The Bahamas : Safety by City
The Bahamas - safety as a country Grand Bahama Island is an island of the Bahamas.
Tourists come here to visit amazing ecosystems of the island: Pine Forest, Blackland Coppice, Rocky Coppice, Mangrove Swamp, Whiteland Coppice, Beach / Shoreline.
The Lucayan National Park, the pearl of three national parks in the Grand Bahamas, is also impressive.
Lucayan National Park is the only place in the Bahamas where you can see all six ecosystems of the island.
Peterson Cay National Park, a small island surrounded by reefs located 2 km off the south shore, is the perfect getaway for a day trip/picnic.
Grand Bahama offers a wide variety of international cuisines for all tastes.
The local Bahamian cuisine consists mainly of seafood, poultry, or pork, typically fried, steamed, or curried, with various kinds of rice and salads.
Warnings & Dangers in Grand Bahama
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
Grand Bahama can only be safe for travelers if you carefully follow safety rules. Do not leave things unattended, keep the car closed and park in secure parking lots. Always be mindful of your surroundings.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Public transport on the island consists mainly of minibusses. They are not considered safe enough for tourists. It is preferable to use taxi services or your car. Call only licensed taxi services and make sure that the driver has turned on the taximeter.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpockets are often found on the streets of Grand Bahama. Usually, their goal is the pockets and bags of gape tourists. Also, be careful if an outsider asks for your help or offers help. Most likely, it will be a pickpocket.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
The Bahamas are highly prone to natural disasters, especially hurricanes. Over the past 50 years, 18 hurricanes have hit its territory. Before you travel to Freeport, you should study the weather conditions and tourist recommendations.
MUGGING RISK: HIGH
Armed robbery is the biggest problem of Grand Bahama. Criminals can attack you in the parking lots at your hotel or home. If you have been attacked, give whatever they ask you to save your life. Then contact the police immediately.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Although the recent history of terrorism in the Bahamas does not exist, the possibility of attacks cannot be ruled out. Avoid political demonstrations and large gatherings of people. Explore the island’s political environment before you travel here.
SCAMS RISK: HIGH
The main types of fraud in Grand Bahama are all tourists scams. For example, nonexistent excursions when they take money from you in advance, but they don’t have anywhere to go. Overpriced prices for souvenirs, magnets, jewels, and other garbage. Do not buy it. Unlicensed taxi services can also cheat on the cost of the trip. Also, sometimes scammers may demand money from you for entering the beach, which is free. Be careful with these types of scams.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
Grand Bahama is not the safest place for single women travelers. If you walk alone late at night, local men may annoy you. If you travel alone, use only licensed taxi services and always sit behind the driver.
So... How Safe Is Grand Bahama Really?
Grand Bahama cannot be called a safe area for travel.
Most likely, you can quickly get into trouble here, especially if you do not follow safety measures.
The crime rate in the city is quite high.
The main crimes are theft of things, car theft, and hacking, drug trafficking, vandalism, armed robberies.
Grand Bahama, though well known for its festive culture and friendly people, does have a high crime rate amongst its people that reflects severe social disparities.
Areas that cater to tourists are heavily policed and kept exceptionally safe. Still, foreigners should not venture outside these areas alone (a desolate beach at night is incredibly romantic, but be sure to tell the security guard at your hotel where you are going, being safe.)
The culture of the Grand Bahama does not tolerate too close communication between any couples.
You better leave your hugs and kisses hidden from prying eyes.
While the idea of being knocked down by a handsome local man may seem romantic to some, serious caution is advised.
Local men especially visit the beaches near the hotels, attracting foreign women’s hobbies.
Grand Bahama has very high air temperatures for almost the whole year, and the sun burns mercilessly.
Tourists need to wear hats and panes, protect their skin from burning, and have clean drinking water with them to avoid heatstroke.
How Does Grand Bahama Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Grand Bahama | 64 |
| Nassau | 47 |
| Freeport | 62 |
| Harbour Island | 68 |
| Cordoba (Argentina) | 61 |
| Toronto (Canada) | 81 |
| Melbourne (Australia) | 80 |
| Montreal (Canada) | 81 |
| Sydney (Australia) | 80 |
| Santiago de Chile (Chile) | 71 |
Useful Information
Visas
Visitors to The Bahamas must obtain a visa from one of the Bahamian diplomatic missions or British diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries. A valid passport is a must.
Currency
The Bahamian dollar is the official currency of The Bahamas. It has a sign: $ and a code: BSD. It is usually abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or B$, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents.
Weather
The best times to visit The Bahamas for ideal weather are December to April. Average temperatures in The Bahamas vary little and the weather feels hot for about half of the year and otherwise nice with a chance of rain throughout most of the year.
Airports
Grand Bahama International Airport is a privately-owned international airport in the Bahamas. The airport handles international and domestic flights.
Travel Insurance
The travel insurance policy is a must when visiting a foreign country. Make sure you got it before starting your journey, the customs officer may ask for it.
Grand Bahama Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 26 |
| Low °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 12 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 18 |
| High °F | 77 | 77 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 86 | 81 | 79 |
| Low °F | 61 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 54 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 72 | 68 | 64 |
The Bahamas - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Freeport | 62 |
| Grand Bahama | 64 |
| Harbour Island | 68 |
| Nassau | 47 |
Lovely experience
Been there several times already. On our first cruise we decided to leave port and see what Freeport had to offer. To our surprise, it wasn’t neither gloomy nor sad. I’m starting to wonder just how much truth lies behind these online reviews… I know each experience is different and that we all judge it from our own point of view but come one, the discrepancies are way too big.
Agreed, once you get in the port you will not be impressed but the further you go from the port the better it gets.
Renting a car is way better than driving a scooter, especially if you plan to stay here more. Get insurance and make sure to ask for rates beforehand, some are pretty sketchy.
We even decided to rent a kayak to Gold Rock Beach; the weather was amazing and the water just perfect. If you happen to find yourself here and the weather allows it, go for it, you will love it. Jeep tours, bike tours, nature tours of Lucayan park, there’s a lot on the menu, you just have to be willing to give it a chance.
Safety-wise we had nothing to complain about. We’re not the type to pull an all-nighter in the club or to roam the dark and gloomy streets at night so we had zero incidents or conflicts. You might bump into the occasional drunk character that swears and tries to get on your nerves but if you just ignore him you won’t have any problems.
Plan accordingly, use google maps to mark hotspots you want to visit and enjoy your time there. Of course, common sense should be mandatory; you shouldn’t wander aimlessly in the middle of the night or engage in conversations with unsavory characters, you will only make yourself a target by doing this.