20 Magical Things to Do in Bimini, Bahamas

Bimini are two islands on the edge of the Gulf Stream, where some say you can snorkel the road to the lost city of Atlantis. But trust me: it gets even more amazing than that. I had great fun exploring these islands I used to sail to with my family about 20 years ago.

Read on for 20 magical things to do in Bimini, Bahamas, a place that about two thousand people also call home.

How to Get to Bimini

There are at least four ways to get to Bimini: private boat, cruise ship, plane or seaplane, and ferry.

• Private boat – Avoid crossing the Gulf Stream with a north wind, and be sure to fly the quarantine flag until you clear customs and immigration.
• Cruise ship – Over the past twenty years, North Bimini has developed to accommodate large cruise ships; then in 2021, Resorts World Bimini Cruise Port opened up. Cruise lines like Carnival, Crystal, Virgin, and MSC can now dock directly at the island.
• Plane or seaplane – The quickest way to get to Bimini from Florida is by plane. You will land in South Bimini and then can take the quick ferry ride to North Bimini. (You can find flights here.) If you want to fly by seaplane, you will land and dock at North Bimini. Tropic Ocean Airways is the only seaplane line in Florida that offers flights to Bimini (and the rest of the Bahamas).
• Ferry – Because Bimini is only fifty miles off the coast of Florida, you can also take a ferry from Fort Lauderdale or Miami. 

Know Before You Go

• The best time to visit is in April and May, because of the mid-70s weather, the northeasterlies having dissipated, and the hurricanes being still at bay. You’ll also avoid a lot of the big crowds, which tend to congregate in January, February, and March.
• Fellow female travelers, you must be wearing a shirt if you enter a public building — a sports bra or swimsuit top won’t cut it.
• The Bahamian dollar is equal to one US dollar, and the latter is accepted most everywhere.
• Everybody is on island time, which means shops open when the owner arrives and close when the owner leaves.
• Bring a hydrocortisone cream in case you get into a poisonwood tree. You’ll also need your passport, some reef-friendly sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses, as well as a good pair of water shoes and a sweater (the breeze gets chilly at night).
• Don’t pick starfish out of the water. Even just a few minutes of air time will kill them.

Things to Do in North Bimini

You’ll probably spend most of your time in North Bimini. This is where a majority of the…