If you’re planning a trip to the Sunshine State, you might want to think about hopping over from Florida to Bahamas. While it might seem like a complicated voyage, the islands of the Bahamas lie right off the coast of the United States, making them accessible and easy to reach. And reaching them is something you’ll want to do!
With stunning beaches, clear, bright-blue water, and amazing local attractions like the Exuma pigs, no trip to the south-eastern United States is complete without a visit to the Bahamas. And as air travel can get you to some of the prettiest sites in the country in record time, it’s now even possible to embark on a Miami to Bahamas day trip.
In this guide, we’re going to highlight the different ways you can travel from the United States to the Bahamas. We’ll also explain why traveling from Florida to Bahamas by plane is the easiest.
Keep reading to learn more!
A Miami to Bahamas flight makes it easy to reach some of the prettiest parts of the country.
Florida to Bahamas: How to Get There
Understanding the Geography of the Bahamas
The Bahamas features 700 different islands, all of which provide a unique experience to visitors. The country stretches from the coast of Florida in the north to down by the Turks and Caicos and Cuba in the south.
Given their proximity to the coast of Florida, most people who travel from the United States to the Bahamas head to Freeport or Bimini. These are some of the closest islands, making it possible to reach them by the Florida to Bahamas ferry.
However, while they’re both beautiful, they’re also some of the most commercialized islands in the country. Besides accommodating ferries, Freeport is also one of the busiest cruise ship ports in the world, ensuring that no matter where you go, you’ll share your surroundings with crowds of other people.
In contrast, the Exuma is a quieter region found to the south of the country’s capital, Nassau. Given its more remote location, fewer crowds are able to reach it. However, you can travel by plane to the Exumas, including on a Miami to Bahamas Day trip. The 365 islands of the region offer some of the prettiest vistas in the world, delighting even the most seasoned of world travelers. Because of that, a trip to Exuma is always a fantastic choice.
Florida to Bahamas flights transport you to the Exumas, home of the Swimming Pigs.
Florida to Bahamas Ferry: The Drawbacks
As mentioned, most people who board the Florida to Bahamas ferry do so to reach one of two islands: Freeport or Bimini. Even if you can deal with throngs of people around you, you’ll still find some drawbacks that take away from the overall experience.
For one thing, both islands cater more towards tourists and day-trippers than anything else. While they have some beautiful sites, they don’t allow travelers to connect with the country, nor do they make it easy to experience the island lifestyle that makes the Caribbean famous.
Perhaps worst of all, however, is how long of a journey a visit to either island requires. The ferry website advises travelers to arrive three hours in advance at 6:00 am. This ensures that there aren’t any issues with check-in.
If you travel to Bimini, the closer of the two islands, you’re looking at an arrival time of around 11:00 am (assuming there aren’t any delays). If you’re going to Freeport, you can expect to arrive closer to noon. As you might imagine, this doesn’t give you much time to explore the islands, as before you know it, it’s time to head home!
Skipping the Florida to Bahamas ferry gives you plenty of time to spend with the original Swimming Pigs.
Florida to Bahamas Flights: The Best Way
Luckily, you’re no longer stuck traveling on the ferry from Florida to Bahamas. Air travel allows you to zip over to the country, and as it transports you faster than the boat, it also allows you to reach the more remote region of Exuma.
When you fly with Bahamas Air Tours on a Miami to Bahamas day trip, you’ll depart the United States at 7:30 am – no three-hour check-in needed. Then, after a quick stop at Andros Island where you’ll clear customs, you’ll arrive at Staniel Cay in around two hours.
While the travel time is much shorter, once you’re on the private-class plane, you won’t necessarily want it to be. While watching the Florida to Bahamas flight time pass by, you can look out the window and enjoy the other-worldly views around you.
The Florida to Bahamas flight time is less than two hours, but the beautiful views outside make it go by in a flash.
What to See Once You Arrive:
Unlike some of the other excursions from Florida to Bahamas, a Miami to Bahamas day trip gives you the chance to see a huge number of fantastic attractions – including some of the most exciting sites in the country. Of course, you also have much more time to enjoy these given the shorter transit time.
Here are three of the many attractions you can look forward to seeing.
Staniel Cay
Staniel Cay is one of the only islands in the area with an airport. Because of that and due to its proximity to some of the sites you’ll visit throughout the day, it’s the island you’ll fly into when you travel from Florida to Bahamas.
However, Staniel Cay is much more than just a runway. It’s a stunning island in its own right, complete with a charming town and scenic views everywhere you look.
When you travel with Bahamas Air Tours, the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is also where you’ll eat lunch.
Big Major Cay
Big Major Cay, or as it’s nicknamed, Pig Island, is one of the most famous destinations in the world. It’s the home of the Exuma Pigs – the friendly, outgoing creatures that spend their days interacting with visitors, walking along the beach, and paddling around in the water. While no one can say with 100% certainty how the Swimming Pigs got to their island, one thing’s for sure – they’re happy to be there today!
Cute, friendly, and total beach lovers, the Exuma pigs are the highlight of any Bahamas trip.
Over the years, locals and tourists have traveled to Pig Beach to feed and interact with the pigs. This has conditioned them into the gregarious creatures that they are today.
When you pull up to Big Major Cay on your Florida to Bahamas day trip, don’t be surprised to see the pigs jump in the water to come out and greet you. Have your camera ready, as the Swimming Pigs experience truly is one-of-a-kind!
Compass Cay
Another beautiful island you’ll visit on your Florida to Bahamas trip, Compass Cay is home to a very different sort of animal: nurse sharks. A school of these beautiful fish inhabits the waters around the Compass Cay Marina, making it the perfect destination to get up close and personal with them.
Whether you choose to hop in the water to swim alongside them or just watch them from the shore, seeing nurse sharks that close is another one of many experiences that you can only get in the Exumas.
Miami to Bahamas Flight: The Easiest Way to Reach The Bahamas
If you’re looking to get from Florida to Bahamas, you have a few different transportation options to choose from. However, by far the easiest way to reach the archipelago nation is by traveling from Florida to Bahamas by plane.
Traveling by plane saves you time, ensuring that you have as much time as possible to soak up the beauty of the country. From pristine beaches to swimming pigs and nurse sharks, you’ll have time to see it all when you sign up for a day trip with Bahamas Air Tours.
Sign up for a tour or look into chartering a plane today!
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