8 Thrilling Things to Do in The Bahamas
Let’s face it. A cruise to The Bahamas is all about the water. Well, not entirely but you can sail on top of it, dive underneath it, lay on its bordering beaches - and it’s all heavenly. If you want to get your adventure on, here are 8 Thrilling Things to do in the Bahamas!
#1. Sub Experience
Nassau, Bahamas
Duration: 5 hrs
Many people have taken dives below the depths on one of those 50-seater submarines. But how many people can say they’ve been diving in their own SUB? This has to be one of, if not the coolest way to experience the underwater world! It’s kind of like riding a scooter, but with a big bubble filled with air as a helmet - you’ll be gliding along with the tropical fish in no time! And the best part? You don’t need any prior underwater experience to enjoy this adventure on a Bahamas cruise.
#2. Stingray City Bahamas
Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas
Duration: 1 1/2 hrs
There’s really nothing quite like experiencing our unique underwater world, and one of the best places to see marine wildlife up-close-and-personal is in The Bahamas. Besides the colorful schools of tropical fish, stingrays are a gentle species that are eager to interact with their human visitors. Their lifespan ranges from 15 - 25 years, and some of them will reach 6 feet in length! You’ll have an opportunity to snorkel with the stingrays, as well as to feed them and take a few photos. It’s an amazing experience you won’t want to miss!
#3. Dolphin Swim
Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas
Duration: 3 1/2 hrs
Interacting with a dolphin is on the bucket list of many travelers, so what are you waiting for? This popular Bahamas shore excursion will let you snuggle up to an Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin! You’ll have a chance to swim with these intelligent creatures - but know they can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes without surfacing - so they’re sure to outswim you in the end. You’ll also learn some basic behavioral signals and have a great photo-op to show your friends and family back home. Flipper, or a really distant cousin, is just waiting to meet you!
#4. Kayaking at Manatee Cove
Orlando & Beaches (Port Canaveral)
Duration: 3 1/2 hrs
Gliding along calm waters in a kayak is a nature lover's dream come true. Now imagine these same waters but with manatees, and maybe even dolphins! With any luck you'll spot some slow-moving manatees, known as the teddy bears of the sea, munching away on seagrass and mangroves. Manatee Cove is also home to more than 300 bird species, plus you may even see sea turtles or seahorses!
#5. First Strike Deep Sea Fishing
Nassau, Bahamas
Duration: 4 hrs
There's nothing better than doing something like a local. In this case, local captains who know these Bahamian waters will take you to the best spots to deep sea fish for sought-after species like wahoo, sailfish, and mahi-mahi. And luckily, the crew is on hand to help you land your catch, so hopefully, you won't have to tell any fish tales. Talk about exhilarating!
#6. Key West Helicopter Adventure
Key West, Florida
Duration: 1 1/2 hrs
If you’ve ever taken a trolley tour in Key West, you know how picturesque the city is, but it’s hard to grasp the full beauty of the island from the ground. Undoubtedly, the best way to see Key West is by soaring 500-feet above in a heli! This thrilling flightseeing tour of Key West will show you landmarks, including the Southernmost Point (where you should never, ever butt in line, just saying!) and the Backcountry where it’s common to spot shipwrecks and even sharks! But from the safety of your helicopter, of course.
#7. Parasail
Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas
Duration: 1 hr
If soaring 500-feet above Key West in a heli was just a little too much, how about parasailing 400 feet above the turquoise Bahamian waters? C’mon, you know you’ve always wanted to try parasailing! There’s something really unique about tandem parasailing as you’ve got the comfort of being in tandem, but the freedom of soaring combined with birds-eye sightseeing! It’s a thrill you’ll not soon forget.
#8. Airboat Adventure & Alligator Jungle
Orlando & Beaches (Port Canaveral)
Duration: 6 hrs
It's almost hard to describe the thrilling nature of this airboat adventure combined with alligators. Alligators! That should be enough right there. As you zip along the St. Johns River in your airboat, yes, the kind with the big fan, you'll have the opportunity to see flora and fauna galore. Then you'll head to the nature park & zoo where you'll see alluring species like wolves, bears and Florida Panthers (and not the NHL team). You'll take a swamp cruise to witness gator feeding, thrilling but scary! As an educational bonus, there are also Spanish and Native American village replicas to explore.
If you’d like to learn more about the thrilling adventures available on a cruise, check out: 12 Thrilling Things to Do on a Caribbean Cruise with Norwegian.