Six proven ferry routes from $155 round-trip, a 7-day itinerary, and hotel picks for Bimini, Nassau, Eleuthera & Harbour Island.
Last updated: August 20, 2026 · the editorial team, Fort Lauderdale
| Best entry-point ferry | Balearia Caribbean — Fort Lauderdale to Bimini (~2 hours) |
| Cheapest Florida → Bahamas ferry | Fort Lauderdale → Freeport, from US$155 RT |
| Main inter-island operator | Bahamas Ferries (Nassau hub) — Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, Andros, Exuma |
| Out-Island ferry network | Albury's Ferry in the Abacos — Marsh Harbour ⇄ Hope Town / Man-O-War / Guana Cay (20–30 min hops) |
| Hurricane season | June 1 – November 30 (peak Aug/Sep) — travel insurance worth it |
| Passport rule (US citizens) | Passport book required for flights; Baleària ferry takes a passport book or card only — no birth certificates, children included |
| Typical 7-day budget | US$1,500 – $2,500 per person (ferries + budget hotels + food, excl. flights home) |
Sources: Balearia Caribbean (baleariacaribbean.com), Bahamas Ferries (bahamasferries.com), Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, NOAA Atlantic hurricane season dates. Prices verified May 2026 — confirm at booking.
Six combos that actually work — with current ferry operators and starting prices.
3 days, 2 nights
5 days, 4 nights
10 days, 9 nights
7 days, 6 nights
8 days, 7 nights
6 days, 5 nights
Schedules, cash, luggage, buffer days, hotels and weather
Not all ferries run daily. Nassau to Harbour Island and Bimini sailings run only on certain days. Plan the trip around the ferry schedules, not the other way around.
Local water taxis, small ferry operators, and many island restaurants only take cash. Hit the ATM in Fort Lauderdale or Nassau — Out Island ATMs are spotty at best.
You'll be hauling bags on and off ferries, water taxis, and golf carts. One carry-on and one personal bag per person MAX. Soft-sided luggage is way easier to manage than hard cases.
Weather happens. Ferries get delayed. Add a full buffer day between major hops, especially if catching a weekend-only ferry. Missing that Harbour Island ferry means waiting 5 more days!
Harbour Island and Hope Town have few hotels. During season (December-April), book at least 3 weeks ahead.
Best months for smooth sailing: March-May and November-December. July-October can get rough (but also way less crowded!). Always check marine forecasts as well as the regular weather forecast.
A route for first-timers
Catch the morning Balearia Caribbean fast ferry from Port Everglades — arrive between 6:15 and 6:45 AM for the 9:00 AM sailing (check-in opens 6:00 AM, terminal doors close 8:00 AM). About 2 hours at sea, often with dolphin sightings. Check in at Resorts World Bimini or a North Bimini guesthouse. Afternoon at Radio Beach (calm, family-friendly). Dinner at one of the conch shacks on Alice Town's main strip.
Rent a golf cart (from about US$80/day) and explore North Bimini end-to-end. Morning snorkel at Rainbow Reef or the SS Sapona wreck. Lunch at Stuart's Conch Stand — the conch salad is the real deal. Afternoon at Blister Beach for shelling. Sunset cocktails at a beachfront bar near Bailey Town.
Heads-up: there is no scheduled passenger ferry Bimini → Nassau. Take a short flight on Western Air or Bahamasair (around 30 minutes, from US$140 one-way), or board a mailboat from Bimini if you have time and patience. Check in to a downtown Nassau hotel. Walk Bay Street, then dinner at the Arawak Cay Fish Fry — local conch fritters and cracked lobster.
Book a small-plane or fast-boat day tour to the Exuma Cays (typically US$300–$500 per adult, including park fees and lunch). Highlights: swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, iguanas at Allen's Cay, snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto, sandbar stop at Pipe Cay. Operators with consistently good reviews: Powerboat Adventures and Bahamas Air Tours. Back to Nassau by early evening.
