8 Days Bahamas Itinerary
This round-trip itinerary from the Bahamian capital of Nassau makes air travel convenient. It also allows opportunities at the beginning and end of your charter to book land stays, including at the luxurious Atlantis Resort and Casino.
Day 1: Nassau to Harbour Island
45 nautical miles
4½ hours aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
Just shy of 8 hours aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
Harbour Island offers upscale restaurants and shopping in Dunmore Town, where golf carts are the preferred mode of local transportation. Fewer than 2,000 people call Harbour Island home, making it an “away-from-it-all” destination that still offers the fineries of civilization.
Day 2: Harbour Island to Eleuthera
30 nautical miles
3 hours aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
Five hours aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
Eleuthera is one of the easternmost, or “out islands,” of the Bahamas. It’s also one of the skinniest, with a spot called Glass Window Bridge where the island is just two vehicle lanes wide. It’s quite an experience to stand on the bridge and see the deep, blue Atlantic Ocean on one side with the calm, turquoise Caribbean Sea on the other.
Day 3: Eleuthera to Warderick Wells Cay
57 nautical miles
Just shy of six hours aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
A full day’s cruise aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
Warderick Wells Cay is a great place to spend an afternoon because the island is filled with walking trails. It’s also a key location for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, which was established in 1958 and comprises more than 112,000 acres. All fishing is prohibited, which means the underwater views are pristine.
Day 4: Warderick Wells Cay to Staniel Cay
18 nautical miles
Less than two hours aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
Three hours aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
Staniel Cay, home to just 100 or so people, is also the home of Thunderball Grotto—where the Sean Connery-as-James Bond movies “Thunderball” and “Never Say Never” were filmed. Your yacht’s crew can take you by tender to the grotto so that you can snorkel like super-spy 007.
Day 5: Staniel Cay to Big Major
3 nautical miles
Less than an hour aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
Less than an hour aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
Big Major is where you’ll find Emily, a pig that has welcomed cruisers for years. Join your yacht’s crew in the tender as you approach the shore and Emily wades out to meet you—and be ready with carrot and celery sticks for when she hungrily places her front feet on your tender’s side.
Day 6: Big Major to Highbourne Cay
32 nautical miles
About three hours aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
A little more than five hours aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
One of Highbourne Cay’s great geographic features is Horseshoe Bay, an anchorage named for its shape. The protected waters create an ideal environment for scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking. For serious divers, the wreck of the 90-foot cutter Austin Smith is also nearby, typically in about 60 feet of water.
Day 7: Highbourne Cay to Allan’s Cay
7 nautical miles
Less than an hour aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
A little more than an hour aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
What Emily the pig is to Big Major, iguanas are to Allan’s Cay. This island is like Galapagos in Bahamian style, with iguanas scampering along the beaches at all hours of the day and night. Feed them a treat while you stand barefoot in the sand, enjoying the view of the crystalblue waters beyond.
Day 8: Allan’s Cay to Nassau
40 nautical miles
Four hours aboard a yacht that cruises at 10 knots
Nearly seven hours aboard a sailing yacht that cruises at 6 knots
Return to Nassau in plenty of time to board your flight home, or spend the afternoon at the water slides, casinos, and pool within the Atlantis complex as part of a land extension after your charter. No fewer than eight fine dining restaurants are on this property alone, offering you options galore for as long as you care to stay and relax in the Bahamas.
Each trip is tailored to your preferences and the current weather conditions of your charter. Please discuss your preferences with the captain and be open to other suggestions that may improve your charter experience.
For more information please visit:
https://royaltyyachts.com/destinations/bahamas-yacht-charter/
