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The Best Paddling Spots In The Bahamas

The Best Paddling Spots In The Bahamas

Credit: Mica Andersson

The Bahamas is a stunning island nation known for its iconic, powdery white sand beaches and stunning clear water. Endless reefs and shipwrecks add character to the emerald blue waters surrounding this archipelago. These waters are ideal for canoeing, kayaking, and SUP boarding, but with 700 islands, it can be challenging to select the perfect places to paddle in the Bahamas.

Islands within The Exuma Cays, Eleuthera, and the Abacos are known for their diverse and mesmerizing paddling opportunities. The Exumas has its iconic and vast Land and Sea Park, Eleuthera has Tarpum Bay, caves, and various blue holes, and the Abacos has Green Turtle Cay and Mon-o-War Cay. There are even great paddling locations near Nassau and Grand Bahama, perfect for those visiting the Bahamas on a cruise.

You can paddle just about anywhere in the Bahamas and have a fun experience. There are endless mangrove water mazes, protected bays bursting with wildlife, and even iconic caves and wrecks you can reach on a paddling vessel. Before you book your Bahamas paddling vacation, however, you should consider a few factors first.

What is The Best Area In The Bahamas For Paddling?

The Bahamas is a country of islands sprinkled in the Caribbean Southeast of Florida over more than 5,000 miles. Almost every island can be a paradise. Still, with so many islands over such a vast area, there should be no surprise that there is some geological and climate diversity among the islands.

The Exuma Cays have over 350 islands and are a boater’s paradise. You can explore the vast land and sea park within this island chain by snorkeling, diving, and paddling. These islands are ideal for paddling, but many are hard and expensive to get to if you don’t have a boat.

Eleuthera is a great Bahamas island for paddlers looking to stay on just one island to experience several types of paddling, from mangroves to caves and blue holes. Even Grand Bahama and Nassau have great paddling locations if you know where to look.

The Exumas and Eleuthera are often considered a paddler’s paradise, but you can have a great paddling trip on any Bahamas island. Therefore, you must weigh all the outside factors to see which islands are best for your specific paddling vacation.

Factors To Consider When Booking A Bahamas Paddling Trip

1. Transportation And Accessibility

Most Bahamas islands have some type of airport or airstrip, but not all do. If you are planning an island-hopping adventure, you must research what types of transportation are available.

Remember that strong winds and bad weather can ground planes and make boat travel impossible. Therefore, if you plan to hop around a few islands in an area like the Abacos or the Exumas, ensure your plans are fluid and adjustable.

2. Your Budget

The Bahamas, like many paddling-friendly Caribbean islands, is expensive. While it’s possible to take a budget-friendly vacation to this island nation, it isn’t easy. Furthermore, the more remote and pristine areas are generally more expensive than others.

It’s best to find a budget you are comfortable with, and then start your hotel and flight search after. This will help narrow your search and stay within your target price point.

3. Paddling Shops And Tour Availability

Since most people take an airplane to get to the Bahamas, you must head to an island that has paddling shops or tours to rent essential gear on vacation. Unless you fly with your paddling vessel, you must make arrangements on the island you’re staying.

Not all islands have this type of tourism infrastructure. Ensure you stay on an island where you can rent and reserve the paddling gear you need in advance.

4. Weather And Time Of Year

The Bahamas is a bucket-list-worthy destination for much of the year, but some months have vastly different weather. In the early winter months (December and January) the Bahamas is a great respite from the cold, but strong winds make it hard to paddle on the wind-facing sides of many islands.

The spring months tend to be ideal for paddling and boating. June through November is hurricane season. You can sometimes find good deals during these months, but book a refundable ticket if you travel during peak hurricane season.

Top Paddling Locations in The Bahamas

1. The Exumas

The Exumas is a region of the Bahamas located in the Southern half of this archipelago, and it is known for its many pristine and often sparsely inhabited islands and cays. While the swimming pigs of the Exumas get the most attention, this region is also ideal for paddlers and water lovers of all interests.

There are long protected stretches that are great for island-hopping SUP adventures, as well as miles of protected coastline and waters that are ideal for snorkeling paddlers. More than anything, the Exumas are an area of the Bahamas for those looking to escape the crowds of tourists, and instead unwind in local townships and explore unspoiled nature.

There is an international airport on Grand Exuma, as well as Georgetown, a well-equipped town where you can get vacation essentials and rent basic paddling gear.

Great Paddling Spots In The Exumas

  • Exuma Cays Land And Sea Park: The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park covers a total of 176 square miles, and it protects the islands and waters within its borders. A first of its kind, this land and sea park is bursting with wildlife both above and below ground. It’s an ideal place for paddling, snorkeling, and exploring uninhabited beaches.

  • Staniel Cay: Small and sparsely populated Staniel Cay is one of the most famous spots in the Exumas thanks to the swimming pigs and nearby Thunderball Grotto. The pigs live on the island's beaches, and you can visit it on a paddling vessel. Thunderball grotto is a stunning cave that was featured in a James Bond film and is one of the coolest spots to snorkel in the Exumas.

  • The Cut/ Lazy River Beach: The Exumas has many coves and serpentine mangrove forests you can explore, but no natural river is more fun to explore than The Cut and Lazy River Beach. You can float down this natural lazy river before spilling out onto the Lazy River Beach. This is a great spot for those who like to incorporate paddling and watersports into a trip to the beach.

  • Tropic Of Cancer Beach: One of the most famous and stunning large beaches in the Bahamas, Tropic Of Cancer Beach is a great SUP boarding spot and a safe sandy launch location for kayaks on Little Exuma Island.

2. The Abacos

The Abacos, located in the Northern Bahamas, is another cluster of stunning paddling-friendly islands. The Abacos is a popular boating destination and is frequented by sports fishing boats and smaller island-hopping vessels, but it’s also a great spot for kayaking and SUP boarding.

