I have family from the Bahamas. So going to visit family there has been a lifelong event for me. As a child, I spent many summers there. As an adult, I only make it back about every 5 years or so. Being that Long Island is a rather remote, outer island, it isn’t always easy (or cheap) to get there.
We celebrated Christmas early at home to traveled to Long Island on December 22, 2019. We drove to the Ft Lauderdale airport so we could catch a flight to Long Island and not have to stay overnight in Nassau. But sometimes, the best laid plans don’t work out quite like you expect. We had a hotel at the airport to catch an early morning flight, and it rained so hard that night, that in the morning, the Ft Lauderdale airport was absolutely underwater with flooding. Flights we delayed and when we finally were able to catch our flight, we could not get our connecting flight in time, so were forced to stay overnight in Nassau. Thankfully, the airline was helpful and got us hotels rooms and taxis and even food vouchers. We finally made it to Long Island on December 24, 2019.
Packing for Long Island, Bahamas
Long Island is a remote island, with a small population. One of the things that makes it so special is how “country” it is. Not one traffic light on the island. Barely any street lights. One main road. But with this remote, quiet lifestyle comes a lack of many comforts from home.
I often pack food to bring along, especially when our children were young. There are a few grocery stores on the island, some are very good with many things to chose from, some have only basics and staples. Every year, more and more restaurants and stores open up, so the worry about bringing food gets less and less. If you have anything that you really need or that you prefer to eat, just bring some with you.
Bring water shoes - the beaches there are often lovely and sandy. But sometimes they are rocky and it’s hard to walk on the rocks from there. They are jagged and even the best tough footed people will struggle. Also bring good shoes for walking and climbing.
There aren’t many opportunities to get super dressed up, so I would really only bring one dressy outfit. Most of the time you need to dress for the weather and comfort. If you plan to swim a lot, bring more than one swimsuit.
Don’t forget to bring sunscreen! Bring a hat!
And you might want to bring a flashlight so you can explore caves, walk on the beach at night, etc.
Be sure to bring any OTC medicine you think you will need. The stores have a lot of stuff, but they may. It have what you prefer or need. Better safe than sorry. If you need anything like feminine products or personal items, bring that with you. One time I was there, it was nearly impossible to find tampons. And if you need something like that, it can be super miserable not being able to find it.
