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Liveaboard Diving in Bahamas

Your Bahamas scuba diving adventure will plunge you into crystal clear waters teeming with large pelagics among magnificent coral gardens, hidden caves, historical wrecks and vertical walls.

There is no better way to see this picturesque archipelago of islands than on a Bahamas liveaboard, it's an easy, comfortable and enjoyable way to travel and explore the underwater world. It certainly contains all the elements for a possibly unforgettable experience. The Bahamas is an archipelago consisting of 700 islands located in the Atlantic Ocean. The Bahamas provides a mecca for paradise islands, crystal clear waters and thriving wildlife, in and out of the water.

With temperate weather, clear waters and a thriving marine environment, this is the place for some impressive diving in the Caribbean. The Exuma Cays area will provide divers and snorkelers with numerous flourishing coral reefs along with all their inhabitants in an area containing 365 islands. There is an abundant population of sharks in this area which indicates a healthy reef and aside from sharks there are also rays, groupers, lobsters and many more tropical fish.

The name Bahamas comes from the Spanish words 'baja mar' which means shallow water, with just about all areas accessible by divers. One of the main diving areas that will be visited is the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. With their motto being 'Take only photographs, leave only footprints' their aim is to protect their precious environment while still letting anyone enjoy it. It is one of the National Park and Protected Areas managed by the Bahamas National Trust, so due to it being protected there is very minimal damage to the environment, which allows for 'peace of mind' exploration in pristine, essentially untouched waters. Dive sites you may visit in this area include The Washing Machine, Cathedral, Jeep Reef or the Austin Smith Wreck.

With the Bahamas having large numbers of sharks, the Tiger Beach dive site, one of the dive sites offered on liveaboard trips, offers the experience of diving with sharks in close proximity. Species which have been spotted there include Tiger Sharks, Lemon Sharks, Caribbean Reef sharks and more. As there is no chumming of the water or feeding of the sharks, it is considered the pinnacle of shark diving.

You will also have the opportunity to see the romantic pink beaches of the island Eleuthera, which are surrounded by ancient, prosperous reefs.

To get a taster of the diving world of the Bahamas, Nassau and its neighbouring island of Paradise Island provide numerous opportunities. Some including shipwrecks, one dive site called Lost Blue Hole is exactly that, a large natural Blue Hole that can be explored by divers. You may also visit the humorously named 'Fish Hotel' dive site which has an abundance of large schools of fish. Their sites are of all different depths so any divers can go exploring there.

More About Liveaboards In The Bahamas

The liveaboards in the Bahamas generally run for a 8 days/7nights period with the price starting from $US300 a day, however, please note this excludes gear rental, which if needed will be $US175 per 7 day trip, or Nitrox, which starts from $US100 per trip. Diving/Trip insurance is highly recommended for all passengers. There are approximately four liveaboard itineraries around the Bahamas per month. Each one will take no more than 14 passengers. Divers are required to have their Open Water certificates, but apart from that, all levels are welcome. The dive staffs priority is your safety so they will do thorough briefings before all dives and make sure everything is on top form before jumping in.

Liveaboard trips in the Bahamas offer luxurious and comfortable accommodation onboard, with a professional and experienced crew. You will get the chance to do up to 5 dives a day (including night dives) and in between these you can relax onboard and have freshly prepared meals served throughout your trip.

Tips For Travellers

Diving in the Bahamas is possible all year round. Each season provides divers with a different kind of diving experience, all which have their own individual charm. The springtime (April and May) provide a high abundance of the Mahi Dolphin Fish, a very unique fish that is also not extremely common. In the winter time (November to March) there are high chances to see schools of Hammerhead sharks, an experience on its own.

When it comes to temperatures and diving conditions, they can vary but not to extremes that would prevent anyone from getting into the water. November commences the winter weather, bringing in cold fronts from time to time. Mostly these are mild, if stronger, then it can have an effect on the visibility, but not for more than a day or so. The waters around this time are around 25 - 26 degrees Celsius (77-80 degrees Fahrenheit) so even though it is winter, they are still pleasant temperatures to dive in. The summer months, which are June to September, have the best conditions with waters being around 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit). The riskiest months for storms is August, however, they are not at all frequent and would only affect the visibility for a day or two.

The official language is English, their currency is the Bahamian Dollar, however, the US dollar is widely accepted. Most nationalities you can get a visa upon arrival for between 3 months and 8 months. Finally, there are no required vaccinations you must have to enter the country, nevertheless, it is always a good idea to be up to date with your vaccinations before travelling.

Departure Ports And How To Get There

Bahamas liveaboards primarily depart from the capital city Nassau. Nassau inhabits 70% of the entire Bahamas population. It has an international airport, Lynden Pindling International Airport, which will be your main port of entry into the Bahamas. It is easy to access Nassau, either through flying or ship/ferry. Flights land at the international airport from multiple cities in the United States, cities in the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. You can also get ferries or cruise ships to and from other islands which will dock at the Prince George Wharf.

Grand Bahama is also a departure point for some itineraries in the Bahamas. Guests will fly in and out of Grand Bahama International Airport, (airport code is FPO). Transfers are generally not included in the trip cost. It is a 30 - 45 minute taxi ride to Old Bahama Bay. Approximate cost is $US75.

Bahamas Diving Reviews

9.0 Superb
99 Verified Reviews

8.4 Very good
Matt H
United States

Beautiful water, great weather, plentiful sea life!

Diving Bahamas in August on the Blackbeards Morning Star

8.4 Very good
Jeancarlo C
United States

A lot to see. Amazing dive sites.

Diving Bahamas in July on the Phoenix

10.0 Exceptional
Daniella C
United States

the best diving experience will certainly come back to the aquarium cat!

Diving Bahamas in July on the Aqua Cat

4.8 Review score
Robert O
United States

Low visibility and strong currents

Diving Bahamas in July on the Phoenix

9.6 Exceptional
marc Z
United States

Excellent! My only negative observation was a lot of lettuce algae on the reefs. Some reefs were covered & a few others had none.

Diving Bahamas in May on the Aqua Cat

9.6 Exceptional
Paul A
United States

Calm; generally clear waters; lots of sea life, especially sharks and groupers.

Diving Bahamas in March on the Phoenix

10.0 Exceptional
Robert S
United States

Overall the diving was excellent. While some reef decline is evident, the overall health of the reefs is good. I'll gladly make a return visit.

Diving Bahamas in March on the Bahamas Aggressor

8.8 Fabulous
Philip P
United States

The diving was good, but the sea life was less than expected. The walls had nice coral formations.

Diving Bahamas in February on the Bahamas Aggressor

8.8 Fabulous
Timothy C
United States

Diving with the sharks is a lot of fun

Diving Bahamas in March on the Blackbeards Morning Star

10.0 Exceptional
ALBERT L
United States

Little concerned about the conditions in the caribbeans being over fish but the crew knew where to take us and the dive sites were quite nice

Diving Bahamas in October on the Aqua Cat

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Liveaboard Diving in Bahamas

More About Liveaboards In The Bahamas

Tips For Travellers

Departure Ports And How To Get There

Bahamas Diving Reviews

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