Bahamas trip: Where? When?

Question

My sister and I are planning a vacation to the Bahamas. We are pretty open to where and when. At what month is it warm enough to swim/snorkle in the ocean? Where is a good place to stay that has (or is near) fun stuff to do (sailing, snorkling, swimming, etc). Neither of us have kids so something more adult oriented would be good (no or few screaming kids). We have some money but aren't rich so a good value would be nice.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The two main tourist destinations in the Bahamas are the Nassau area on New Providence Island and in the Lucya/Freeport area on Grand Bahama Island.    Nassau is the capital, so in addition to the resorts, has the things you would expect a town to have.   There are many smaller resorts on many of the smaller out islands such as the islands of the Abacos where  I spend quite a bit of time.

In the Nassau area, many of the resorts are on Paradise Island - an island which has a bridge for New Providence or on Cable Beach on New Providence.  While I've never been, I know many people have recommended Sandals Resort as good child-free vacation.

Expect more crowds and higher prices around the holidays and you will likely get the college spring break crowd on many of the beach areas around the March college break time.    The weather is generally pleasant year around, but you can get hit by the same cold fronts that hit the U.S. in January - February which can make it windy and cool, but not horribly so.   Summer can be hot and September-October bring the highest risk of hurricanes.  The water is warm enough to swim and snorkel any time of the year.

I've been to the Bahamas about 7 times now and while things operate a bit slower, it's not a third world country and planning travel there is as easy as going to any other english-speaking developed country, so you don't need to get hung up on taking all sorts of precautions.  The bahamian dollar is pegged to the US dollar, so you can use U.S. currency everywhere.

Here's a good place to start learning more:

http://www.geographia.com/bahamas/

Answer 2

You can swim in the ocean year round, the water stays pretty consistant around 70' in the winter months and a bit warmer in the summer months. I personally go in Feb to Nassau/Paradise Island to Atlantis. It's a great place to go to unwind.

Answer 3

How can you stay healthy on your trip?

The best way to stay healthy on your trip is to plan before you go. If you are planning to travel to another country, see a doctor at least six weeks before you leave so you will have time for shots (immunizations) that you may need to get ahead of time.

Also ask your doctor if there are medicines or extra safety steps that you should take. For example, people who have heart failure may need to take shorter flights with more stops to avoid long periods of sitting. Or someone visiting Africa may need to take medicine to prevent malaria.

Where can you get the best information?

You can use the Internet to find general travel health information. Just make sure the information is up to date and from a reliable source. You can also find out if there are any problems with disease outbreaks in the places you will be visiting. Try these Web sites:

www.cdc.gov/travel. This is the Web site for travel information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

www.who.int/ith/en. This Web site lists information on travel, required immunizations, and disease outbreaks from the World Health Organization (WHO).

If you are taking a cruise, you can find your ship's sanitation inspection scores on this Web site: www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp.

Find out where you can get the best medical care in the region you are visiting. The U.S. State Department’s Web site, www.usembassy.gov, lists every U.S. embassy worldwide and lists some doctors and medical facilities in those countries.

If you are traveling out of the country, take along the phone numbers and addresses of embassies in the areas you will visit. They can help you find a doctor or hospital. Find out if your insurance company will cover you. You may need special travel health insurance.

Which immunizations and medicines will you need?

Check with your doctor, the nearest health clinic, or your regional health department to see what kind of shots you should get. In the United States, most state health clinics can give you travel shots, some medicines, and healthy travel tips. If your state health clinic does not give shots for travelers, ask if there is a clinic nearby that does.

Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for most people traveling to developing countries. Hepatitis A (or Hep A) is one of the most common diseases found in returning travelers. You can easily prevent hepatitis A by getting the vaccine.

Make sure that all routine shots are up to date for you and your children. These shots can protect you from diseases such as polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, and rubella, which are still a problem in some developing countries.

If your doctor has told you that you should have the pneumococcal vaccine (to prevent complications of pneumonia) or a flu shot because of your age or a health condition, it is important that you have those shots before you leave.

The yellow fever vaccine is now required for travelers who plan to visit countries in South America and Africa where the disease is active.

You may need other shots, depending on where you are going, how long you will be there, and what you plan to do while you are there.

