16 Best Sights in Andros, Bimini, and the Berry Islands, Bahamas

Patrons of Bimini Sands Resort & Marina are not the only ones who love the mile-long Bimini Sands beach. This gorgeous stretch of white-sand powder, with its offshore snorkeling, is so enticing that vacationers from North Bimini and even Floridians often take the quick ferry over or boat across the Gulf Stream for the day. The southern cove and point once had facilities that are, at this writing, closed, but the beach and beautiful waters are still a magnet for boaters. To clear Bahamas Customs, who are stationed at the airport, it's best to slide into the Bimini Sands marina, where you have access to amenities, including the Pool Bar and a freshwater pool. The southern beach gets particularly busy during spring break, but the northern stretch stays relatively secluded. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; swimming

South of Nicholls Town's eastern shore, Conch Sound is a wide bay with strands of white sand and tranquil waters where you can also find Conch Sound Ocean Hole, a sea-filled blue hole where you can snorkel around and see the rich marine life. The flats are a convenient wading spot for bonefishers, who can wade for hours. Commercial fishermen bring their catches to a little beach park nearby. You can buy fresh catch and dine at a couple of shacks. Amenities: only at nearby restaurants. Best for: solitude; fishing; snorkeling.

Two crescents scoop Great Harbour Cay's east coast with 5 miles of almost unbroken powder. Travel north to discover Sugar Beach with its bluff-surrounding romantic private coves. Progressing south, the beach becomes Lover's Beach, thinning out until Hotel Point Beach, where the strand widens and you can see waves clash from two directions. Farther south still is famous Great Harbour Beach itself, where you'll encounter the fabulous boutique hotel Carriearl and its fine pool, restaurant, and bar. On the south end of Great Harbour Beach near the airport, you'll find The Beach Club, a popular daytime bar and grill with a gift shop. Play beach volleyball, or take a yoga class. (They may ask for a small donation.) At the extreme south are the shallow, simmering sandbars of Shelling Beach that let you wade out for yards. At low tide, you can cross the tidal Shark Beach Creek to the pristine Haines Cay, which, hidden from the north by a hill, offers an even more splendid, long beach. Along Great Harbour Cay's powdery 5-mile stretch, nearby reefs beckon snorkelers, and gin-clear waters invite kayakers and paddleboarders. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: shelling; swimming; walking; snorkeling.

At low tide, walk across from Shelling Beach estuary, round the point, and walk south a half mile, and you'll discover one of The Bahamas's most unspoiled, beautiful beaches. It's 2 miles long, with excellent snorkeling on its north end and swimming all along. Wear some sturdy footwear for the land walk. It's also reachable by kayak. There are no trees for shade, so an umbrella, lots of fluids, and sunscreen are advisable. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking; snorkeling; solitude.

East of Staniard Creek lies a series of serene cays, idyllic for beach drops or consummating the ultimate Robinson Crusoe fantasies. The first is Kamalame Cay, home to the luxurious resort of the same name. Just past Kamalame, uninhabited Big and Little Saddleback Cays boast sparkling, white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. You'll need a small, private boat to reach either (note that these cays are a regular drop-point for guests of Kamalame Cay). Little Saddleback is tiny with no shade, so bring plenty of sunblock. Big Saddleback has a wider crescent beach, with plenty of shade from the pine trees. Also nearby is Rat Cay, which offers excellent snorkeling, especially around the adjacent blue hole. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; snorkeling; swimming; walking.

On Resorts World’s long Paradise Beach, Luna Beach brings chic luxury to fun-in-the-sun and beach parties at night. Upscale food, exquisite cocktails, mod music, and beach toys are all part of the mix, centered on the open-air clubhouse. The solar-powered private cabanas even have phone-charging ports. For more action, jump on a Jet Ski, paddleboard, or kayak, or simply sun bake on a float. You can even book stingray and snorkeling tours here. During Sunset Sessions Happy Hour, DJ Arlette reverbs the beach with danceable tunes. On special full-moon weekends, Luna Beach imports live bands for its moonlight beach parties, also featuring Bahamian bands and mini-Junkanoo breakouts. Cocktails are half price from 8 to 9 pm. Open Sunday to Wednesday noon–7 pm; Friday and Saturday, noon–11 pm. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; swimming

Three miles north of Nicholls Town is a crescent beach, a headland known as Morgan's Bluff, and a set of caves named after the 17th-century pirate Captain Henry Morgan, who allegedly dropped off some of his stolen loot in the area. The beach and park serve as the site for Regatta Village, a colorful collection of stands and stalls that set up in July when the big event, the All Andros & Berry Islands Regatta, takes place. Adjacent is the Government Dock and a safe harbor, with a small, popular island bar and restaurant.

