Bahamas Islands by Ferry: 8 Islands, Real 2026 Schedules

From Bimini in 2 hours to the pink sand of Harbour Island — compare every Bahamas island you can reach by ferry.

Compare 8 Islands ↓ Book Ferry from Florida

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Last updated: · Sources: Baleària Caribbean, Bahamas Ferries, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

2026 Ferry Snapshot — All 8 Bahamas Islands
Island Ferry From Crossing Sailing days Adult fare Operator
BiminiFort Lauderdale2 hWed · Fri · Sunfrom $235 RTBaleària Caribbean
FreeportFort Lauderdale~3 hTwice weeklyfrom $235 ppBaleària Caribbean
Eleuthera (via Spanish Wells)Nassau2 h 10 m + water taxiWed · Fri · Satfrom $139 OW / $257 RTBahamas Ferries
Harbour IslandNassau3 h 10 mWed · Fri · Satfrom $139 OW / $257 RTBahamas Ferries
Exuma (George Town)Nassau12–14 h overnightWeekly, variesfrom $40–45 OWMail boat
Abacos (Sandy Point)Nassau~1 h 50 m~Weeklyfrom $125 RTBahamas Ferries (Sea Wind)
AndrosNassau5–7 hVaries by settlementfrom $35 OWMail boat
Grand Bahama (West End)Fort Lauderdale~3 h to FreeportTwice weeklyfrom $235 ppBaleària Caribbean

Indicative starting fares per adult. Bahamas Ferries rates are VAT inclusive (children 2–11 pay from $103 one way / $185 round trip); Baleària fares exclude some taxes and fees, and resellers list economy one-way fares from roughly $93–$98 + taxes. Mail-boat fares (OW = one way) are paid in cash at Potter's Cay and are not bookable online. Sailing days shift seasonally and around holidays — always confirm with the operator before booking. Verified August 2026.

MS

Hey, I'm the editorial team!

Fort Lauderdale dad • Bahamas ferry traveller • Family island-hopper

Look, I'll be honest — when we first moved to Florida, I thought the Bahamas was just Nassau and maybe Paradise Island. Boy, was I wrong! After years of ferry trips with my family, I've discovered that each island has its own personality, its own magic.

From the fishing paradise of Bimini (just 50 miles from Florida!) to the pink sand beaches of Harbour Island, every island offers something special. And here's the kicker — you don't need a yacht or private plane to explore them. Just hop on a ferry and let the adventure begin!

Choose Your Island Adventure

Top Bahamas Islands Accessible by Ferry

Operator-verified schedules and fares, plus practical tips for each island. Every fare and sailing day below was re-checked against the operators in August 2026.

Aerial view of Bimini, Bahamas
Closest to USA

Bimini

The fishing capital of the world

  • World-class sport fishing — the IGFA all-tackle bonefish record (16 lb 3 oz) was set here in 2008
  • Crystal clear waters perfect for snorkeling
  • Historic sites like the Bimini Road
  • Beach bars where Hemingway used to hang

Ferry Options:

🚢 Baleària Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades Terminal 21) ⏱️ 2 hours each way (Jaume II high-speed catamaran) 💰 From $235 round trip (resellers list economy one-way from ~$93–98 + taxes) 📅 Wed, Fri & Sun, 9:00 AM out / 7:00 PM back — extra sailings some summer weeks

Mark's Pro Tip

"Friday sailings fill first because everyone wants the weekend — Wednesday is the quieter, usually cheaper day for the same crossing. Radio Beach is the walkable public beach in Alice Town if you only have a few hours."

