Bahamas Catamaran Itinerary for your blissful sailing trip.
The Bahamas is 200 km of paradise with over 700 islands, islets, and cays. It is caught between Cuba and Florida amid the Atlantic, perfect for dropping your anchor in turquoise water surrounded by horseshoe reefs and white-sand beaches.
Deserted Islands await you, and whether you choose to walk the long, deserted white beaches, snorkel, or SCUBA dive the fantastic reefs, you will be spoiled for choice.
On the inhabited islands, the pastel-colored houses soothe your soul while the tradewinds carry your worries away.
FAQ on The Bahamas
The Tradewinds are steady, with an air temperature generally between 18 and 27 degrees Celcius and rising to 31 degrees or so in the high summer months.
The water temperature ranges from 74 degrees Fahrenheit in winter to 84-degree in summer.
Most of the yachts are waiting for you to arrive in Nassau. If you are coming in the night before, spend the night at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Beach Resort at the Pointe.
As a major cruise ship port, Nassau offers all the modern shopping conveniences you want. Most of the Marinas in Nassau cluster around the area, with Nassau Yacht Haven Marina being a favorite of large and small vessels.
The landscape is sublimely tropical –think award-winning beaches, coral gardens, endless hues of blue, and colonial charm.
Sample Bahamas Itinerary from Nassau
Here is one sample itinerary to give you an idea of what your trip may be. But what the Captain will do is :
- Go over a potential itinerary with you on your pre-charter phone call
- Sit down with you when you arrive on board with a chart in hand. At this time, he knows the weather for the week. Together, you will make a rough plan on where you want to go and what you want to do.
- Plans are always changeable, depending on how much you are enjoying a destination.
Bahamas Catamaran Itinerary Day 1
Nassau to Highborne Cay- 25 NM
The crew will prepare to set sail after meeting with your yacht and settling in with a cold drink and a lovely lunch! Today’s Destination is Highbourne Cay, a private island around 25 NM from Nassau. Highbourne Cay is known as the Gateway to the Exumas. With eight beaches, your catamaran may anchor off the west side of Highbourne Cay if the weather conditions are right.
Otherwise, you can tie up at the marina overnight, which will allow you to do a bit of shopping or walk around the resort. A group of sharks likes to hang out under the fish cleaning station there. Highborne is also known for the oldest fossilized remains of the reef, stromatolites, which are 3.5 billion years old.
Itinerary Day 2
Highbourne Cay to Allans Cay to Warderick Wells- 20 NM
Today, we have another full day planned. The first step would be a trip down to Allans Cay. Allans Cay is known for the many Iguanas you can find ashore and the friendly birds (in other words, nicely fed by the tourists).
The Allans Cay Iguana is one of the seven subspecies of the Bahamas Rock Iguana. They may look fearsome, but they are gentle, protected by law, and endangered. They are only found on these small cays and can weigh up to 24 lbs. Our Iguanas are always happy to see tourists bringing vegetables and other goodies.
These lizards can also jump and live up to forty years! You will find them out lying in the sunshine between sunrise and sunset.
After lunch and swimming, it is time to go down to Warderick Wells. Warderick Wells is the very heart of the Exumas, where the Exuma Sea and Land Park lie.
Exuma National Park
Established in 1958, the National Park is an exciting island with trails, beaches, and snorkeling reefs. However, as with all of the park’s islands, there are no amenities or services. However, there is protected nature—bare, rugged, mostly unspoiled, and beautiful.
Exploring the reefs, snorkeling, or SCUBA diving around this pristine area is an excellent way to spend some time, but this is a no-take area in the park, so no spearfishing. Even a quick trip through the reefs will introduce you to hundreds of brightly colored fish, lobsters, and maybe even turtles.
The anchorage at Warderick Wells is highlighted by a horseshoe-shaped channel of exquisitely colored blue water, surrounded by beaches and land with a sandbar that uncovers at low tide in the center.
Itinerary Day 3
Warderick Wells to Shroud Cay- 18 NM
Start your day out with a walk-up Boo Boo Hill for a beautiful panoramic view. Look for the Sperm Whale Skeleton located directly on the beach next to the National Park building. Or, hike up to visit old Loyalist Ruins from the late 18th century.
Then, it is time to make your way to Shroud Cay. Shroud Cay is one of the most exciting places in the Exumas. What makes it unique are numerous shallow mangrove channels inside the island, which can be explored by tender. Some channel branches lead nowhere, some to a suddenly enclosed lake, and some to an ocean beach on the other side of the island.
The mangroves support an impressive nursery for assorted fish, lobster, conch, and sea turtles.
At low tide on the south side sandbars, you can walk over them toward Hawksbill Cay. Paddleboard or Kayaks best explore these Southern Channels of the Cay with shallow depth.
Bahamas Catamaran Itinerary Day 4
Shroud Cay to Hawksbill Cay- 2 NM
Today, how about cruising down past Little Hall’s Pond Cay, aka Johnny Depp Island— and then back up to Hawksbill Cay, one of the Exumas’ most attractive spots.
You can spend leisurely time ashore walking the trails to explore the ruins of the loyalist ( Russell Family) plantation from 1783 to 1830.
Completely uninhabited, don’t forget to enjoy the numerous snorkeling trails. There are multiple snorkeling trails, and the sea life is plentiful.
Itinerary Day 5
Hawksbill Cay to Normans Cay- 6 NM
Carlos Lehder’s drug-smuggling operation from 1978 until around 1982. With the Bahamian Government looking the other way, it became an important location for the transshipment of drugs into the USA. Eventually, the USA persuaded the government NOT to look the other way!
Home to world-class snorkeling spots, a perfect location to relax on the beach, and a natural environment. After you tire, explore the jungles, hidden deserted beaches, and abandoned ruins.
On a leisurely day, you can hang out with a drink floating in the water or explore on a paddleboard.
Perhaps if you are on a ten-night itinerary, instead of heading back up toward Nassau, head on down to Big Major Cay and Staniel Cay to visit the Swimming Pigs (31NM)
Itinerary Day 6
Hawksbill Cay to Highbourne Cay- 5 NM
There are eight beaches on Highbourne Cay. This is a good day to rent a golf cart and explore the island or take a well-deserved break and hang out on the anchor, playing in the water and doing some fishing before heading back toward Nassau the next day.
Itinerary Day 7
Highbourne Cay to Nassau- 25 NM
After a delightful swim, snorkel, or SCUBA dive, it is time for your Captain to start making his way from Highbourne Cay up toward Nassau again. Perhaps a lunch underway if the sea conditions allow, and then get out the water sports! Your friendly, talented crew offers tubing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding at a beach anchorage for the evening. Try your hand at fishing and see what you can catch.
Bahamas Catamaran Itinerary Day 8
It is time to say your goodbyes by 12 noon today and book your next sailing vacation!
Bahamas Luxury Yacht Charter Vacation
Additional Sample Bahamas Itinerary and Things to do!
Luxury Bahamas Yacht Charter
