The Islands of the Bahamas are actually comprised of 700 islands sprinkled over 500 miles of some of the clearest ocean in the world off the southeast coast of Florida. Formerly a British crown colony, it is today a fully self-governing member of the Commonwealth. On the islands, English is spoken, often with a British accent and some Bahamian dialect. The islands’ original inhabitants were the Arawak Indians, and some native words are still used in the spoken language today.

Geographically, the Bahamas are relatively flat—the highest point is 206-foot Mount Alvernia on Cat Island. More than 2,000 cays (sandy islands that are formed on the surface of coral reefs) also make up the Bahamas’ topography. The world’s third largest coral reef is found in the waters just off shore, making snorkeling and scuba diving popular water sports for visitors.

In fact, most cruise lines offer snorkeling adventures as shore excursions when they dock at Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas on New Providence Island. Together with Paradise Island, this island pair offers so much for visitors to see and do—from scuba diving and swimming with stingrays to glass-bottom boat excursions and Segway tours!

One very popular way to spend the day while docking at Nassau is at the expansive Atlantis Resort complex on Paradise Island—the largest water-themed attraction in the Caribbean. Check out the immense lagoons and tanks that are home to more than 200 species of 50,000 sea creatures. Also have a ball on the multiple water slides—some that are seven stories high and one with a tunnel that plunges through a lagoon filled with sharks! If thrill rides aren’t for you, spend the day floating on the lazy river, exploring the many swimming pools, napping in a hammock or lounging on the resort’s pristine beach.

Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean might like the pirate-themed tour that includes a visit to Nassau’s interactive Pirates of Nassau Museum. After all, the Bahamas was once a haven for pirates and home to one of the most notorious buccaneers of them all, Blackbeard.

Grand Bahama Island is the fourth-largest island in the Bahamas, lying only 55 miles from the Florida coast. Following the development of Freeport and Lucaya in the 1950s, Grand Bahama Island became an island of cosmopolitan glitz and glamour nestled among miles of beaches, nature preserves, and endless seas.

Here you can shop at Port Lucaya Marketplace, see colorful marine life from a semi-submersible cruise, kayak through a mangrove forest, bicycle along the shoreline, swim with dolphins, ride horses on the beach or go birdwatching. So many fun excursions to choose from!

Many cruise lines that service the Bahamas also make calls at private islands, some owned by the cruise lines themselves. That means that you can spend the day at a secluded destination in spectacular, tropical surroundings.