This one-third-mile-long crescent beach is a place to relax when touring North Andros. You might see a few locals enjoying it and the adjacent park with its colorful stalls that only come alive in June when the All Andros & Berry Islands Regatta is held. Nearby is the government dock, a public marina, and a bar and restaurant popular with the locals and boat captains. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude, swimming, walking.

Two-and-a-half miles east of Nicholls Town's commercial center, the settlement reaches the east-facing coast along beautiful and long Nicholls Town Beach, which catches the easterly breezes and is by far the preferred beach in this area. It adjoins Conch Sound to the south. You might be on your own except for guests at the renovated Andros Island Beach Resort, with its tiki bar and restaurant, where you can rent kayaks or snorkeling gear. Amenities: resort nearby. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Alice Town's Radio Beach and Bailey Town's Blister Bay form a continuous stretch of beach off Queen's Highway, easily accessible in many places. Also called Alice Town Beach, its southern part is often busier and where spring breakers and the young like to party together. CJ's bar and grill, among other stands, is the default HQ, serving affordable beers, drinks, burgers, and island dinners. Eat inside (away from the flies), on the deck, or on the beach. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: partiers; swimming.

Small Hope Bay Lodge is planted squarely on this long, coved beach where the near-shore snorkeling is excellent and the sand is white. Sign up for a resort course, a dive excursion, or simply enjoy a $55 beachside lunch buffet (with advance notice). A full day of beach fun with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and all drinks and water sports included, is $199. Nonguests can also enjoy the dinner buffet with its open bar and music. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Two miles south of the Andros Town airport, off a long, beaten-up bare road through an arch of Australian pines, is Somerset Beach, a stunning, long, and wide beach with offshore sandbars that let you walk offshore for half a mile. The pines offer shade, and there's a picnic table built by the workers from AUTEC, the nearby U.S. Navy submarine-testing base. Bring a camera as this is one of the most beautiful beach sights in The Bahamas. Amenities: none. Best for: photography; shelling; swimming; walking.

Many would say Bimini's finest beach is on South Bimini, stretching about a mile from Bimini Sands Resort & Marina to South Bimini Beach Club (now closed) at Port Royal where the sand loops round the point and collects in a wide crescent—a favorite of spring breakers and Florida boaters. At South Bimini Beach Club is a protected anchorage and docks, but if you have a boat, it's best to slide into the marina at the north end of the beach. There you have amenities and an infinity pool with a bar serving food and drinks. From North Bimini, take an $8 ferry plus a taxi to reach the resort—it's well worth the trip to get away from it all. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: partiers; swimming.

North of Radio Beach and named for its proximity to the local cemetery and Bimini's memorial park, Spook Hill Beach is quieter than Radio and Blister Bay Beaches and caters mostly to families looking for quiet sands and calm waters. Shallow shores are ideal for wading, and the crystal-clear waters make for great snorkeling. There is a permanent snack bar here, and usually, a few pop-up beach bars add to the fun. The beach is heavily lined with pine trees and is narrow at high tide. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: solitude; snorkeling; swimming.

Sugar Beach is the northernmost of the island's beaches, where rock bluffs divide the sand into romantic "private" coves of various lengths. Explore the caves or snorkel in calm waters. On top of one of the hills are the ghostly remains of the Sugar Beach Hotel, a 1950s lair built by the Hollywood Rat Pack—Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. Female stars invited there included Marilyn Monroe, Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, Angie Dickinson, and Judy Garland. This was their scenic escape from paparazzi. The hilltop ruins are decrepit and surrounded by bush and cliffs, so explore with caution. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking; snorkeling; solitude.