providence Island, and, along with the casino and resort-focused Paradise Island, sports a population of is just over 210,000 people.

The mainstay of the economy of Nassau is tourism (60% of GDP), and to a lesser extent, financial services (15%). Nassau is the largest cruise port in the Bahamas, attracting almost 3 million cruise passengers each year. Measured by GDP per capita, the Bahamas is the third richest country in the Americas, after the US and Canada.

Nassau has a tropical marine climate, with year-round daytime temperatures ranging from the low to high 80s F. The dry season begins in November and lasts through May while the rainy season commences in June and extends through October, with the heaviest rains taking place from June through August.

First Impressions

Your ship will dock at the Prince George Wharf, which is adjacent to downtown Nassau. The Wharf can accommodate up to 7 ships at the same time--Nassau is a very popular and busy cruise port. As you make your way from your ship to town, you'll pass through the Festival Place Welcome Center, a building that houses a number of services for travelers. It's a short and easy walk from your ship into the bustling downtown area. If you're taking an excursion that begins by bus or van, your vehicle will pick you up at the water fountain to the left as you exit the Welcome Center.

Nassau is a port about which visitors have a definite opinion--they either like it or hate it. Prices are generally higher than in the US, and most people who dislike the place say that there's an interesting casino, and it's various attractions--the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island--and nothing else that tickles their fancy. We're of the opinion that there's always something interesting to see and do no matter where you go, and that's especially true of Nassau. Beaches, shopping, food, snorkeling and exploring the cultural draws of the island make Nassau a fun place to visit, no matter how jaded you may be.

When it's busy with cruise ships in Nassau, it's really busy; seven ships can dock at the same time, meaning that there's 15,000 to 20,000 cruise passengers roaming the streets all at once, heading for the outlying islands and crowding the restaurants and shops (along Bauy Street) of the city. The merchants in the Straw Market sit back and smile, the taxi drivers appreciate their good luck, and the roulette wheels at the Atlantis Casino spin with extra fervor.

When you're visiting Nassau, it's important to get into the spirit of the place. Bahamian food can be very interesting, there are some beautiful reefs to explore, and to an extent, like Las Vegas, what happens in Nassau stays in Nassau. After all, you'll be heading out to an Out Island in short order, so enjoy the place for what it is.

Time Zone

Nassau is on Eastern Time, five hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time during Standard Time, and six hours earlier than GMT during Daylight Savings Time.

Language

English is universally spoken in Nassau.

Currency

The Bahamian Dollar is the Bahamas official currency, and uses the "$" sign to denote the dollar amount. The currency trades at par with the US dollar in the Bahamas, but the island's currency is significantly less valuable outside of the islands.

Banks and ATMs

In the Bahamas, ATMs typically accept cards that link to the Cirrus and PLUS networks. ATM machines in hotels and casinos often dispense both US dollars and Bahamian dollars, while ATMs inside banks usually dispense only Bahamian dollars. Here is a list of ATMs in the Nassau/Paradise Island areas:

Royal Bank of Canada has 10 branches in Nassau with ATMs. You'll find ATMs at 101 East Hill Street, the Mall at Marathon, 323 Bay Street and the Cable Beach Shopping Centre.

Bank of Nova Scotia/Scotiabank: has ATMs in the Festival Place Welcome Center, at the Wyndham Crystal Palace Resort, at the Atlantis Resort and in Nassau on Marlborough Street and Navy Lion Road, at Cable Beach and their Main Office downtown.

First Caribbean has a number of ATMs in Nassau, including at Cable Beach, Bay and Parliament Streets, Mall at Marathon and Harbour Bay.

See our Nassau ATM map for the locations of the above ATMs.

Using US Dollars in Nassau

Since US dollars are widely accepted in Nassau, you don't have to change your US dollars into Bahamian dollars.

© istockphoto.com/Tyrannosaur

Weather

Nassau enjoys a warm, agreeable climate that varies little year-round. Cooled by the trade winds that blow almost continually throughout the islands, winter temperatures (September through May) range from lows of 60° F at night to afternoon highs in the low- to mid-70s° F. Summer high temperatures (June through August) average between 80 to 90° F. Sea surface temperatures normally vary between 74° F in February to 83° F in August.

It's humid in Nassau, especially in the summer months. Wind speeds are, on average, below 10 knots. In winter months, periods of a day to two of north and northeast winds of about 25 knots may occur.

