The Ultimate Guide to Bahamas Surfing
Check this guide to Bahamas surfing, which outlines the best breaks of all, from the exposed Abacos down to paradise Eleuthera. Surfer’s Beach (on Eleuthera itself) is the star, but there’s lots, lots more.
An introduction to Bahamas surfing
The Bahamas are a string of over 3,000 islets and sandbanks, coral cays and rocks, all scattered like pearls throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. They’ve been haunts for pirates and millionaires in their time, and remain one of the iconic R&R hotspots of the Caribbean. And there’s some surf on offer to boot, you know?
What you’re looking for are the more exposed northern and western members of the Bahamas chain. They include the cays just off Great Guana Cay, Man-o-War Cay, Elbow Cay (the best in our opinion), Eleuthera (the most famous), and Cat Island.
All of the above get deliveries of strong N swells that roll down from New England throughout the winter months. Most are fringed by endless reefs (something ridiculous like 5% of the planet’s reef ecosystems are found here) that help to shape things into peeling lefts and rights.
But before you go thinking that this is a second Indo waiting to be discovered, some caveats: The Bahamas get stronger trade winds than central Caribbean islands and they can ruin midday surf conditions even in the winter.
Islands here can also be tricky to reach. Some of the surf is well overcrowded when its on. Oh, and these places are super, duper expensive. It’s not one for shoestring surf trips.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in the Caribbean
Bahamas surfing at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Bahamas surfing?
Where are the Bahamas?
The Bahamas begins a mere 70 miles off the coast of Florida and continue on through the north-western fringe of the Caribbean Sea for just shy of 800 miles.
There are 3,000 of them in all, including a mere 30 inhabited islands. The ones you’re looking to for the best Bahamas surfing are mainly located on the northern and western portions of the archipelago, since that’s the quarter that receives the first hit of the N swells.
How to get to the Bahamas?
Flying is the best method. But you can also get boats (usually big cruise ships) from Florida and other Caribbean destinations.
Sadly, the main airport and cruise terminal on New Providence island that serves most of the arrivals into the Bahamas isn’t all that close to the country’s surf hotspots.
But there are some smaller regional airports that have links to Nassau and even Miami that can get you closer.
Choose North Eleuthera Airport (ELH) for surf trips to Eleuthera or Leonard M. Thompson International Airport/Marsh Harbour Airport (MHH) for trips to the Abaco cays. Other surf travelers will go classic and charter a boat from Nassau to seek out their breaks.
We like to use Kiwi for the flight search because we like the interface and they’re good at piecing together connections to these smaller airports. Once on the ground, a car hire can be great for getting around the island you’ve picked. Use RentalCars for that – we think they are consistently the cheapest and love those late cancellation options.
Bahamas surf spots
iStock.com / SonyworldThere are really two main focus areas when it comes to Bahamas surfing. The first is the Abacos. They stretch through the northernmost part of the archipelago, hitting a zenith with Elbow Cay, which we’d say is the prime wave hunting territory in the country. Further south, the famous beach mecca of Eleuthera hosts appropriately named Surfer’s Beach and a whole host of other spots. Lets’ check both in turn…
The Abacos
This run of isles covers something like 90 miles of the Bahamas. They’re a famed yachting mecca but also get good N swells on occasion. The main surf spots within are…
Willawahs
The long, central dash of talcum-white sand that runs along the northern side of Guana Cay benefits from a run of outer reefs that can temper direct N swells in the winter. Get in early before crossshore trades get moving and you can score peak after peak with lefts and rights all down the beach. It’s fun stuff and good for all levels, though happens to lie on one of the harder-to-reach outer islands of the Abacos chain.
Four Rocks
The first of the handful of quality breaks that lie down the western haunch of Elbow Cay is something you might not expect: Beach break. Moderately reliable, it’s best at chest-to-head high swells with little to no wind (it’s usually always direct onshore here). The sand bottom means it’s typically favored by less-experienced surfers but the waves are sometimes super fun, with a wedge-like quality that lends them to airs and hotdogging.
