Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Beach on Eleuthera and, most importantly, Garbanzo Reef off Elbow Cay, Abaco. Winter
months are best.
Virtually the entire east side of the chain is fringed by an offshore barrier reef onto which
the waves break, making surfing dangerous far out. The trade winds, however, continue to
blow inside the barrier reef, so the placid stretches inside the reef are perfect for windsurf-
ing (in the absence of other coral).
Resorts and concessionaires rent equipment on the main beaches of New Providence and
Grand Bahama. Many hotels have free sailboard use for guests.
Business Hours
In Nassau and on Grand Bahama some banks close at 2pm and re-open from 3pm to 5pm
on Friday, when they can be very busy. In the Family Islands, bank hours vary widely. Usu-
ally local banks are open only one or two days a week for two or three hours. A few local
banks open 9am to noon on Saturday.
Few businesses and stores open on Sunday, outside of the tourist centers. In the Family
Islands many stores and businesses will close for lunch during the week. Most restaurants
and cafes in the tourist centers open seven days a week. The following hours should be re-
garded as a general guide.
Banks
(
9am-3pm Mon-Thu, 9am-5pm Fri)
Government offices
(
9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
Post offices
(
9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat)
Private businesses
(
9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
Restaurants
(
breakfast 7am-10am; lunch noon-2pm, dinner 6-9pm)
Shops
(
9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat)
Tourist information
(
9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
Customs Regulations
All baggage is subject to a customs inspection, and Bahamian customs officials are serious
about their business. All visitors are expected to complete a Baggage Declaration Form.
Individuals are allowed to import $10,000 cash, plus 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes or 1lb of
tobacco, plus one quart (946mL) of spirits free of charge. Purchases of $100 are also al-
lowed for all arriving passengers. You are allowed to bring in a reasonable amount of per-