Rain showers can occur any time of the year, but the rainiest months are May to October. In Nassau, rainfall averages two inches a month from November to April and six inches a month from May to October. Rainfall comes mainly in the form of heavy showers or thundershowers, which clear quickly.

Sea surface temperatures normally vary between 74° F in February to 83° F in August.

Hurricane season lasts from June through November, although most hurricanes track north of the island. The peak months for hurricanes are August and September. The Bahamas have about a one-in-five annual risk of being affected by a hurricane.

Nassau Average Temperatures
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High - F	78	78	80	82	86	88	90	90	89	86	82	79
Avg High - C	25	26	27	28	30	31	32	32	31	30	28	26
Avg Low - F	63	63	64	67	71	74	75	75	75	73	70	65
Avg Low - C	17	17	18	20	21	23	24	24	24	23	21	18

Nassau Average Precipitation
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg, Inches	1.6	1.9	2.1	2.7	4.2	8.6	6.3	9.3	6.5	6.4	3.2	2.0
Avg, mm	39	50	54	69	106	218	161	236	164	162	81	50
Days w/ rain	8	6	7	8	10	15	17	19	17	15	10	8

Nassau Weather Forecast, The Bahamas

Keeping In Touch

Internet Cafes/Wi-Fi Hotspots

You can find several internet cafes in Nassau, as well as a number of locations that provide free Wi-Fi. Here are a few suggestions:

Festival Place Welcome Center, at the Prince George Wharf. They've got 4 internet terminals, as well as Wi-Fi. The cost is $5 per hour for the computers, and $5 per day for the Wi-Fi.

Tikal Internet Cafe, on Bay Street in the heart of downtown Nassau. It's one of the largest internet cafes in Nassau; they've also got Wi-Fi. They charge $0.20 per minute. Open daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tel: (242) 322-1050.

Net Deli Internet Cafe, located at East and Bay Streets next to QBC. It's one of the largest internet cafes in Nassau, and a mere 3 minute walk from the Cruise Terminal. Open daily 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Tel: (242) 676-6986.

Starbucks offers free Wi-Fi at each of their 7 stores on Nassau and Paradise Island.

McDonalds offers free Wi-Fi in their downtown Nassau store.

See our Map of Nassau Internet Cafes & Wi-Fi Hotspots for the locations of the above internet access points.

Finding US Newspapers

You won't find US newspapers in Nassau.

Kindle Connectivity

In Nassau, you can download your Kindle newspaper and magazine subscriptions, as well as books and selected blogs, through BTC's EDGE/GPRS coverage in Nassau and on Paradise Island.

Local Holidays & Festivals

Look for the following local festivals, holidays and events taking place in Nassau in 2012:

New Year's Day, January 1. National holiday celebrated with dances and festivals.

Good Friday, April 6. A public holiday.

Easter Monday, April 9. A public holiday.

Whit Monday, May 28. This holiday is celebrated the day after Pentecost, a movable feast in the Christian calendar.

Labour Day, June 1. A public holiday that celebrates the contributions of workers.

Independence Day, July 10. A national public holiday that commemorates the independence of the Bahamas from the British that took place on July 10, 1973.

Emancipation Day/August Monday, August 6. A national public holiday that commemorates the official abolition of slavery in 1838. Look for a Junkanoo, a traditional African street parade of music, dance, and art held in Nassau.

Discovery Day/ National Heroes Day/ Columbus Day, October 12. A national holiday that commemorates the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

Christmas, December 25. A public and religious holiday celebrating the birth of Christ.

Boxing Day, December 26. A public holiday.

Junkanoo, December 26. The Bahamas' Christmas celebration, with party-goers dressed in masquerade costumes parading in the streets in celebration of their West African and slave heritage.

Cruise Lines Making Port

Nassau is the most popular port in the Caribbean; cruise ships making the 2-, and 3-, 4- and 7-day cruises to the Bahamas from Florida ports as well as Charleston, Baltimore and New York regularly make port in the city. In 2012, Nassau will host just under 3,075,000 cruise ship passengers sailing on 1,150 ships. If you'd like to see which cruise ships are scheduled to make port in Nassau, check out our Nassau Cruise Ship Schedule - 2012.

The following cruise lines currently make port in Nassau: