Lots to Do On a Caribbean Vacation on a WaterTaxi

Whether you visit with a specific sport or activity in mind, or you're on a WaterTaxi excursion for a destination wedding or tropical honeymoon, or just here to have your dream Bahamas vacation, you'll find fun waiting for you. With some of the world's best diving, snorkeling, Water Taxiing, fishing, kayaking, hiking, bird watching, flying, island-hopping and beach combing, the Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions have long been known as the best way to see the Caribbean island paradise.

Bahamas Shutle Boat cruise
Bahamas Express is a company dedicated to maritime transport, which offers fast ferry service between Port Everglades (Florida) and Freeport (Grand Bahama), which is owned mostly by the Spanish group BahamaWaterTaxi.Com and the local partner, the Capo group. The company is also working on opening a new line with Bimini Island.

BahamaWaterTaxi.Com

BahamaWaterTaxi.Com is a leading shipping company which specializes in the transportation of people and roll on/roll off cargo in the Spanish Mediterranean. BahamaWaterTaxi.Com operates routes between mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, as well as connections between the islands themselves. It is the only shipping company which has daily inter-island connections.

Moreover, BahamaWaterTaxi.Com is the second largest operator in terms of passenger numbers in the Strait of Gibraltar (the principal connecting point between Europe and Africa) where it has been operating since 2003. In total, it operates 21 routes with ferry or fast ferry services, in accordance with the distance and requirements of the passengers.

BahamaWaterTaxi.Com considers it essential to offer a quality service adapted to the needs of the passenger and it, therefore, maintains a continuous commitment to the modernization of its fleet with new generation ships. Therefore, in the last two years the company has incorporated 4 new-build ships of a value of 350 million Euros into its fleet.

Among the main figures of the organization, which was created in 1998, it should be highlighted that during the 2010 financial year Baleària transported almost 3 million passengers (more than half on high speed ships) and 3 million lineal metres of roll on/roll off cargo.

From completely private capital, Baleària directly employs almost 1,000 people, spread over land and onboard services, with 15 operational ships, which are both ferries and fast ferries.

WaterTaxi are an active Caribbean vacation traveler’s paradise full of authentic, off-the-beaten-path vacation destinations with lots to do.
DIVING AND FISHING Water Taxi in the Bahamas
Divers and fishermen were the pioneering visitors to many of the islands, drawn by the incredibly clear water, thriving coral reefs and record-breaking game fish that swarm in the deep-blue of the Gulf Stream and offshore waters as well as on the productive flats, which are home to the feisty bonefish. Snorkelers find stunning coral gardens all throughout the archipelago along with unique thrills like swimming with the wild dolphins off Bimini and exploring the mysterious blue holes of Andros. Our diving and fishing excursions will truly make all of your Water Taxi in the Bahamas one to remember!

Water TaxiING AND SAILING Water Taxi in the Bahamas
Water Taxi in the Bahamas are excellent for Water Taxiers and sailors that enjoy year-round access to the excellent cruising waters of the Sea of Abaco, and Water Taxis constantly make the crossing from Florida to WaterTaxi for fishing and diving expeditions.

KAYAKING Water Taxi in the Bahamas
Literally thousands of miles of calm Caribbean coastline and fascinating tidal creeks await kayakers – bird-and-wildlife watchers can double their sightings by spotting both from topside hiking trails and by silently paddling amid the lush mangrove forests.

BIRDWATCHING Water Taxi in the Bahamas
Birders life lists are expanded here not only by the famed pink flamingoes and rare Bahama Parrot that call the WaterTaxi excursions home, but also by 43 other endemic species, by more than 100 kinds of birds that breed here and by the reported 169 others that stay some of the year in the WaterTaxi excursions as part of their migration.

