First light in the Abacos. Casting in Acklins. Riding horses on the sand on Long Island. Straddling two worlds at the Glass Window Bridge in Eleuthera. Dancing Junkanoo in the streets of Nassau. The Bahamas is an entire universe.
For Lenny Kravitz, The Bahamas has been a lifelong passion. He is of Bahamian descent through his mother’s side, and he’s been traveling to these islands since long before he ever held a guitar. For him, it’s not one island. It’s a lifetime of them.
That’s the premise of Kravitz’s latest campaign for the 700-island destination, which is again tapping the world-renowned artist to remind travelers of The Bahamas’ diversity, its authenticity and its stunning natural beauty.
It’s called “It’s Not One Island, It’s a Lifetime of Them,” and the multi-video push is putting the 16 inhabited, tourist-destination islands in The Bahamas in the spotlight: the entertainment and cultural hub of Nassau, the uncrowded sands of Long Island, the fishing in far-off corners of The Bahamas like Crooked Island.
The visuals are resplendent: the kinds of technicolor blues and turquoises you really do see when you visit these islands, the sea planes, the remote cliffs, the sandbars where you never find another soul.
“If you’ve only seen one of 700 islands and cays, have you really ever been to The Bahamas?” Kravitz asks in the ad.
And you know what? He’s absolutely right. Every one of the islands, from Nassau to the myriad Out Islands to Grand Bahama has a well-defined personality and unique attractions.
There are the world-class hotels, restaurants, bars and beaches in Nassau & Paradise Island; the adventure and pristine environment in Bimini; the charming cottages and dune-side hotels on Harbour Island; the untouched beaches of San Salvador; the historic charm of Green Turtle Cay. You can go on and on, you could go decades visiting these islands and not see them all.
We’ve been to more Bahamian islands than any other publication on the planet, and we still have barely scratched the surface.
So what about actually getting to The Bahamas? Thankfully, air service is broadly available.
Of course, you can fly on just about every carrier to Nassau, and then you can hop around on The Bahamas’ national flag carrier, Bahamasair.
Most Out Islands also have nonstop flights from the United States on major airlines: that includes Exuma, Eleuthera, Abaco, Bimini, San Salvador (which has weekly flights from Miami), even Long Island.
As far as where to stay, the choices are innumerable. What are some hotels we’ve stayed at recently and thoroughly enjoyed?
Where to Stay in The Bahamas Right Now
Bimini Big Game Club, Bimini Bimini’s legendary hotel is one of the region’s true capitals of adventure, whether you’re fishing, diving or just want to slow down for a bit and chow down on conch salad. $309.
Atlantis Paradise Island This remains The Bahamas’ signature place to stay, and it’s not a surprise, given the kaleidoscope of offerings, from Michelin-star-chef eateries to the Caribbean’s greatest water park, Aquaventure. Rooms at The Coral at Atlantis start at $239.
Cape Eleuthera This is a boutique hotel set on 4,500 acres on the southwestern corner of Eleuthera, and it’s an uncrowded, authentic paradise that just added some particularly lovely toes-in-the-sand bungalows. Bungalows at $555.
Baha Mar This trio of resorts is world-class, with an impressive culinary offering of its own and some truly thoughtful, creative concepts, from Jon Batiste’s jazz club (where we just visited and were blown away by the quality) to the property’s region-leading art program.
Cape Santa Maria, Long Island It’s on one of the best beaches in The Bahamas, and this resort is a fun, friendly collection of bungalows literally right on the sand. It’s the best place to stay on Long Island, a place that will immediately pull at your heart strings from the moment you land on your Makers Air flight. Bungalow-style rooms starting at $395.
The Dunmore Harbour Island is a Caribbean, and this boutique property perched right above the island’s famous Pink Sand Beach teems with jet-set-era charm.
Graycliff, Nassau We’ve always said you can’t go to The Bahamas without visiting Graycliff, and downtown Nassau’s legendary boutique hotel remains one of the Caribbean’s bucket-list stops, with an immersive, authentically Bahamian experience coupled with some of the region’s dining. Rooms from $575.
Bluff House, Abaco One of the original hotels in The Bahamas, this is set on the instantly lovable Green Turtle Cay, with a pristine stretch of beach, a marina and a beach bar called the Tranquil Turtle.
The Sands, San Salvador This island was the first landing point for Christopher Columbus in 1492, and when you get to the actual spot on Long Bay, you’ll feel like the beach hasn’t changed very much since then. If you want to stay here, the best bet is this tiny, warm boutique hotel on a beautiful stretch of beach with a tiki bar and a ton of personality. Rooms from $285.
