The Bahamas has 700 islands and most visitors see the same five. This guide is about the other kind: the islands where you can anchor for a day and see no other boat, no resort, and no tour schedule. That seclusion is the single biggest reason clients choose the Bahamas over busier charter grounds, and it takes the right route to actually get it, because the quietest islands sit well south of the standard Exumas week.
Jump to: Andros | Cat Island | Long Island | Inagua | The Berry Islands
Broker insight
There's so much space in the Bahamas that you can genuinely be alone out there. You can find secluded spots and never see the same place twice, unless you want to. That's what these five islands are for.
Mo Pristas
CharterGuru
1. Andros Island
Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas, yet one of the least populated. Vast pine forests, mangrove creeks, and wetlands stretch as far as the eye can see, while the eastern shore is protected by the Andros Barrier Reef, the third-largest in the world.
Its size and natural diversity make it a dream for Bahamas yacht charters that want long days of exploration with no other boats in sight.
Best Yacht Anchorages
- Morgan’s Bluff (North Andros): Sheltered in prevailing winds, customs clearance available, good provisioning before heading remote.
- South Andros’ Mangrove Cays: Hidden pockets ideal for paddleboarding in glassy water and spotting bonefish. Our captains call this “the Out Islands in miniature.”
Depths change quickly along the Tongue of the Ocean, great for deep-sea fishing (mahi-mahi, wahoo), but plan anchorage with precision.
Signature Experience
We recommend diving or snorkeling the Andros Barrier Reef, the third-largest in the world. When we anchor off Fresh Creek, we arrange a tender run to the reef drop-off, where visibility often exceeds 100 ft.
2. Cat Island
Cat Island’s rolling hills, pink-sand beaches, and quiet fishing villages make it one of the Bahamas’ most authentic Out Islands. With no large resorts and only a handful of settlements, life here moves at a slower pace.
It’s perfect for yacht guests who want to blend shore adventures, like climbing Mount Alvernia or exploring blue holes, with lazy afternoons in calm, turquoise anchorages.
Best Yacht Anchorages
- New Bight: Calm waters, easy shore access, good base for exploring Mount Alvernia.
- Orange Creek: Excellent holding, close to deserted northern beaches, one of our favorite lunch stops.
Signature Experience
Hike up Mount Alvernia to the Hermitage, the Bahamas’ highest point, for panoramic views of the turquoise shallows.
Our clients also love exploring the inland Mermaid Hole, a 600-foot deep blue hole surrounded by lush vegetation.
3. Long Island
Stretching nearly 80 miles from tip to tip, Long Island delivers stunning contrasts: rugged Atlantic cliffs on one side, calm Caribbean beaches on the other.
Believed to be one of Christopher Columbus’s first landfalls in 1492, it offers a mix of history, unspoiled beaches, and famous blue holes. Its quiet anchorages and diverse scenery make it a favorite among our Bahamas yacht charter guests who want variety in both activities and landscapes.
Best Yacht Anchorages
- Calabash Bay: Crystal-clear, calm anchorage near Cape Santa Maria.
- Clarence Town: Good facilities, easy shore access to historic churches and local markets.
Signature Experience
We recommend diving Dean’s Blue Hole, the second-deepest in the world at 663 ft, unforgettable whether you’re a freediver or snorkeler.
4. Inagua Island
Far to the south, closer to Cuba than Nassau, the Inagua Islands feel wild and untouched. Great Inagua is famous for its vast salt flats, in operation since the 1800s, and its enormous flamingo population in Inagua National Park.
Little Inagua, completely uninhabited, is only accessible in calm seas, offering the kind of pristine isolation you rarely find in the Bahamas.
Best Yacht Anchorages
- Man-O-War Bay (Great Inagua): Sheltered and close to Matthew Town for basic supplies.
- Little Inagua: Only accessible in calm conditions, uninhabited, wild, and breathtaking.
Signature Experience
If you want to see flamingos, this is the place, over 80,000 live here, outnumbering humans six to one.
Broker insight
Great Inagua is loads of bird watching, very natural, and excellent to explore. It is about as far from the charter crowds as the Bahamas gets, which is exactly why we send clients there when seclusion is the whole point of the trip.
Daniel Asmus
Owner, Charter Broker, Active CYBA Member, IYBA, ECPY
5. The Berry Islands
The Berry Islands are a cluster of 30 islands and 100+ cays, many uninhabited, scattered like emeralds in turquoise water. Great Stirrup Cay, with its 1850s lighthouse, once guided ships safely through these shallow waters, today, it’s a scenic hike with panoramic views.
With no large resorts and limited transport, it’s the perfect place to yacht-hop between deserted beaches and fishing hotspots.
Best Yacht Anchorages
- Chub Cay: Known as “the billfish capital”, excellent fishing and clear snorkeling waters.
- Little Whale Cay: Private island rentals available, airstrip for guests flying in.
Signature Experience
Explore the Great Stirrup Cay Lighthouse for panoramic views and a taste of maritime history.
Getting the Seclusion You Came For
All five of these islands reward the same two decisions: enough nights and the right yacht. The southern islands especially need a 10-night-plus route and a yacht with the range and draft to handle remote anchorages, that’s exactly what we plan around. Tell us seclusion is the priority and we’ll build the route backwards from it, private sandbar days included.