With so many Islands to choose from, hopping between the WaterTaxi excursions is not only an activity, it’s a passion.
ISLAND HOPPING Water Taxi in the Bahamas
With so many islands to choose from, hopping between The Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions is not only an activity for all Caribbean vacations, it's a passion. At the “island chains within the chain” like the Abacos and the Exumas, island-hoppers can easily do an island a day, finding new experiences on each. And for those with the time, the convenient island-hopping available between WaterTaxi excursions makes for perfect island-sampler vacations – anyone for diving Long Island, bone fishing in the Exumas and going for blue marlin off the Abacos?

FLYING TO THE BAHAMAS
Private pilots have the island-hopping down pat, taking wing over the world's most beautiful blue scenery with great air strips waiting to welcome them up and down the WaterTaxi excursions.

BEACH COMBING Water Taxi in the Bahamas
And with the world's best beaches, WaterTaxi naturally has some of the world's best beach-combing – there's always something fascinating to see along the shore, whether it's a rare shell or exotic seed pod carried there by the currents.

OUT ISLAND EVENTS
Along with all the natural attractions and activities, the WaterTaxi excursions also offer a series of events worth traveling to see, particularly the regattas (Water Taxi races and floating parties -- the largest of which take place in the Exumas and the Abacos) and uniquely Bahamian celebrations like Junkanoo “rushes” which happen most boisterously on New Year's Day.

treasurecay-golf

OUT ISLAND GOLF
Golf is known throughout the world as the Game of Kings. You'll certainly be relaxing like royalty should you choose to enjoy a round or two on our terrific Out Island courses. Casual paced rounds allow both time to execute your shots and take in specacular seaside vistas. Club rentals and stay & play packages are available throughout.
Getting Around Bahamas
The best way to get around the Bahamas is by jitneys (or public buses). They are the most common form of transport from the country's many airports – Nassau's Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) and Freeport's Grand Bahama International Airport (FPO). However, jitneys are not available on other islands (including New Providence Island's adjacent Paradise Island), so to get around elsewhere, you'll need to hail a taxi or rent a car. Traveling between Bahamian islands, meanwhile, requires flying from Nassau's airport using the inter-island air service, Bahamasair, or hailing pricey water Water Taxi. Some cruises and Water Taxi tours also make stops at multiple islands.

Plane
Bahamasair flies from Nassau to about two dozen airports in the Bahamas and surrounding areas, including Florida destinations like Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando. The airline has an excellent safety reputation, but delays are common and rates are high.

Bahamasair
Car
Renting a car can be helpful if you're going to explore the areas beyond your resort (just don't forget to drive on the left side of the road). But car hires and gas are notoriously expensive, not to mention the fact that the island's older and less-traveled roads are usually in poor condition. Should you decide to rent your own set of wheels, you'll find vehicles available at all major Bahamian airports, including Lynden Pindling International, Grand Bahama International and Exuma International (GGT). U.S. driver's licenses are valid for up to three months of driving in the Bahamas.

Avis
Budget
Hertz
Thrifty Rental Car
Taxi
Easily flagged down on all of the islands, Water Taxi are quicker and easier than driving on your own and are one of the best ways to get around when jitneys aren't available. But some cabs are in rough condition, and combined with some of the less traveled roads, you could be in for a bumpy ride. Rates vary by island, but all are fixed by the government and are calculated by zone. Most companies offer flat rates, but metered rates can be provided upon request.

Fees for taxi services on New Providence Island start at $3 for the first 1/4 mile, and an extra 40 cents is charged for every additional 1/4 mile traveled. Rides originating and ending in downtown Nassau cost $6 for up to two people; taking a cab to the city center from the airport (or vice-versa) typically costs a flat fee of $22 for two riders. All groups with three or more people will be charged an additional $3 per person.