Morning Bahamas Ferries fast ferry from Potter's Cay (Nassau) to Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera (about 2 hours; tickets from US$155 one-way). Rent a car at the dock — book ahead, fleet is small. Lunch in Governor's Harbour, afternoon at French Leave Beach. Overnight in Governor's Harbour or a Bannerman Town guesthouse.
Morning at Queen's Bath (only at low tide — check tide tables!) and Glass Window Bridge for photos. Lunch at Tippy's near Pineapple Fields — reservations recommended in season. Drive north to Three Island Dock and take the water taxi (about 10 minutes, US$5 each way) to Harbour Island for the pink sand beach. Evening Bahamas Ferries return to Nassau.
Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark is normally guest-only — non-resort access is limited and pricey. A better budget alternative: Cabbage Beach is right next door and free. Spend the morning there, last-minute shopping at the Straw Market on Bay Street, then taxi to Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) for your flight home.
The map below shows the main Bahamas ferry hubs. Use our trip planner to combine routes, check schedules and estimate the total cost.
Launch Trip PlannerHand-picked hotels and guesthouses for the four main island-hopping stops. Live Booking.com prices for Nassau come first.
2 hours from Fort Lauderdale
Main hub for inter-island ferries
2 hours from Nassau by ferry
10-min water taxi from North Eleuthera
Affiliate disclosure: BahamasHopping earns a commission when you book through these links — at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Where costs can be reduced
Skip the booking sites! Balearia's website often has promos. Kids under 2 are free, under 12 half price. Group rates kick in at 10+ people.
Vacation rentals are often cheaper than resorts. Many include golf carts on Out Islands, and a kitchen reduces food costs.
Resort restaurants will kill your budget. Hit local spots: fish fry stands, conch shacks, bakeries. Peas 'n rice with fried fish = $12. Same meal at resort = $45. Do the math!
These bookable tours cover the classic island-hopping highlights — free cancellation up to 2 days before:
Common questions about Bahamas island hopping in 2026.
Yes — but only some islands are connected by scheduled passenger ferries. Balearia Caribbean runs Fort Lauderdale to Bimini and Freeport. Bahamas Ferries (the local operator) runs Nassau to Eleuthera, Harbour Island/Spanish Wells, Andros and Exuma. Between islands not on these routes (e.g. Bimini ↔ Nassau) you'll need a short flight or a mailboat.
A 3-day Bimini round-trip from Fort Lauderdale by ferry starts around US$200 per person. A 7-day multi-island itinerary using ferries plus one short inter-island flight typically costs US$1,500–$2,500 per person, including budget accommodation and food. Resort-only stays push this much higher.
Yes. US citizens need a valid US passport book for all air travel to and from the Bahamas. If you are arriving on the Baleària Caribbean ferry from Florida, the operator accepts only a passport book or US passport card — from adults and minors alike — and states in writing that birth certificates, photo ID and naturalization certificates are no longer accepted. The birth-certificate exception people quote is the closed-loop cruise rule under WHTI; it is more permissive than the carrier's condition, and the carrier's condition is what gets checked at the counter. See our ferry passport guide for the full list.
Mid-March to mid-May and mid-November to mid-December offer the best mix of calm seas, lower prices and dry weather. Peak season is December through April. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with peak activity in August and September — fewer crowds but expect more ferry cancellations and weather delays.
No. Inside the Abacos there is a frequent local ferry network (Albury's Ferry between Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, Man-O-War and Guana Cay, 20–30 minute hops). Otherwise inter-island travel is by mailboat (slow, cheap, very local) or short-hop flights operated by Bahamasair, Western Air, LeAir and FlamingoAir.
Fort Lauderdale → Freeport (Grand Bahama) on Balearia Caribbean is the cheapest gateway, with ferry tickets starting around US$155 round-trip. Add a vacation rental on Grand Bahama and a day trip to Lucayan National Park for a budget-friendly long weekend.
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