The Bahamas is best known for its beautiful turquoise waters, the swimming pigs, amazing fishing, and great island vibes. Get luxurious by staying in 5-star hotels and dining at amazing restaurants or keep it casual and enjoy delicious local food and experiences. Or do a little of both!

When traveling to the Bahamas from Miami, you have a few options. You can go by boat, by ferry or by plane, let’s dive into these!

Best ways to get from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas

The best option by far is by plane. Flying into the Bahamas is going to be all around the best option because it’s cheap, quick, and convenient. You might be surprised to find out that a flight from Miami to Nassau is about a 35-minute trip. It’s incredibly close, at only about 180 miles away.

When flying, you literally take off are in the air for 10 minutes and then start your descent. It’s painfully quick! With this being said, I truly believe that flying is your best option. There are quite a few airlines, specifically Jetblue, Bahamasair, American Airlines, Silver Airways, and Frontier doing multiple daily flights from Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

In addition to the quick flight time, you can enjoy a beautiful view from the plane of The Bahamas’ beautiful 50 shades of blue waters. It is truly an enjoyable experience and gets me every time. I absolutely love flying to Nassau from Miami for the convenience and the beauty, it’s a win-win.

Once you land in Nassau from Miami, it’s a relatively quick process. You’ll pull up to the gate quite quickly, and customs is usually fast. I would say if you aren’t checking a bag you can get from the plane to outside the airport in about 15 minutes. During the busy season, you may find some lines at immigration, but usually, you’ll be able to just fly through and you’ll be ready to start your vacation in no time!

3 Ways to get to Nassau, the Bahamas from Florida via Plane

• Commercial Flight (round trip cost $200 per person) via Jetblue, Bahamasair, American Airlines, Silver Airways and Frontier.
• Semiprivate Flight (roundtrip cost $600 + per person) via Golden Wings Charter or Tropix Air.
• Private Flight (roundtrip cost starting at $4,000 for the plane) contact me to inquire.

2 Ways to get to Staniel Cay, Exuma from Bahamas for a day trip

• Semiprivate Flight via Makers Air or Staniel Air (roundtrip cost $600 + per person)
• Private Flight (roundtrip cost starting at $4,000 for the plane) contact me to inquire.

Miami to Nassau by Boat

Nassau is approximately 180 miles from Miami. You can surely take a boat ride over; it will take you about 8 hours. The journey via boat from Miami will require a skilled captain and a boat that can handle the Atlantic oceans. Depending on the weather conditions it could be quite a rocky and long ride.

If you are sailing, this journey will take you about 3 days, and you’ll want to make a few stops at other islands and Cays on your way over.

If you are planning to stay in Nassau for a while, then a boat is definitely doable, but you must consider that is much more expensive than flying, it is a long journey that is likely more uncomfortable. If you are popping over to Nassau from Miami for a quick trip you should not consider this option as it’s not doable in that time frame.

If you are just trying to get to The Bahamas, and don’t care about what island, Bimini is about 50 miles away from Miami and can be accessed much quicker for a day trip, probably 1-2 hour boat ride. If you are just trying to escape for a quick Caribbean Island fix, you should consider hiring a boat to take you to Bimini.

Miami to Nassau by Ferry

Currently, there is not a ferry coming to Nassau from Miami. The only option of a ferry ride to the Bahamas is to Bimini. The ride is about 2 hours long and will cost $100 per person via Baleria. If you are interested in a quick getaway, Bimini will do the trick!

Enjoy a conch salad and a few daiquiris as you enjoy beautiful beaches and great island vibes.

 

Affordable Trip from Miami to Nassau in 2022

Day trips from Miami to the Bahamas are desirable because of the proximity (about 180 miles), and a quick 35-minute flight. Hit the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas and enjoy the island vibes as you sip a daiquiri, swim with the pigs, and chill out with the locals.

It’s not so much the affordable part that makes this difficult, but rather the convenience part. Of course, it’s doable, and you can pay around $200 for a round trip flight, but once you incorporate airport waiting time, Covid Testing, etc., it becomes not worth it to do a day trip.

The best way to experience the Bahamas at an affordable is to book a 1-night stay in Nassau. You can find Airbnb and hotels for $150 / night, check out my Affordable Beach Rentals in Nassau blog post. Round trip flights from Miami are about $200 round trip on Jetblue, Bahamasair, American Airlines, Silver Airways, and Frontier. If you can stay one night you can have much more time to explore. My hotel suggestions are Compass Point or Orange Hill.

