Bahamas Information
The Bahamas is justifiably famous for shark diving. Forget the fleeting glimpse of sharks that you might have seen out in the blue in other destinations. In the Bahamas, shark encounters are typically up close and personal. Caribbean reef sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks, bull sharks, great hammerheads, tiger sharks and even oceanic white-tips can all be found in the Bahamas. Most dive centres offer shark experience dives to ensure divers successful shark spotting.
Diving around the blue holes in the Bahamas is a unique and thrilling experience. Blue holes are underwater sinkholes or caves with distinctively deep blue water, often connected to the ocean through tunnels or passages. This requires proper training and experience due to the depth and sometimes complex underwater structures. Many dive operators in the Bahamas offer guided excursions to these unique sites, providing divers with unforgettable encounters with the mysteries of these underwater geological formations.
Resort & liveaboard diving
The size of the island chain, and the variety of both diving and atmosphere between the islands, makes the Bahamas an ideal destination for a twin centre holiday or a land and liveaboard combination.
Which location should I visit
Diving out of New Providence (Nassau)
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas and home to Nassau, the Bahamas capital city, and its international airport. Most visitors to the island chain will at some point pass through New Providence and enjoy its vibrant culture and international restaurants and nightlife.
Below water, New Providence is teeming with colourful reefs and spectacular coral walls, including the eponymous Shark Wall, which drops from 10m to an incredible 2km or more, and is home to a community of grey Caribbean reef sharks. A dive here is often part of the thrilling Shark Adventure programme in which a ‘free swim’ dive is followed by a second shark feeding dive.
Nassau is also well-known for its diverse wreck diving. Here you can dive everything from historical cutters to artificially-sunk freighters, a make-believe Vulcan bomber and a twin Cessna used as underwater film sets in James Bond, Jaws and many other movies.
Diving in Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama Island, the third-largest island in the Bahamas, is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and abundant marine life. The island is also a world-renowned diving destination, offering a variety of dive sites suitable for all levels of experience.
Diving enthusiasts venturing to Grand Bahama Island are in for a treat, as this Caribbean paradise offers some of the most exhilarating diving opportunities. The island boasts crystal-clear waters and diverse marine ecosystems.
For those who appreciate maritime history and underwater exploration, Theo's Wreck provides a captivating dive. Sunk in 1982, this freighter has transformed into an artificial reef, attracting a plethora of marine species. Divers can navigate the ship's structure, surrounded by schools of colourful fish and delicate corals.
The enchanting Sugar Wreck, resting just off the shores of Grand Bahama, is another highlight for keen wreck divers. This sunken freighter has become a thriving habitat for marine life, including angelfish, grouper, and moray eels. With its shallow depth, it's an accessible site suitable for divers of all skill levels.
At Tiger's Paw, divers explore a stunning wall that plunges to depths of over 30 metres. This site is known for its impressive coral formations, sponges, and sea fans. It's also an ideal location for spotting pelagic species, making it a dream come true for underwater photographers.
Lastly, the captivating Silver Point Reef beckons underwater photographers and nature enthusiasts. Here, you'll find vibrant coral gardens teeming with marine life. Stingrays, turtles, and schools of tropical fish are just a few of the enchanting sights awaiting divers at this beautiful reef.
Grand Bahama Island is also one of the best places in the world to dive with sharks. Dedicated shark diving trips are available every week of the year to dive with Caribbean Reef Sharks at the famous Shark Alley dive site, with Lemon Sharks and Nurse Sharks also frequently seen.
Tiger Beach is also renowned for sightings of Tiger Sharks. These large, apex predators are known for their distinctive tiger stripes. Tiger beach dives are typically offered by liveaboard dive boats; however, trips can also be arranged from the resort between December and April, subject to minimum numbers and weather conditions. The sharks are often very curious and inquisitive, and they may even approach divers. It's an unforgettable experience to see these amazing creatures up close and personal.
Diving in Bimini
Bimini, the most westerly island in the Bahamas, is a 45-minute flight from either Miami or Nassau. It has become recognised in recent years for its world-class diving and snorkelling. The crystal-clear waters are home to wild dolphins, an abundance of fish, wrecks and sharks, including the great hammerhead.
The island offers a diverse range of dive sites, suitable for all levels of experience. Bimini's coral reefs are vibrant and teeming with life. Keep an eye out for colourful fish, turtles, rays and more. In addition to coral reefs sheer walls drop into the deep blue, where you can see pelagic fish such as sharks, tuna and barracuda. Bimini is also home to several shipwrecks, including the SS Sapona, one of the highlights of the area, along with a number of fascinating blue holes and caverns. Other highlights include the Continental Shelf drift dive (suitable for experienced divers only), Rainbow Reef, Tuna Alley and the Nodules.
Bimini is one of the best places in the world to dive with great hammerhead sharks. These majestic creatures congregate in the shallow waters off South Bimini from November through to April each year, with daily excursions offered in these months.
After anchoring at Hammer Headquarters, divers will begin setting up for the dive (set up includes baiting the water). Once the setup is complete, it is time to start looking for sharks. This process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to several hours. Once a great hammerhead is attracted and is comfortable, divers will be invited to enter the water. The dive is in approximately 6 metres of water, so tanks will last a long time.
Once divers are out of air and because the bottom time is so long, it is suggested to go up, get some food and rest before going down again. However, divers are always welcome to dive, dive, dive! Keep in mind that the average water temperature during hammerhead season is around 21°C, so it is always recommended to wear a full 5mm wetsuit, hood and gloves. Excursions are limited to just 14 divers and booking well in advance is recommended.
Twin-centre & liveaboard options
The size of the island chain, and the variety of both diving and atmosphere between the islands, makes the Bahamas an ideal destination for a twin centre holiday. Please contact a member of the Regaldive team to explore the many options available.
Regaldive also offer liveaboard itineraries on-board Bahamas Aggressor which sails out of Nassau and explores the beautiful Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, and Freeport (Grand Bahama) taking in the exciting Tiger Beach. We also offer liveaboard itineraries on-board Bahamas Master which include Grand Bahama, Bimini, Cat Island and Pig Beach. Find out more about Bahamas Liveaboards here.