Full Route Guide Book Ferry
Gold Rock Beach in Lucayan National Park, Grand Bahama
Best Value

Freeport

Grand Bahama's adventure playground

  • Miles of uncrowded beaches
  • Port Lucaya Marketplace for shopping
  • Lucayan National Park with underwater caves
  • Amazing local fish fry on Thursday nights

Ferry Options:

🚢 Baleària Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades Terminal 21) ⏱️ About 3 hours crossing 💰 From $235 per person (operator lead-in fare) 📅 Twice weekly, 9:00 AM departure — published day pairs vary, confirm at booking

Mark's Pro Tip

"Rent a car! Everything's spread out. Skip the cruise ship beaches and head to Gold Rock Beach — it's like having paradise to yourself."

Full Route Guide Book Ferry
Tippy's Beach on Eleuthera, Bahamas
Hidden Gem

Eleuthera

110 miles of pink sand perfection

  • Famous Glass Window Bridge
  • Queen's Bath natural pools
  • Pineapple fields and local farms
  • Some of the best surfing in the Bahamas

Ferry Options:

🚢 Bahamas Ferries (Bo Hengy III) from Potter's Cay, Nassau — to Spanish Wells, not the mainland ⏱️ 2 h 10 m to Spanish Wells, then a ~6-minute water taxi (~$5 cash) to Gene's Bay on North Eleuthera 💰 Adults from $139 one way / $257 round trip (VAT included); children 2–11 from $103 / $185 📅 Wed, Fri & Sat, 8:00 AM from Potter's Cay

Mark's Pro Tip

"Eleuthera is long and thin — about 110 miles end to end — so staying central in Governor's Harbour saves a lot of driving. The Friday night fish fry there is the island's weekly social event."

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Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island, Bahamas
Instagram Famous

Harbour Island

Home of the famous pink sand beaches

  • 3 miles of stunning pink sand beach
  • Charming colonial architecture
  • Golf cart island — no cars needed!
  • A long-standing winter retreat for well-known visitors

Ferry Options:

🚢 Bahamas Ferries (Bo Hengy III) from Potter's Cay, Nassau ⏱️ 3 h 10 m via Spanish Wells — arrives ~11:10 AM 💰 Adults from $139 one way / $257 round trip (VAT included); children 2–11 from $103 / $185 📅 Wed, Fri & Sat, 8:00 AM out — same-day return leaves early afternoon

Mark's Pro Tip

"It's the priciest island on this list, but the pink sand really is that colour — it comes from crushed foraminifera shells. Book a golf cart before you arrive; on a busy weekend they sell out."

Full Route Guide Book Ferry
Famous swimming pigs of Big Major Cay, Exuma
Adventure Island

Exuma

Swimming pigs & pristine cays

  • Famous swimming pigs of Big Major Cay
  • Swimming with nurse sharks at Compass Cay
  • Rock iguanas at Allen's Cay — look, don't feed; conservationists now discourage the old grape-feeding routine
  • 365 cays to explore (one for each day!)

Ferry Options:

🚢 Mail boats MV Grand Master & MV Captain C from Potter's Cay, Nassau ⏱️ 12–14 hours overnight to George Town (departs ~4 PM) 💰 From $40–45 one way, cash at the dock — not bookable online 📅 ~Weekly — schedules are unpredictable, call the dockmaster to confirm

Mark's Pro Tip

"The mail boat is the experience, not the shortcut — it's a working cargo run, so bring your own food and something to sleep on. Once you're in George Town, take an organised boat tour to the pigs; Big Major Cay is a long way north of town."

Full Route Guide Island Guide
Candy-striped Elbow Reef Lighthouse in Hope Town, Abaco
Boater's Paradise

Abaco Islands

The sailing capital of the Bahamas

  • Hope Town's candy-striped lighthouse
  • World-class sailing and boating
  • Charming loyalist cays
  • Incredible reef diving and snorkeling

Ferry Options:

🚢 Bahamas Ferries' Sea Wind sails Nassau → Sandy Point (South Abaco) roughly weekly — there is no direct Nassau–Marsh Harbour passenger ferry ⏱️ ~1 h 50 m to Sandy Point, then road transfer north to Marsh Harbour 💰 From ~$125 round trip adult / $85 child 🚤 Once in Marsh Harbour: G&L Ferry (formerly Albury's) to Hope Town, Man-O-War and Guana Cay; mail boats also serve Abaco settlements overnight

Mark's Pro Tip

"Recovery from Hurricane Dorian (2019) is well advanced — Hope Town and Marsh Harbour are firmly back on the map, and the Elbow Reef Lighthouse has been restored. The short G&L Ferry hop over to Hope Town is worth building a day around."

