Living the high life in the Bahamas
Getting to this ‘sun-drenched’ archipelago is now easier than ever

A tax haven with “icing-sugar beaches, glassy aquamarine waters and rainbow coral reefs”, the Bahamas is popular with “moneyed jet-setters seeking financial perks”. Johnny Depp, Beyoncé and Nicolas Cage are among the stars to have bought “castaway isles” here. The island is within reach of mere mortals too, said Alicia Miller in The Times. Getting to this “sun-drenched” archipelago just south of Florida is now easier than ever – Virgin has recently launched a twice-weekly direct route, and BA is upping its service to six flights a week. But on arrival, you will have to brace yourself for the prices – almost everything is imported, so it is one of the world’s most expensive places.
The most “glamorous” new resort in the “glitzy” capital, Nassau, is the Rosewood Baha Mar, which opened in 2018 as part of the new Baha Mar complex, “a $4bn redoubt that rises theatrically from its island surroundings”. The hotel has the largest casino in the Caribbean, a vast art gallery and “celeb-chef” restaurants. But even if all that appeals, don’t spend your whole time there – head instead for one of the “Out Islands”, which are “sleepier, more raw and, arguably, even more exclusive”. The “chichi” boutique hotels of Harbour Island (such as The Landing) are popular with “the stylish set”. Or you might head for Kamalame Cay, a “smear of sand” with palm trees and “a perfect row of villas” just off the coast of Andros, the largest and wildest island.
The eponymous family-owned resort attracts “crowd-shy” celebrities such as Serena Williams, who spent her honeymoon here. The main activity on offer is bone fishing, and there is also good snorkelling (on the world’s third-largest fringing reef). But the resort’s chief selling point is the cay’s natural beauty – the “creamy, sparkling sands”, the dazzling sunsets, the views of other green islands beyond – and its sheer peace and seclusion.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The cinematic beauty of Sicily's Aeolian Islands
The Week Recommends These scattered islands have inspired film directors since the 1950s
-
6 lounge-ready homes with conversation pits
Feature Featuring a terrazzo-flanked pit in California and a fire-side pit in Nevada
-
Is a River Alive?: a 'powerful synthesis of literature, activism and ethics'
The Week Recommends Robert Macfarlane's latest book centres on his journeys to four river systems around the world
-
Good One: an 'intensely compelling' coming-of-age tale
The Week Recommends India Donaldson's 'quietly devastating' debut feature about a teenage girl's life-changing camping trip
-
The best lemon pepper wings in Atlanta
Feature Marinated turkey wings, a Korean barbecue sauce combo and an off-menu staple
-
Film reviews: Friendship and Fight or Flight
Feature An awkward dad unravels after he's unfriended and Josh Hartnett attempts a John Wick sidestep
-
Art review: Ai, Rebel: The Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei
Feature Seattle Art Museum, through Sept. 7
-
Book reviews: 'Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age' and 'Mark Twain'
Feature Navigating pregnancy in the digital age and an exploration of Mark Twain's private life