ناساو

Eat

Get out of the hotel and try real Bahamian fare. You can get greasy fish, sides and desserts at one of the holes-in-the-wall in downtown Nassau for around $8. On the upscale side, there's no shortage of waterside seafood restaurants where it would be easy to part with $50 for an excellent piece of lobster. Sbarro, McDonald's and Chinese restaurants are mixed in to satisfy the budget diner or someone who has had enough conch.

Drink

Nassau isn't a spring break mecca for nothing. The club scene is nightly and rowdy. Some popular establishments: Cover charges average $20, although all major hotels sell "passes" for $5. With a pass, cover charge is only $5, so you actually pay $10. Cover charges on weekends can climb up to $45, so it's a good idea to get a pass from your local taxi driver/hotel desk.

You can also opt for an all-inclusive entertainment pass, which will include a schedule. Expect to follow this itinerary with at least 5,000 other students. (It might be a good idea to pick up this schedule even if you don't plan on participating. It will give you a good idea of places to avoid on certain nights.)

Drinks in clubs can get expensive, depending on the club and its location. Many locals "drink up" before going out, to defray this cost. Otherwise they may be found in the parking lots with a cooler. Expect to pay at least $4 for a beer and $5 for a cocktail. The one exception is rum, which is cheap and plentiful. Cocktails with rum at a club will be strong.

Sleep

Many of Nassau's hotels are located outside the city core on Paradise Island or Cable Beach.

Stay safe

thumb|240px|Colonial wreck, Over-the-Hill

The "Over-the-Hill" area south of downtown is the poorest part of Nassau, and tourists might want to be wary. It is, however, much nicer than "slums" in the Third World and, indeed, parts of the United States.

Some criminals target restaurants and nightclubs frequented by tourists. The most common approach is to offer victims a ride, either as a "personal favor" or by claiming to be a taxi, and then robbing and/or assaulting the passenger once in the car. Take care to ride only in licensed taxis, identifiable by their yellow license plates.

Be wary of touts offering goods and services. As in other tourist destinations, some people try to take advantage of visitors. Common ploys in Nassau are to try to convince you to join on jet-skiing or booze cruise excursions.

Locals may solicit tourists with offers of marijuana, hairbraiding services, or a taxi ride. It gets monotonous but a friendly "no, thank you" and moving on will keep both you and the local happy.

Most Cuban cigars for sale in Nassau are counterfeit. Buy only from reputable dedicated tobacconists. See warning on main Bahamas page.

There is a high crime rate in Nassau. US Dept of State has labelled New Providence "Critical" and Grand Bahama "High". Crime previously among drug-related groups has now moved toward armed robberies of tourists. Recent local news reports suggest this is not abating.

Go next

Paradise Island, just across a bridge from Nassau. It is home to the lavish Atlantis hotel and resort.