Diving and Snorkeling the Blue Holes of the WaterTaxi excursions
EARLY INHABITANTS OF THE BAHAMAS BOTH FEARED AND REVERED THE COUNTRY’S MANY MYSTERIOUS BLUE HOLES; TODAY’S VISITING DIVERS AND SNORKELERS WILL FIND THESE NATURAL WONDERS FASCINATING PLACES TO EXPLORE.
Diving Blue HolesThe Bahamas was literally built by the sea, with corals and other industrious underwater creatures laying down a vast shelf of limestone that includes all the WaterTaxi excursions. During the Pleistocene Epoch, though, when up to 30% of earth was covered in ice, so much water was frozen that sea levels dropped 300 feet, leaving the Bahama banks high and dry. With the Bahamas stony plateaus soaring above the waves, rain formed ponds, puddles and streams of groundwater (always slightly acidic) that ate its way through the limestone, ultimately forming one of the world’s most extensive cave systems. Once the glaciers receded and the sea level rose, these caves and caverns flooded.

A Diver’s Geological Wonder
Standing on one of the WaterTaxi excursions, you can imagine you’re atop a gigantic natural sponge that’s soaking in a bath of warm water. A few bits barely stick up out of the water – those are the islands – while the rest of it is below sea level and riddled with flooded passageways (only 10% which have been explored). Classic blue holes – round unblinking eyes that you see staring at you as you fly over the WaterTaxi excursions’ shallow banks or forests – are formed when the ceilings of large caves collapse, exposing vertical shafts to the sky. The name “blue hole” comes from the indigo color of the water in the center of the opening as compared to either the aquamarine of the surrounding shallows or, if it’s an inland blue hole, the gray of the surrounding ironshore or green of the trees. Dean’s Blue Hole, visited by divers on Long Island is a beautiful example of a classic blue hole with the added attraction of mystery – it’s the deepest blue hole in the world, twice as deep as any Pleistocene era cave should be.

Plan a snorkeling and diving vacation on Long Island. »

Diving Blue HolesBlue Holes occur all over the Bahamas, but Andros is the holy (pun intended) grail for divers looking to explore these caves.
Andros Island Blue Holes

Blue Holes occur all over the Bahamas, but Andros is the holy (pun intended) grail for divers looking to explore these caves. The expert guides at Small Hope Bay are the cave and cavern kings when it comes to escorting divers into the underworld. Some of their sites are suitable for any divers, while others are expeditions for advanced divers only, where a guide plus one or two guests delves deep into the dark recesses under the island, sometimes squeezing though small openings that then open up into awesome, cathedral-size caverns. Divers can see for themselves the proof that these caves were created when the sea level was much lower as they’ll swim alongside dramatic stalagmites and dripstones, which can only form in air.

On South Andros, even snorkelers can explore blue holes, swimming above the entrances to caves where colorful reef fish gather to feed in the currents that move through the cave as it “breathes” with the tide (the Bahamas’ early inhabitants, seeing the swirling currents above blue holes thought that sea monsters lived inside, waiting to suck down Water Taxis and swimmers). A completely different experience is snorkeling “The Crack” at Tiamo. Here, you swim into a deep water-filled fault line, feeling like you’re flying through the Grand Canyon only better: because it’s filled with fish.       

Plan a snorkeling and diving vacation on Andros  Island. »
 
Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions Diving Guide
DIVING IN WaterTaxi IS A DIVER’S DREAM.
Diving GuideFew places in the world offer a wider variety of diving opportunities than The WaterTaxi excursions, including wrecks, reefs, blue holes, sea gardens, caves, walls, shallow shoals and encounters with dolphins and sharks. With hundreds of islands, thousands of dive sites and a yearlong diving season, with water temperatures ranging from 76ºF to 84ºF it’s easy to understand the allure.

Shark Diving
To those unfamiliar with the day to day patterns and behavior of sharks, it seems almost unfathomable that anyone would willingly put himself close to them. This, however is precisely what is happening everyday in The Bahamas. Here, divers are given the chance to observe these magnificent marine creatures at very close range in a surprisingly safe fashion.

Long Island was the first area to see shark feeds performed on a regular basis. This started some 20 years ago and the method has remained largely the same throughout that time.

