The Bahamas’ 10 best beaches

With more than 700 stunning islands making up the Bahamas, picking the 10 best beaches is no easy task. The never-ending vibrant blue waters fringed by spectacular coral, calm surf and powdery white sand means everyone's got a favorite and it's probably not yours. So whether you're taking an actual flight or more interested in a mental vacation, here are the 10 best beaches the Caribbean destination has to offer. 

Pink Sands Beach – Harbour Island 

The powdery sand here shimmers with a pink glow – a result of finely pulverized coral – that’s a faint blush by day and a rosy red when fired by the dawn or sunset. Pink Sands Beach in Harbour Island has been called the world’s most beautiful beach by a slew of international magazines, and we won’t argue, especially when you get past the rows of blue-and-white umbrellas and loungers. 

Love Beaches – Long Island 

Love Beaches are a beautiful string of pink-sand beaches near Stella Maris, and they include a sheltered “swimming pool” (a calm stretch of water protected by rocks) for little ones to paddle in safety.

Junkanoo Beach – Nassau 

Between downtown Nassau and Arawak Cay, Junkanoo Beach is popular with locals and visitors alike, with beach-shack bars, volleyball nets and sky-juice vendors.

Cable Beach is named for the undersea telegraphic cable that came ashore in 1892 © Hisham Ibrahim / Getty Images

Cable Beach – New Providence 

New Providence’s biggest and most popular destination, Cable Beach is three curving miles (five kilometers) of white sand and sparkling turquoise sea, just west of downtown Nassau. Named for the undersea telegraphic cable that came ashore here in 1892, the beach is lined with resorts, hotels and casinos. It's often packed with vacationing families, spring breakers, water-sports operators and roving souvenir vendors. If you want a beach chair, pay a day-rate fee at one of the hotels for use of its facilities.

Tropic of Cancer Beach – The Exumas 

This spectacular white-sand beach on the Tropic of Cancer is the longest beach in The Exumas and shockingly free of large crowds. 

You'll never want to leave the vibrant blue waters at Treasure Cay Beach © Sherry Galey / Getty Images

Treasure Cay Beach – The Abacos 

The pin-up girl of the Abacos, Treasure Cay Beach, with its white sand and turquoise shallows, routinely lands on Top 10 Most Beautiful Beaches lists.

Tahiti Beach – Elbow Cay 

This small sand bar disappears at high tide and is surrounded by exquisitely clear, warm and peaceful waters. At the sheltered southern end of Elbow Cay, it's ideal for kids and is reached by a road through private property that the locals routinely use without issue. For the best views, go round the peninsula on foot.

French Leave Beach – Governor’s Harbour 

This winsome crescent of soft pink sand, just north of Eleuthera has remained undeveloped since the late 1990s. Its softly curving shore is one of the prettiest beaches in the Bahamas, with generally gentle waves in spite of the Atlantic behind it.

Cabbage Beach is a great spot for watersports © AlpamayoPhoto / Getty Images

Cabbage Beach – Paradise Island 

While the west end of this stretch of sand – one of the more popular in New Providence – is obscured by the Atlantis resort, there's public access to the east. When the Atlantic isn't kicking up a fuss, it can be a pleasant place to swim, snorkel or just stretch out. Water sports including banana boats, Jet Ski rental, parasailing and more are available.

Taino Beach – Freeport & Lucaya

The island’s second-most-popular beach, this postcard-perfect stretch of white sand in Freeport and Lucaya has ample parking, a handful of seafood shacks and the Pirate's Cove adventure park. Drive or take the ferry behind Pelican Bay Hotel (every 15 minutes from 8:10am to 11:10pm).

Dean's Blue Hole is the second-deepest blue hole in the world © Lora B / Shutterstock

Honorable mention 
Dean’s Blue Hole – Long Island

Dean's Blue Hole is the second-deepest blue hole in the world at 203m (666ft), but it's accessible right off the beach. This remarkable vertical cave teems with sea life and is globally renowned as a free-diving location. There's easy swimming in shallow waters from the sand bank. But be careful, the dropoff comes quick. It's about 4.3 miles (7km) west of Clarence Town.