Many of the Abacos islands are surrounded by shallow and well-protected waters. These safe waters are great for curious paddlers of all skill levels. You can explore vast mangroves, and sheltered coves, and even paddle to wrecks and reefs that are perfect for underwater exploration. Best of all, these islands are quite close to Southern Florida, making them easy to reach on small charter boats and by air.

Great Paddling Spots In The Abacos

  • Man-O-War Cay: Man-O-War Cay is known for its quaint old buildings, art galleries, and fishing harbor, but it has a lot to offer to paddling enthusiasts. Situated by Great Abaco, this Cay is strategically located near other small islands and has beautiful beaches where you can relax or launch a SUP board or kayak with ease.

  • Green Turtle Cay: Green Turtle Cay is the ideal place to paddle in The Abacos for those looking for tranquility and a bit of natural wonder. There is no cruise ship terminal or airport on this island, so you can only reach it by private boat or ferry. This keeps the island sparsely populated and makes enjoying the natural splendor of its shores easy.

  • Treasure Cay: Located close to Great Abaco, Treasure Cay is a fun place to take a day paddle. There are beautiful beaches, swimming pigs, and swimmable reefs. It’s a great slice of paradise not far from Great Abaco.

  • Marsh Harbor: Being the largest town in The Abacos, it’s easy to find lots to do in Marsh Harbor. There are marina options and places to rent gear. There are also ample spots to launch your paddling vessel and explore nearby protected coves and beaches.

3. Eleuthera Island

Eleuthera Island is perhaps the best all-in-one island for those looking to take a paddling vacation to one single Bahamas island. Eleuthera is a long and narrow island, but its coastline is packed with diversity.

There are various caves you can explore both inland and on the coast, as well as mangroves you can paddle through, and deep blue holes you can dive into. Even when the winds are strong, you can usually find at least one sheltered area on the island where the paddling is safe and mellow.

Great Paddling Spots In Eleuthera Island

  • Tarpum Bay: A quaint settlement in the Southern portion of this Island, Eleuthera features lots of beaches, with several coves nearby. Loathed on the western side of the island, this region is often protected from wind, making it a safe area to paddle for most of the year.

  • Receivers Beach: This beach features a vast shallow and swimmable area, perfect for SUP boarders and beachcombers. At low tide, you can find some great shells and sand dollars, and then paddle in the protected waters when the tide comes up.

  • Rock Sound: Rock Sound is a cute and colorful settlement that is both charming and strategically located for water sports enthusiasts. It is located near several blue holes you can swim in, as well as caves. There are also great beaches from which you can launch your kayak or SUP board for additional exploration.

4. Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama is the largest Bahamas island, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that it has a few incredible paddling locations. This big island has plenty of tours and companies that can rent you gear, as well as plenty of flights in and out of America each day.

While it is home to Freeport, a large and sometimes dangerous Bahamas city, it also has plenty of tranquility. Lucayan National Park is a large protected area with a long stretch of pristine beach where you can launch and land a kayak.

Great Paddling Spots In Grand Bahama

  • Lucayan National Park: With its boardwalk trails through mangrove forests, and a vast underground cave system, it’s no surprise that Lucayan National Park is one of the top destinations in Grand Bahama. This park borders the water and the stunning Gold Rock Beach. This is a great beach to launch your paddling vessel from, as it’s known for its long stretches of white sand and stunning sunset views.

  • East End Blue Hole: This vast cave and lagoon system is a natural water park, and ideal for those who enjoy snorkeling from a kayak, and cave exploration.

  • Paradise Cove: For those looking for a stunning beach where you can launch your kayak and enjoy a full day in paradise, look no further than Paradise Cove. This cove is considered one of the best beaches in Grand Bahama and is a great starting point for short paddling adventures.

5. Nassau

Nassau is the biggest city and the capital city in the Bahamas. It has the nation’s largest airport, and it is also the most popular tourist destination thanks to its cruise ship terminal and iconic resorts like Atlantis’s location on Paradise Island.

While Nassaue gets a bad reputation for its high crime rate, the island of New Providence where Nassau is located has several great (and safe) paddling locations. Whether you are enjoying the coastal waters near Paradise Island, or checking out the many bird species and marine life in Bonefish Pond National Park, there’s plenty of paddling you can enjoy when visiting Nassau.

Great Paddling Spots Near Nassau

  • Bonefish Pond NP: You may think that finding unspoiled nature is hard on this populated island, but Bonefish Pond National Park is packed with protected wilderness and authenticity. Located on the southern side of New Providence and a short drive from Nassau, this national park features mazes of mangroves with tons of marine and bird species, and it is best explored by kayak on a group tour.

  • Paradise Island: Paradise Island is home to world-class resorts like Atlantis, and the Four Seasons, all of which are located along beautiful Cabbage Beach. This is a nice spot to rent a SUP board or kayak for an afternoon with family, especially when staying at a nearby hotel or on a cruise ship. For those who can’t access Paradise Island, consider a trip to Junkanoo Beach for snorkeling.

Summing Up The Best Paddling Spots In The Bahamas

With more than 700 islands and cays spread over hundreds of miles, it’s easy to see why The Bahamas is a paddler’s paradise. The Exuma Cays are often considered a paddler’s paradise, with a giant protected land and sea park, and hundreds of small islands. For those looking for one island to enjoy on a paddling vessel, consider Eleuthera.

The Abacos islands are another great island chain, and closer to mainland USA, making it a quick and easy place to visit for paddling. Even Grand Bahama and Nassau, the two most popular islands, have plenty of pristine and worthwhile paddling destinations for those stopping by on a cruise or shop getaway.

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