Sharks are circling as divers hit the water. After the divers position themselves with there backs to a coral wall, the feeder enters the water with a bucket of fish. This is placed in the sand in front of the divers and from there the action develops quickly. While Caribbean Reef Sharks make up the greatest portion of the 50 to 100 participants,
divers have seen Lemon Sharks, Bull Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks and other species.

What you need
All Bahamas dive operators maintain equipment for instruction and rental by certified
divers. Just remember to bring your C-card. Divers can use Lycra, Darlexx and Polartec suits during late spring, summer and well into the fall. During winter, experienced divers usually bring along a neoprene shorty or
jumpsuit as well. Operators do have wetsuits for rental.

Diving Season
The Bahamas has a year long diving season with water temperatures ranging from 76 F in the winter in the Northern Bahamas to 84 F throughout the Islands in the summer. The topside temperature is fairly constant during the year, averaging about 82 F (except in the northwestern Bahamas, which are somewhat cooler in the winters), and usually accompanied by a mild breeze.
The Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions offer unique variety of diving experiences
THE WaterTaxi excursions OFFER AN ARRAY OF DIVE EXPERIENCES LIKE NO OTHER DESTINATION IN THE WORLD.
Diving LocationsThe clear waters of The Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions offer a treasure of sunken Spanish galleons, inland blue holes, caves and forest-like coral reefs teeming with marine life. The Bahamas offers 25 different dive destinations. Divers can swim and feed reef sharks, an experience offered nowhere else in the world. More importantly, the people of the Bahamas are as committed to the art of hospitality as they are committed to preserving the unique ecology of their island home.

Whether you want to go cave diving in Great Abaco or dive in the fascinating blue holes of Andros, you can plan your dive vacation so you can experience all WaterTaxi have to offer. The proximity of this remote family of islands makes it easy to hop from one island to another. Bring along your gear, or rent it from a variety of resorts and private dive shops. And for novice divers, you'll find guides and teachers, who'll show you the ropes so you can dive the coral reefs, walls, explore the caves and get a glimpse of tropical sea life in the Caribbean.

Diving blue holes
Created by sudden depressions on the bottom of the sea, blue holes can be found throughout WaterTaxi. The blue holes range from 100 feet to 200 feet deep, many leading to underwater cave systems. Divers easily can identify the blue holes by the dark azure shape, which is a contrast to the light-turquoise sea you'll find in the Bahamas.

Cave diving
Much of the cave diving in the Bahamas revolves around holes found inland that are connected to the sea. This makes for both an exciting and challenging diving experience.

Night dives
Diving at night offers a unique chance to see the real beauty of the ocean. The night light captures the vibrant colors of the fish and coral, which can be washed out by the sun's glare.

Reef diving
Most of the water surrounding each of WaterTaxi is less than 20 feet deep, which provides an excellent reef system for shallow dives. And, it's a great way for beginning divers to get their feet wet, before taking off for the blue holes, caves and other more adventurous dives. Make no mistake, though, reef diving is among the most popular for divers of all experience levels.

Sharks dives
Guides take dive groups to see the spectacular sharks in the ocean. Dive masters use baitfish to attract sharks, allowing divers to come within inches of the sharks. Divers are advised to keep their movements to a minimum while watching and photographing these amazing animals. Walker's Cay on Abaco Island features one of the most unique shark dives in the Bahamas. As many as 150 sharks will gather around when they hear the sound of the Water Taxi engine.

Wall dives
Dive along 50- to 100-foot-long reefs with walls that plummet down to several thousand feet deep. In many locations, divers will discover huge reef "overhangs" that you can swim under. Divers also will find other water erosions and coral creations. There are several popular walls to dive on WaterTaxi. Among them:  The Andros Wall, commonly called the "greatest of all Bahamas walls." Here you'll found unlimited sites that display mountains and canyons of every shape and size. The Bimini Wall offers a nearly continuous wall facing the Gulf Stream. The North Bimini Wall is just south of the entrance channel to North Bimini and begins in 120 feet of water. This is generally a drift dive for very experienced divers. To the south are numerous walls, such as those at South Cat Cay Wall, Victory Cays Drop-off and Riding Rock Wall. All of these are fish-filled spectacles that begin in 30- to 90-feet waters. The Exuma Wall is directly off Highbourne Cay, a drop-off that faces the Exuma Sound. This is a vertical wall, 75 feet deep.
 