If you plan to visit an area where malaria is a risk, ask your doctor to give you a prescription for medicine to prevent malaria.

What precautions should you take while you travel?

Before you go, find out about the places you plan to visit. Is the water safe to drink? Do mosquitoes or other bugs carry disease? Is there air pollution? Will you be at a high altitude that could make you sick? Is it safe to swim in pools, lakes, or the ocean? Could you get heat exhaustion, sun stroke, or a sunburn?

Basic safety can prevent some illnesses:

Many developing countries do not have safe tap water. When visiting these places, drink only beverages made with boiled water, such as tea and coffee. Canned or bottled carbonated drinks, such as soda, beer, wine, or carbonated water are usually a safe choice. Do not use ice if you don't know what kind of water was used to make it. And do not use tap water to brush your teeth.

Do not eat raw vegetables, raw fruits (unless you wash them with safe-not tap-water and peel them yourself), or raw or undercooked meat and seafood. Avoid food or drink from street vendors.

In malaria-infected areas, use DEET insect repellent on exposed skin, and use flying insect spray in the room where you sleep. Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts, especially from dusk to dawn. Mosquito netting works well to protect yourself from bites while you sleep. Protect against ticks when you visit places where Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever is present.

When the weather is very hot, stay indoors during the hottest time of the day. And use sunscreen when you go outside to prevent sunburn and dangerous heatstroke.

Air pollution in some large cities can pose a serious threat to those with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Avoid those cities when air quality is poor, or stay indoors as much as possible.

Practice safe s*x. One of the most common ways that travelers get infections is by having s*x with an infected person. Using condoms can prevent sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

Getting a disease on your trip is probably what you think about when you hear about travel health. But it is important to know about other ways you can be hurt. Many travelers are hurt in car accidents. If you must drive, learn about local driving customs, such as driving on the left side of the road. Travel during daylight when you can. Always use seat belts. If you use hired drivers (such as in a taxi), don't be afraid to ask your driver to slow down or to drive more carefully.

What if you get sick while you are traveling?

Diarrhea is the most common illness to strike travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea is most common in developing countries where food and water are not as safe.

Travelers' diarrhea most often begins quickly with watery diarrhea, vomiting, cramping, and a low fever. Many doctors recommend trying to eat as normally as possible. If you are vomiting, try to drink water or other clear fluids. Watch for signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth and dark-colored urine. If possible, drink rehydration drinks to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. Most cases of travelers' diarrhea get better in one to three days without treatment. But see a doctor if diarrhea lasts longer than three days. It is also a good idea to see a doctor if you have a high fever, blood or pus in your diarrhea, or signs of dehydration.

If you become seriously ill while traveling, your country's embassy or consulate can help you find medical care. If you become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in malaria-risk areas, get medical help right away.

Should you see a doctor when you return?

If you were healthy during your trip and you feel well when you return home, you probably do not need to see a doctor.

If you were sick with a fever or severe flu-like illness while traveling, see your doctor when you get home. Also, if you get sick with a fever or severe flu-like illness for up to one year after coming home, see your doctor. Tell your doctor the places you visited and whether you think you may have gotten a disease. Many diseases do not show up right away, and some can take weeks or months to develop. Many travelers who get malaria don't have symptoms until they get home.

Other symptoms to watch for after you come back home include:

Diarrhea that lasts a long time or that keeps coming back.

A skin rash or sores on the skin.

Jaundice. (Do the whites of your eyes look yellow?)

Losing weight without trying, or feeling tired and worn out.

Answer 4

Grand Bahama Island. The Westin at our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort or Sheraton at our Lucaya

check this out this link

http://www.ourlucaya.com

Close to plenty of fun stuff. click the link explore.

enjoy)

MORE DETAILS:

The best time to travel is after the high season which is now Dec 15 the until around April 15th. Check these sites for a package

http://www.libertytravel.com

http://www.funjet.com

http://applevacations.com

If you perfer go to a travel agency. They will match anything you find on the internet and you just have to put a deposit down now.

Answer 5

i've lived in the bahamas all my life...go to paradise island. Atlantis is awesome and u can pretty much come anytime cuz we always have sunshine. And i dont think atlantis is that expensive. Of course rates vary depending on the time of year. Check it out..http://www.atlantis.com/.