Top 5 Yacht Charter Destinations in the Bahamas

5. The Abaco Islands

The Abaco Islands lie just 60 nautical miles north of Nassau, in the opposite direction of the Exumas, and stretch over 120 nautical miles. The main islands are Great Abaco and Little Abaco, but the archipelago also encompasses numerous smaller cays and islets, with endless places to anchor.

Chartering out of Nassau, you would choose between going to the Exumas or the Abacos. The Abacos offer a more laid-back, authentic Bahamian vibe compared to the Exumas. While the Exumas are famous for their remote, postcard-perfect cays and swimming pigs, the Abacos feel like a string of charming island villages connected by calm, yacht-friendly waters. You can easily hop from lively local bars in Hope Town to quiet anchorages near Elbow Cay without long, open-water passages. The sailing conditions are easier too—protected waters, short distances, and plenty of sheltered harbors make it perfect for families or relaxed cruising. Plus, the Abacos’ reefs and fishing spots are top-notch, offering some of the best underwater adventures in the Bahamas.

Marsh Harbour: As the largest town on the island, Marsh Harbour serves as the commercial and transportation hub. The town has an airport, making it a common entry point for visitors arriving by air. Located in Marsh Harbour, the Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbor Marina offers world-class amenities for boaters and visitors. It serves as a popular base for exploring the Abacos.

Abaco National Park: Covering an expansive 20,500 acres, Abaco National Park is a protected area on the mainland of Great Abaco. It encompasses diverse ecosystems, including pine forests and mangroves, and provides habitat for various bird species, including the endangered Bahama Parrot.

Elbow Cay Lighthouse: Located on Elbow Cay, the iconic candy-striped lighthouse in Hope Town is one of the last manually operated kerosene-burning lighthouses in the world. It stands as a historic landmark and offers panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Treasure Cay: Renowned for its stunning beach, Treasure Cay boasts 3.5 miles of powdery white sand and clear turquoise waters. The beach consistently ranks among the world’s best and is a popular destination for water activities.

Green Turtle Cay: This cay is known for its laid-back atmosphere and well-preserved colonial architecture. The settlement of New Plymouth showcases charming pastel-colored buildings, and the Albert Lowe Museum provides insight into the island’s maritime history.

Man-O-War Cay: Man-O-War Cay in the Bahamas is renowned for its traditional boat-building heritage. The island has a long-standing reputation for skilled craftsmen who construct wooden boats using traditional techniques passed down through generations. This boat-building tradition is an integral part of the island’s cultural identity.

4. Nassau and Paradise Island

Nassau is more than just a starting point for a yacht charter—it’s a destination in itself. Located on New Providence Island, it’s the ideal hub for exploring the Bahamas, offering easy access to the Exumas, Eleuthera, the Abacos and the Berry Islands.

The city is home to world-class marinas like Atlantis Marina, Bay Street Marina, and Hurricane Hole, making it easy to provision your yacht and start your adventure.

But Nassau itself is worth slowing down for. Spend a morning snorkeling the vibrant reefs at Rose Island or diving with reef sharks at Stuart Cove’s. Afterward, hit one of Nassau’s famous beaches—Cable Beach for the scene or Love Beach for a quieter vibe.

The town itself offers plenty of island culture, from the bustling Straw Market to historic sites like the Queen’s Staircase. When the sun sets, the energy picks up. Whether you’re dining at a waterfront restaurant, sipping rum cocktails at a beach bar, or trying your luck at the Atlantis casino, Nassau knows how to keep the night going.

Gourmet Dining: Culinary enthusiasts will appreciate the diverse and upscale dining options in Nassau and Paradise Island. From fine dining restaurants with panoramic ocean views to beachfront eateries serving freshly caught seafood, the islands offer a gastronomic journey for those with refined tastes.

First-Class Golfing: Golfers can enjoy world-class courses set against stunning tropical backdrops. Several upscale resorts on Paradise Island offer exclusive access to championship golf courses designed by renowned architects.

Spa and Wellness Retreats: Indulge in pampering experiences at luxury spas scattered across Nassau and Paradise Island. These wellness retreats provide a serene escape, offering a range of rejuvenating treatments and relaxation facilities.

Nightlife Extravaganza: As the sun sets, Nassau and Paradise Island come alive with a sophisticated nightlife scene. Exclusive lounges, beachfront bars, and upscale nightclubs offer a refined atmosphere for those seeking entertainment after hours.