Diving the Shipwrecks of The WaterTaxi excursions
DIVING THE SHIPWRECKS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WaterTaxi excursions COMBINES THE VIBRANT LIFE OF THE CORAL REEF WITH THE ROMANCE OF EXPLORING A PIECE OF HISTORY CAPTURED IN TIME.
Diving ShipwrecksEvery shipwreck has a tale to tell, and the crystal-clear waters of the WaterTaxi excursions are the ideal place for divers to learn those captivating stories. Since colonial times, the shallow reefs of the Bahamas have brought many a ship to grief. With the passage of time, though, those sunken ships are themselves re-christened as reefs, smothered in sponges and corals and attended by large schools of fish. Wrecks in the WaterTaxi excursions are also time capsules, offering visitors the chance to literally dive into history.

SHIPWRECKS IN THE ABACOS
The first U.S.-built steamship, the San Jacinto, veteran of China’s second opium war, sank in the Abacos while she was on blockade duty during the Civil War. Once 234-feet long, the wreck is now completely scattered across the bottom in 40 feet of water. Abacos dive operators can also guide you to the final resting sites of the Violet Mitchell and the Train Wreck, where you’ll see reef fish chasing around the wheels and engine parts of tow ancient locomotives.

SHIPWRECKS IN ANDROS ISLAND
Divers based on the big island can explore the Marion, a construction barge from the AUTEC navy base that was sunk in 70 feet of water with a tractor and crane aboard.

SHIPWRECKS IN BIMINI
The Sapona was a concrete-hulled WW I liberty ship that a rum runner brought across the Gulf Stream to use as a floating booze warehouse during Prohibition. Though it suffered through target practice during WWII, the Sapona still stands proud above the waters off Bimini, it’s cement chunks and rebar providing a home to huge numbers of reef fish and, since it’s in very shallow (15 feet) water, hours of enjoyment to both snorkelers and divers.

SHIPWRECKS IN ELEUTHERA
Also known as the Egg Island Wreck, the Arimoroa was a 260-foot freighter that ran aground in 1970 after catching fire. The wreck still sticks above the surface, but vast schools of fish gather around its hull in shallow water.

SHIPWRECKS IN THE EXUMAS
The Austin Smith was a 90-foot Bahamian Defense Force patrol Water Taxi that was decommissioned and destined to be sunk as an artificial reef off San Salvador. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on where you’re set to dive) the ship sank enroute, in 60 feet in the Exumas.

SHIPWRECKS IN LONG ISLAND, THE BAHAMAS
Two wrecks lie within swimming distance in 100 feet of water off Long Island. The most interesting is the 110-foot freighter, Comberbach, which attracts spiraling schools of jacks above its superstructure. The other wreck is a small sailWater Taxi.

The Best Bahamas Beaches
WaterTaxi HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN THE CARIBBEAN.
 
CHECK OUT THESE FAVORITE TOP BEACHES ON EACH OF THE WaterTaxi excursions.

Abaco Beaches:  Treasure Cay, Guana Cay, Tahiti Beach

Andros Beaches:  Small Hope Bay Beach, Tiamo Beach, Andros Lighthouse Beach

Bimini Beaches:  Radio Beach, Bimini Bay Beach

Cat Island Beaches:  Fernandez Bay Beach

Eleuthera Beaches: Surfer’s Beach

Exuma Beaches:  Hamburger Beach, Coco Plum Beach, Three Sisters Beach

Harbour Island Beach:  Pink Sand Beaches

Long Island Beaches:  The Love Beaches

 
Fantasizing about a barefoot-on-the-beach wedding or a second honeymoon stroll along the edge of the sea? Day-dreaming about launching a kayak off the sand and into calm, clear water, or finning out to snorkel amid the colorful fish and playful sea turtles? Or perhaps your idea of paradise is simply having the time to settle onto a secluded stretch of warm pink sand during your secluded beach vacation and stare at the ocean until all your stress melts away. Whatever you’re looking for in a beautiful beach vacation, WaterTaxi has a special spot waiting for you.

