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Diving Bahamas
Diving in the Bahamas has all the right ingredients and diversity. Coral reefs, blue holes, walls, caves, shipwrecks, sharks, dolphins, and stingrays provide a diver’s dream location. The variety of islands in the Bahamas present a variety of diving experiences for beginners to experts. Lessons and guides can be found throughout the islands. The Bahamas is a true multi-destination country, offering a variety and diversity of dive profiles, lifestyles, and vacation options that few can match. For years, the Bahamas have been one of the most popular dive and vacation destinations in the world.
Best time to dive
Northerly winds and cooler temperatures can disrupt diving in the winter months. May through November is summer, meaning warmer temperatures and nicer diving.
Visibility
Visibility is often 80+ feet.
Water temperatures
Water temperatures vary between 74 °F in February and 84 °F in August.
Weather and climate
The trade winds that blow almost continually throughout the islands of the Bahamas give the islands a warm climate, which varies little year round. The nicest time is between September and May, when the temperature averages 70 to 75 °F. The rest of the year is warmer with temperatures between 80 and 85 °F. The islands have a temperate climate ranging with high humidity in the summer months. Nighttime temperatures are generally cooler by 5 to 7 degrees.
Language
English with a Bahamian dialect
Passport/Visa requirements
U.S. citizens need one of the following: passport, birth certificate or original naturalization/citizenship certificate, accompanied by a return or onward journey ticket and proof of funds to support the visit. Stays cannot exceed eight months. Citizens from other countries must have a passport that is valid for six months beyond the dates of travel and a return or onward journey ticket and proof of funds to support the visit.
Currency
Bahamian dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Electrical current
110 volts AC is available without adapters. It is recommended to use surge protectors with sensitive equipment.
Capital
Nassau
General information
Some of the islands that make up the Bahamas are Bimini, Nassau, Grand Bahama, Abacos, Exumas, Cat Island, just to name a few. The islands of the Bahamas are a 100,000 square mile archipelago that extends over 500 miles and includes some of the clearest water in the world. With 700 islands, including uninhabited cays and large rocks, the total estimated land area is 5,382 square miles and register a highest land elevation of 206 feet. Each island has it’s own diversity that continues beyond geography, carrying through to the heart of the Bahamas, the Bahamian people. Population is approximately 300,000+.
Map
Get a map of the Bahamas from WorldAtlas.com.