3. Berry Islands

The Berry Islands are one of the best yacht charter destinations in the Bahamas for a simple reason: they’re close, quiet, and packed with hidden gems. Just 35 nautical miles north of Nassau, they’re easy to reach, but once you’re there, it feels like you’ve left the world behind. This chain of over 30 cays, most uninhabited, offers a perfect mix of secluded beaches, incredible fishing, and crystal-clear anchorages without the crowds you’ll often find in the Exumas.

The vibe here is different from both the Exumas and the Abacos. The Exumas are all about famous spots like the swimming pigs and Thunderball Grotto—great, but often busy. The Abacos have charming towns and sheltered cruising grounds, perfect for sailing. The Berries? They’re quieter, wilder, and more off-the-grid. Places like Chub Cay, known as the “Billfish Capital of the Bahamas,” draw sport fishers, while Great Harbour Cay offers miles of empty beaches and a sleepy marina that feels like a step back in time.

If you’re on a motor yacht, you can absolutely combine the Berry Islands with the Abacos. It’s about a 90-nautical-mile run from Great Harbour Cay to the southern Abacos—a smooth cruise in good weather. Many charters start in Nassau, hit the Berries for a few days, then head north to the Abacos for a mix of laid-back island life and charming settlements like Hope Town and Green Turtle Cay.

The Berry Islands are perfect if you want that “middle-of-nowhere” feeling without straying too far from civilization. It’s easy, beautiful, and, best of all, uncrowded—the kind of place where you can drop anchor in a stunning bay and feel like you’ve got the whole Bahamas to yourself.

2. Eleuthera Island

Eleuthera is one of those places that feels like it’s been hiding in plain sight. Long, skinny, and stretched out over 100 miles, it’s nothing like the busy Exumas or the yacht-packed marinas of Nassau. This is where you go when you want pink-sand beaches, secluded anchorages, and a coastline that seems to stretch forever without a soul in sight.

Just a 30 nautical miles jump east from Nassau, it’s an easy cruise done in a few hours, but the vibe shift is instant. The water here is impossibly clear, the reefs are alive with tropical fish, and if you’re into diving or game fishing, you’ve hit the jackpot. The Glass Window Bridge—where the deep blue Atlantic meets the calm turquoise Caribbean—is a must-see, not just for the view but for the way it sums up Eleuthera: wild on one side, laid-back on the other.

The best way to experience Eleuthera? We recommend a 10-14-day motor yacht charter that loops from Nassau through the Exumas, then up to Eleuthera before heading back. It’s around 300 nautical miles all in, and at a cruising speed of 15 to 20 knots, you’ll have plenty of time to drop anchor, dive in, and explore. Spend a lazy afternoon on Harbour Island’s pink-sand beaches, snorkel the reefs off Current Cut, or just find a quiet bay, crack open a cold drink, and enjoy the fact that most people never make it this far.

Eleuthera isn’t flashy. It’s not about ticking off tourist spots or rushing from one anchorage to the next. It’s the Bahamas at its most laid-back and authentic—the kind of place where you wake up, look around, and wonder why you didn’t sail here sooner.

Off Eleuthera’s Northern shores, the shallow waters give way to steep drop-offs, with depths of over 3000 meters, where you will find the really big fish such as the Marlins.

It is on this exact island that the world’s largest Marlin was caught in 1993. If you plan to do a luxury fishing yacht charter, this is a must-visit destination.

1. The Exumas

The Exumas are the number one yacht charter destination in the Bahamas, no question. It is The Bahamas you see on postcards but better in real life. Stretching 120 nautical miles from top to bottom, this chain of islands is packed with iconic stops all in perfect line for easy island hopping. If you are going on a Bahamas catamaran charter, we recommend you focus on the Exumas, there is more than enough to see.

Heading out from Nassau, start with a 35-nautical-mile cruise to Highbourne Cay—the unofficial gateway to the Exumas. From there, it’s all about slow island-hopping south, with each cay offering something completely different. There’s Norman’s Cay, where you can snorkel around the wreck of Pablo Escobar’s old drug plane, Shroud Cay with its winding mangrove creeks perfect for paddleboarding, and Warderick Wells, home to the headquarters of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.

Of course, you can’t skip Thunderball Grotto, made famous by James Bond, or Big Major Spot, where the swimming pigs live up to the hype. But the real magic of the Exumas is found in the quieter moments—anchoring in a deserted bay, snorkeling reefs without another boat in sight, or beaching the tender on sandbars that vanish with the tide.

You could easily spend two weeks here and still leave with a list of places you didn’t get to. But even on a 7-day charter, a Nassau-to-Exumas loop gives you the perfect taste: Highbourne, Norman’s, Staniel Cay, and a dozen stops in between. Calm waters, short hops, endless beaches—if you’re chartering a catamaran in the Bahamas, this is where you want to be.