What should you expect?
The Bahamas is best known for its sun (warm weather all year around), sand (stunning beaches) and sea (bountiful marine life). The islands are surrounded by beautiful marine life and famous barrier reefs, that have been embraced by divers from all over the world. It has some of the friendliest people in the world. It is an archipelago, with New Providence being the most densely populated of all the islands with approximately 300,000 inhabitants (total population 400,000). Andros is the largest island, while Grand Bahamas is considered the second city. English is the official language.
The national sport of The Bahamas is sailing, with a strong boating community. Sports are an essential part of leisure time on the island, track and field, baseball, and football (American and European) are among the most popular to watch whilst basketball, tennis, and golf among the most popular played.
Big city dwellers should note that New Providence, while densely populated, is small, measuring 21 miles long and 7 miles wide! Without traffic, the commute from one end of the island to the other is about an hour. Although small, rush hour traffic is not to be underestimated, it can be brutal. Entertainment usually consists of private functions, visits to major resorts or moving going (there is an IMAX theater on the island of New Providence).
For all intents and purpose, The Bahamas is a safe place to live and rise children. There is a strong sense of community and protection. Nevertheless, like anywhere in the world, there are areas that require a heightened sense of awareness and should be avoided when possible.
One may find that for everyday living, there are some items that must be imported. There are numerous options available for this purpose. A freight firm can combine articles on pallets or in shipping containers, as necessary, for major items like vehicles and building equipment. Air freight via a freight forwarder for small items can also be used. If you are transporting products on a barge, you may utilize a consolidation firm or travel to perform the buying and consolidating on your own before dropping off your items to the shipping company. A customs broker is required process your items once they arrive in The Bahamas. Invoices are required to calculate import duties and there is also a brokerage fee.
Most individuals sign up with a local courier service to place orders for items throughout the year. It’s convenient to have a ready-to-use account for emergencies. Many businesses in Nassau and the Out Islands will take care of shipping your package from their base in the United States (often Miami or Ft. Lauderdale) to their location in The Bahamas. It usually takes a week for your cargo to arrive in the Bahamas after it is sent to a shipping company.
Figuring out all the local nuisances can be tricky, we can support you through this process, by ensuring that you have access to the information that you need.