Full Island Guide Inter-Cay Ferries
Church's Blue Hole on Andros Island, Bahamas
Off the Beaten Path

Andros

The Bahamas' best-kept secret

  • World's third-largest barrier reef
  • Legendary bonefishing flats
  • Mysterious blue holes to explore
  • Untouched nature and wildlife

Ferry Options:

🚢 Mail boats from Potter's Cay, Nassau (Lady Rosalind to North Andros, Captain Moxey to South Andros) ⏱️ 5–7 hours depending on settlement 💰 From $35 one way, cash at the dock 📅 Weekly, days vary by settlement — confirm with the dockmaster at Potter's Cay

Mark's Pro Tip

"Andros is for anglers and divers first — there's little in the way of nightlife or shopping, which is exactly the point. Book a lodge with its own guides; the bonefishing flats are the reason people come back."

Full Island Guide Mail Boat Schedule
Garden of the Groves botanical park, Grand Bahama
Family Favorite

Grand Bahama

More than just Freeport

  • Lucayan National Park's cave systems
  • Garden of the Groves botanical paradise
  • West End's authentic fishing villages
  • Deadman's Reef for snorkeling

Ferry Options:

🚢 Baleària Caribbean to Freeport, then ~30 minutes by road to West End ⏱️ About 3 hours from Fort Lauderdale 💰 From $235 per person (operator lead-in fare) 📅 Twice weekly, 9:00 AM departure — confirm the day pair at booking

Mark's Pro Tip

"Everyone goes to Freeport, but drive 30 minutes to West End for the real Bahamas. Smith's Point fish fry on Wednesdays is where locals party!"

Full Island Guide Book Ferry

Practical lessons from years of Bahamas ferry travel

Island Hopping Like a Pro

💵

Save Big on Multi-Island Trips

Fly or sail into Nassau, then use Bahamas Ferries and mail boats for the onward hops. Inter-island fares are a fraction of separate Florida crossings — the mail boat to Andros starts at $35 one way.

📅

Best Time to Island Hop

May and September — fewer crowds, calmer seas, better prices. Avoid December holidays unless you book WAY ahead.

🎒

Pack Light, Pack Smart

Soft bags only on smaller ferries! Bring reef-safe sunscreen, cash for tips, and your own snacks.

🚤

Mix Ferry Types

Take the fast ferries when you need to arrive on schedule, and the mail boats when the crossing is part of the trip. Mail boats are working cargo vessels — basic seating, no cabins on most runs, and schedules that move.

Hotels & Resorts

Where to Stay Across the Islands

Compare hotels across all reachable Bahamas islands on one map. Use it as a starting point — every island has its own character and price level.

One anchor hotel per island

A reliable starting point for each island, with the full line-up and current rates on the island guides. Nightly prices swing hard between low season and the December–April peak, so we link through to live pricing rather than quoting a number that ages badly.

Bimini

Resorts World Bimini

The island's largest resort, walkable from the ferry terminal in Alice Town — the simplest option if you are arriving on foot.

All Bimini hotels →

Freeport

Pelican Bay Hotel

Next to Port Lucaya Marketplace, so restaurants and the marina are on the doorstep without needing a car every evening.

All Freeport hotels →

Eleuthera

Pineapple Fields Resort

Just south of Governor's Harbour and central enough to reach both coasts, which matters on an island this long.