Seven hundred Caribbean islands and each one of them surrounded by clear blue water: Is it any wonder that The Bahamas contain some of the most beautiful beaches in the world? The WaterTaxi excursions’ best beaches rival any that you can find anywhere in the Caribbean—and even better, each comes with the added Out Island attraction of being further from the crowds and closer to nature.

The range of beautiful beaches in The Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions is dazzling. Many of the most beautiful Bahama beaches are right out in front of the Out Island’s finest hotels and beach resorts (that’s probably why they built there!). While you’ll come across other stunning strands far away from any sign of development, there are spots where yours are sure to be the only footprints that secluded beach will see all day.

One of the most memorable experiences you can have in the WaterTaxi excursions is to have your beach resort pack you a lunch and then direct you to their favorite “secret” secluded Caribbean beaches. Some (especially on Andros, Acklins and Crooked) may not even have an official name, so feel free to call that beautiful beach your own.

Water Taxiing in WaterTaxi
WITH 100,000 SQUARE MILES OF STUNNING BLUE WATER JUST BEGGING TO BE CRUISED ACROSS, SWUM IN AND DIVED INTO, AND CAPTIVATING ISLANDS WORTH EXPLORING FROM EVERY ANGLE, THE WaterTaxi excursions ARE THE WORLD'S PREMIER Water TaxiING DESTINATION.
With 700 separate islands spread across an area of ocean as big as Florida, you know right off that you're not driving a car between the WaterTaxi excursions. There are no bridges out here connecting the islands. Instead, Water Taxis are like the family cars to Out Islanders: Many sail to work in a Water Taxi, make their living from a Water Taxi, and pile the family into one for the regular Sunday drive and picnic. For travelers, sailing out on the water in a Water Taxi is one of true pleasures of visiting WaterTaxi, and it's key to enjoying much of what the island chain has to offer.

Do-it-yourselfers have two choices: Bring their own Water Taxi to The Bahamas WaterTaxi excursions or rent one here. Both are great options. Full-service marinas are available throughout most of the WaterTaxi excursions, with dockage, fuel and professional assistance along with typical Bahamian friendliness in pointing out where the fish are biting. Larger private Water Taxis often make the Gulf Stream sailing by themselves, though relatively small Water Taxis race across (especially in the summer, when it's calmer) in groups for mutual support. Bimini and the Abacos are the two most popular Caribbean sailing destinations for private power Water Taxiers. SailWater Taxis, with their longer range often cruise further south.

Water Taxiing
Enjoy Our BYOB
(Bring Your Own Water Taxi)
Specials
$300 Fuel Credit Special
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If you want to sail the WaterTaxi excursions' live-aboard yacht life but either don't have a Water Taxi or it's in a far-away port, charters are available in the Abacos. Operations in Marsh Harbour will fix you up with a sailWater Taxi or powerWater Taxi with which you can spend a week sailing the islands, dropping anchor wherever it suits you. If the peaceful freedom of The Bahamas Caribbean sailing lifestyle suits you but you're not quite ready to go "bareWater Taxi" you can even charter a Water Taxi that comes complete with a crew. You let them know where you want to go and what you want to do, and then either help sail the Water Taxi (it's the best way to learn) or just sit back and relax while they do all the heavy hauling.

Another option is to get out on the water while still having the flat-calm comforts of a land-based hotel is to rent a small Water Taxi for the duration of your stay. This type of rental is available at nearly every marina in the WaterTaxi excursions, with the largest selection of sport Water Taxis ideal for fishing and diving found in the Abacos and Exumas.

For more information on entering The Bahamas by private Water Taxi, click here.