When in the Bahamas do as the Bahamians do! Sound familiar? During my recent cruise vacation I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Nassau, Bahamas. Visiting the Bahamas has always been on my bucket list and it did not disappoint. Nassau showed me so much love, so I am obliged to return that love in the form of this blog post. Are you planning a visit to Nassau? If so be sure to check out the following:

Kick Back at Junkanoo Beach

Instead of opting to get a day pass at the British Colonial Hilton my family and I  decided to check out the local Junkanoo Beach. Junkanoo Beach is only a 15 minute walk (10 if you walk fast) from the Cruise Terminal. Follow the signs that read Junkanoo Beach, and it’s an easy walk.There are multiple vendors on the beach that sell food, drinks, and offer services including chair and umbrella rentals. Junkanoo Beach proved to be one of my BEST beach days ever. It was quaint and the background Caribbean music had me feeling like Ziggy Marley could’ve made an appearance at any moment.

Eat at Da Fish Fry a.k.a Arawak Cay

I am fully aware that I typed the word “Da.” However, in true Bahamian fashion it would only be proper do so.  Da Fish Fry (also known as Arawak Cay) is home to some of the best and freshest food in Nassau. This is the where the locals eat, so if you want to eat like one GO THERE! If you love fresh seafood, local bahamian specialties, fresh fruit drinks and juices; Da Fish Fry has it all. This area of restaurants is only a 10 minute walk from Junkanoo Beach, making it a convenient area to visit for great local eats. Don’t let the exterior of some of the restaurants dissuade you, as the food will be sure to amaze you.

My family and I settled on Twin Brothers based on some of the reviews and accolades that were advertised outside the restaurant. Since we were a large group, a cab driver offered to transport our group of 10 back to the cruise port for $2 a person. To secure the rate, we needed to let the hostess know that he referred us. This was a pretty good offer since it was dark and we didn't want to walk back to the cruise port. Keep an eye out for cabbies and work out a deal if transportation back to the cruise port concerns you.

Get around town on the #10 Jitney

In Nassau, the locals refer to a bus as a jitney. Jitney’s are about the size of a shuttle van, and for $1.25 you can get wherever you need to go. Most of the buses say that they are #10 which I found to be slightly confusing. Our cruise line had alerted us to crime warnings in Nassau so I was a little hesitant to ride on the local jitney’s.

However, since we were staying in tourist areas and it was daytime, I put my fears aside as I embarked on my quest to be transported like a local!  Riding the jitney was quite an experience. We had to wait for the bus to completely fill up before we could leave and whenever we thought all the seats were full, the next passenger would pop up a fold able seat!

The whole process was fascinating to observe.  I didn’t take too many pictures aboard the bus as I didn’t want to seem like a disrespectful tourist. Our bus didn’t smell too great, but the driver made up for it by blasting Caribbean music, and trying to impress us with his steering maneuvers. The ride was adventurous to say the least. However, I would definitely take the #10 jitney on any future Nassau adventures. For the price it really can’t be beat. After all why not live like a local for day?

Have you ever visited Nassau? Did you love it or hate it? Do you have any helpful tips to share? If so, drop a line below!