All Eleuthera hotels →

Harbour Island

Coral Sands Hotel

Sits directly on the pink sand in Dunmore Town — a mid-to-upper option on an island where nothing is cheap.

All Harbour Island hotels →

Exuma

Grand Isle Resort & Spa

Villa-style rooms near Emerald Bay, north of George Town — a practical base for boat tours out to the cays.

All Exuma hotels →

Abaco

Hope Town Harbour Lodge

On Elbow Cay overlooking the harbour and the candy-striped lighthouse, a short G&L Ferry hop from Marsh Harbour.

All Abaco hotels →

Andros

Small Hope Bay Lodge

A long-running dive and bonefishing lodge near Fresh Creek that runs its own guides and boats.

All Andros lodges →

Grand Bahama · West End

Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht Harbour

At the island's western tip, about 30 minutes' drive from Freeport and far quieter than the Port Lucaya strip.

All Grand Bahama hotels →

Disclosure: BahamasHopping earns a commission on hotel bookings made through this map at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Quick Answers

Bahamas Island Ferry FAQ

Which Bahamas islands can you reach by ferry?

From Florida (Fort Lauderdale): Bimini and Freeport via Baleària Caribbean. From Nassau: Spanish Wells and Harbour Island on the Bahamas Ferries Bo Hengy III (Wed, Fri & Sat from Potter's Cay) — mainland Eleuthera is reached by adding a short water taxi from Spanish Wells to Gene's Bay. Bahamas Ferries' Sea Wind also serves Sandy Point in South Abaco, and overnight mail boats run to Exuma, Andros and Abaco settlements. Inter-island links connect Marsh Harbour to Hope Town, Man-O-War Cay and Guana Cay (G&L Ferry, formerly Albury's).

What is the cheapest Bahamas island to reach by ferry from Florida?

Bimini is the closest and usually the cheapest crossing from Florida. Baleària Caribbean publishes this route from $235 round trip out of Fort Lauderdale, while third-party resellers list economy one-way fares from roughly $93–$98 plus taxes and fees. The crossing takes only 2 hours. What you actually pay depends on your sailing date, fare class and how far ahead you book — check live pricing before you travel.

Do US citizens need a passport to ferry to the Bahamas?

Yes. US citizens need a valid US passport book for both air and sea travel to the Bahamas in 2026. A US passport card is accepted on closed-loop sea voyages, but not for flights. On the Baleària Caribbean ferry from Florida there is no under-16 exception: the operator accepts only a valid US 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. General WHTI sea-travel rules are more permissive — which is why many guides say otherwise — but the carrier's condition is the one applied at check-in. See our Bahamas ferry passport guide.

How long does the ferry from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini take?

Baleària Caribbean's Jaume II catamaran takes about 2 hours from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini, leaving Port Everglades Terminal 21 at 9:00 AM and returning at 7:00 PM. Sailings run Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with extra departures in some summer weeks. Verify current schedules at baleariacaribbean.com.

Can you ferry directly from Nassau to Exuma?

Yes, but only via overnight mail boat — MV Grand Master or MV Captain C — from Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau. The crossing to George Town takes 12–14 hours and runs roughly weekly, leaving around 4 PM. Fares start at about $40–45 one way, paid in cash at the dock; mail boats are not bookable online. There is no fast ferry, so most travelers fly Nassau–Exuma in about 35 minutes instead.

When is hurricane season in the Bahamas?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 – November 30, with peak activity in August and September. Ferry sailings can be cancelled for safety. Travel insurance is recommended for trips between June and November.

What is the best time of year to island-hop the Bahamas?

May and late September–early November are sweet spots: warm seas, fewer crowds, and lower hotel prices. Peak season (mid-December to mid-April) brings perfect weather but the highest fares. Avoid late August through mid-October if possible due to hurricane risk.

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Last updated: · Fares and sailing days re-verified against Baleària Caribbean and Bahamas Ferries in August 2026. Rates and schedules change without notice — always confirm before booking.