Best Beaches in Nassau Bahamas: Which Are Worth Visiting?
Cable Beach, Junkanoo, Cabbage Beach, Love Beach, Saunders Beach, Goodman's Bay, Rose Island and Pearl Island compared: which Nassau beach suits cruise passengers, families and swimming-pig fans.
Nassau has plenty of beaches, but they do not all suit the same trip. Some are best for cruise passengers who want somewhere easy to reach. Others are better for swimming, snorkelling, a resort-style day or a quieter escape.
For a beach day with the boat and the pigs arranged, Nassau: Snorkeling, Pig Beach, Swim with Turtles, and Lunch is a 5½-hour catamaran to Pearl, Rose and Athol islands for $145 with snorkelling and lunch, rated 4.8/5 from 1,080 reviews.
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1. Cable Beach
Cable Beach is one of the best-known beach areas in Nassau.
It runs along the resort zone west of central Nassau, where Baha Mar and Sandals line the sand, and it suits visitors who want a classic beach without travelling to another island. The beach is public, though the hotels take up much of the frontage, so you use the public access points between them. From the cruise port it is a taxi or jitney ride west.
2. Junkanoo Beach
Junkanoo Beach is popular with cruise passengers because it is the closest public beach to the cruise terminal, a walk west along the downtown waterfront.
It is one of the easiest options if you have only a few hours and do not want to arrange a full excursion. It is small and busy on cruise days, with beach bars, vendors renting chairs and restrooms.
3. Cabbage Beach
Cabbage Beach is on Paradise Island and is one of the most famous beaches close to Nassau.
It is known for its long stretch of sand and its resort setting beside Atlantis and the other Paradise Island hotels. The beach itself is free, with a public access path, but there are no public restrooms or showers. From downtown Nassau you reach Paradise Island by water taxi or by taxi over the bridges.
4. Love Beach
Love Beach suits visitors looking for a more relaxed beach far from the busiest parts of central Nassau. It is on the west of New Providence, a long taxi ride from downtown, and snorkellers swim out to the reef just offshore.
5. Saunders Beach
Saunders Beach is another option on New Providence, west of downtown on the way to Cable Beach.
It suits travellers who want a straightforward local beach without committing to a boat excursion.
6. Goodman’s Bay
Goodman’s Bay is another beach near the Cable Beach side of Nassau, just east of the hotel strip.
It works well for travellers who want a broad beach and a more local feel.
7. Rose Island
Rose Island is not on Nassau itself, but it is one of the most popular beach day trips from Nassau, a short boat ride east.
Tours may combine beach time, swimming pigs, snorkelling, lunch and drinks. The Rose Island water taxi costs $67 for four hours, three of them on the island with the pigs, and is rated 4.4/5 from 662 reviews. The beach-club trip from Paradise Island costs $123 and adds a reef snorkel, a turtle stop, lunch and two hours at a Rose Island beach club; it is rated 4.5/5 from 1,534 reviews. Our Rose Island guide has the details.
8. Pearl Island
Pearl Island is another nearby option for a structured beach day.
Tours often include boat transport, beach access, swimming, snorkelling and food. Pearl Island is usually one stop on a longer tour. The 3 Islands tour snorkels off Pearl Island and then spends two hours on Rose Island, in four hours for $125, rated 4.3/5 from 3,623 reviews. The catamaran in the introduction also stops there.
Best Beach in Nassau for Cruise Passengers
For convenience, the beaches closest to the cruise port are usually the easiest, and Junkanoo is the one you can walk to.
If you want a more memorable excursion, Rose Island or Pearl Island are a short boat ride further. Before you go, set your return against the ship’s all-aboard time; the cruise-port beach guide explains how.
Best Beach in Nassau for Families
Families usually do best at beaches with easy access, calmer swimming areas, facilities, shade and food nearby. Junkanoo has restrooms and vendors; Cabbage Beach has none of its own, so plan food and toilets before you go.
Best Beach in Nassau for Swimming Pigs
Choose a Rose Island or nearby swimming-pigs excursion. None of the beaches on New Providence has pigs.
If you specifically want the original Pig Beach, you need to travel much farther, to Big Major Cay in Exuma. The Exuma powerboat day trip costs $329 for a full day and is rated 4.7/5 from 172 reviews; our guide to Big Major Cay explains what you get there.
Nassau Beach vs Rose Island
Choose a Nassau beach if you want minimal travel, are on a tight schedule or want flexibility.
Choose Rose Island if you want a boat trip, pigs, snorkelling and the feel of an excursion. Our comparison of Pig Beach and Rose Island sets the island beside Exuma.
FAQ
What is the best beach in Nassau Bahamas?
For a classic resort beach, Cable Beach is the easiest choice, and Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island is the other famous resort beach. Rose Island is the better choice if you want a full beach-and-boat excursion.
Is Cabbage Beach in Nassau?
Cabbage Beach is on nearby Paradise Island, joined to Nassau by two bridges.
Which Nassau beach is best for swimming pigs?
A Rose Island or nearby pig tour is the easiest option; there are no pigs on the beaches of New Providence.
Bottom Line
Choose a local Nassau beach if you want convenience and flexibility. Choose Cable Beach or Paradise Island if you want a classic resort-style beach day. Choose Rose Island if you want to combine the beach with pigs, snorkelling and a boat trip, and check the tour’s return time against your plans before you book.
Meet the Pigs on Your Own Terms
Thirty-four bookable pig tours from Nassau, from a $67 water taxi to a full day in the Exumas. Every one on this site cancels free up to 24 hours ahead.
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