What to do in the Bahamas?

The Bahamas, stretching over 760 miles and containing over 700 Islands & Cays, offers many beautiful sights and activities. From blue holes to sandbanks, swimming with sharks and pigs, there are so many exciting and life-changing experiences to be had in the Bahamas.

Interacting with tourists daily, I have had hundreds of people tell me that some of these experiences were the “best days of their lives” …their words, not mine! I couldn’t agree more with that statement, and you will forever remember the Bahamas after doing some of these experiences. Check out my Bahamas Bucket List Guide for the 10 best things to do in the Bahamas.

Some of my Favorite things to do in Nassau are a Rose Island Half Day Excursion, exploring and chilling at Love Beach, snorkeling the underwater Atlas Statues at Clifton Pier, enjoying a Daquiri at the Daq Shack, and swinging into Bon Vivants for a delicious coffee!

Additionally, if you are just in town for a few days, you should check out my guides Best Things to Do in Nassau, Bahamas and Best Beaches in Nassau, Bahamas. These are affordable, maybe even free activities to do while visiting Nassau.

Pig Beach for a Day Trip from Miami

Can you do Pig Beach on a day trip from Miami? As mentioned previously, planning a day trip from Miami will be quite tight on time and I suggest staying for at least one night in Nassau. There are two options for pigs in Nassau. One is Da Pig Village, they offer a great pig beach tour service and you will get to swim with the pigs and enjoy a beautiful beach.

Your second option is to book a tour to Rose Island with Float Your Boat Bahamas. We offer a half-day excursion with the option to go to Rose Island Pig Beach. This is a fantastic day and if you spend your money on anything in the Bahamas this should be it. This is a private boat experience for just you and your group, we offer transportation, and our captains are locals with the best knowledge.

Our Rose Island Pig Beach Tour includes swimming with the turtles, snorkeling beautiful reefs, swimming with the Rose Island pigs, and exploring the beautiful untouched beaches of Rose Island. This is a day to remember! Usually, about 4 hours and the cost starts at $750. Contact us today to get more info!

Is the Bahamas expensive?

The Bahamas is on definitely the higher end of things when it comes to cost and Caribbean islands. Everything is imported and therefore more expensive than in the U.S and other places. Food is one of the most expensive things you will experience when traveling to The Bahamas. You can expect to pay double the price for both groceries and eating out.

You can find some rentals for relatively comparable prices. The Bahamas is a destination for tourists therefore we have high prices here as people are willing to pay the price. Excursions, activities, etc. will all cost about $100 per person minimum.

Transportation in The Bahamas

Once you arrive in The Bahamas, the best way to get around, especially on a time crunch would be to rent a car. There are many car rental places that start around $50 per day. You will be required to pay a $200 refundable deposit and required to fill the gas tank up when you drop off the car.

We have buses and taxis as well, but the buses are inconsistent, and taxis are super expensive. If you are coming on a time crunch, there is no better and more affordable option than renting a car. We do not have services like Uber and Lyft in the Bahamas.

What paperwork will you need for a trip to the airport to go to The Bahamas?

To enter the Bahamas, you will need an approved travel health visa and either a negative antigen test (if vaccinated) or negative PCR test (if unvaccinated) within 3 days of your travel date. Day 0 is the day you take your test. You will need to upload your test results to the travel visa sight. Upon approval, you will be prompted to pay $40. Once you make the payment you will receive your approved travel health visa and will be able to travel to the Bahamas. You will be required to show both your test and your travel visa to an agent at the airline prior to your departure as well as the customs agent when you land in the Bahamas.

Additionally, when you return to the U.S., you will have to take an antigen test within 24 hours of your departure. The U.S requires you to fill out an attestation form and upload your results prior to your departure.

How and where to take the COVID test for The Bahamas

There are testing sites all over The Bahamas, they are easy to access and have reputable testing. You will want to ensure the sites are open prior to going, specifically on Holidays & Sundays. My two recommended testing places are Eden Well & Access Medical.

The Bahamas is a fantastic place to visit, especially if you are traveling from Florida. It is so close and will be an amazing quick trip for you to experience. The more time you have the better, day trips are doable but not recommended. Come stay for a while and enjoy all the best things the Bahamas has to offer, you won’t be disappointed in your choice!