Indicas
If you don’t mind paddling out over super clear waters just milometers above the staghorn corals, then Indicas could be the ride of choice in the Abacos. Wintertime northerly sets create overhead and double overhead barrels here that are glass clean and spacious enough for a full extension. The downside is that it’s usually well prescribed and a stomping ground of the local crews.
Garbanzo
Garbanzo, a break of two sides, shows real teeth when it’s massive, the periods are long, and the trades dip a touch. When that happens it’s a barrel machine capable of flinging out hollowish lefts that mimic something the Bukit could muster. You’ll be paddling on a shifty take-off point with every surfer and their pets when that does happen – and they don’t take kindly to folks hoovering up the rare golden days at this sought-after local spot. Smaller days it’s a playground for intermediates who go left and right over the moderately deep reef bottom, turning and cutbacking to their heart’s content.
Tilloo Cut
You’ll need to charter something to take you over the gap in the cay to the Tilloo Cut. It’s the uninhabited part of land to the south of Elbow Cay proper and it’s a bit of a swell magnet on E trades in the summer months. The waves aren’t all that easy and most are totally undocumented. Go with a sense of adventure and stuff to treat coral wounds if you must.
Eleuthera
Long, thin Eleuthera is probably the best option for surfers who want easy access to beaches. That’s mainly becuase of one beach (Surfer’s) but also becuase the isle has one main road that runs north to south linking the whole lot up.
Egg Island
The reef A-frame that spins into life when there’s big N swells that are strong enough to get through the gap between the end of the Abacos and the top of Eleuthera is mainly good because it’s angled perfectly for the dominant W trades to be offshore. That means it works all day long, but is a nightmare to get to. It’s a nice, playful wave if you do come, with sectiony and hollow rides in both directions.
Whale Point Cut
A long right that works only on the really big N swells that fire through in the midwinter, Whale Point Cut is for dropping tides only. Wind will mess the hell with it, so it’s either for the dawnies or for when there’s a drop in the natural trades. Not often surfed by the locals, presumably because it’s still relatively hard to get to and ends with a dead end at the South Bar Club strait.
Holiday Beach
Don’t be fooled by the name here – this is actually one of the heaviest and hardest breaks in the whole of Eleuthera. A barrel revolves off the sandbanks at the top end of the bay, forming into a left that’s narrow and pitted for tis entire duration. It’s best on overhead swells from the NE and gives out some seriously cool rides when working to its best. The paddle is hard in currents and there’s shallow reef the whole way along. It’s not for anyone under intermediate+.
Surfer’s Beach
Surfer’s Beach really is the face of Bahamas surfing these days. We can see why. On anything like a 4-5-foot N swell, this one gets cracking with a lovely A-frame peak that rolls left and right over a mix of sand and coral. It’s the picture of what you expect from a tropical surf haven, with the seagrapes clambering over the white-sanded dunes of Eleuthera before it and water so turquoise you’d think it was a wave pool. The wave itself is actually a little tricky. It’s got two sections, one hollow and fast and another a little more rippable and inviting to the lip. There are some super-cool guesthouses and B&Bs in the palm groves just behind and you could do a lot worse than basing yourself here for your surf hols.
Hatchet Bay/Ledges
A more intermediate-friendly left than the fizzing sandbank barrels further north, Hatchet Bay’s offering has come to be known as Ledges (we can’t figure out why! – anyone?). It’s usually pretty mellow but still breaks over reef. We see it as a great longboarder to midlength wave on its day.
James Point
Like Egg Island further north, James Point marks the western end of a bay that drags the E trades nicely offshore. That’s a gift in mid-to-high swell days that are blown out elsewhere, because it means neat, peeling rights that bowl into a wide sand stretch. In our experience, this is one of the cleanest spots in the whole of central Eleuthera, summer or winter.
Top hotels (for surfers) in the Bahamas
It might come as a surprise but for a place that’s one of the world’s foremost holiday destinations, the Bahamas doesn’t actually have a mega overload of places to stay near its surf breaks. We’ve picked out ones that get you near the breaks below, with something for all levels of budget.
The Cove Eleuthera
The Cove Eleuthera is a Gregory Town staple. A true bout of Bahamian luxury, you won’t regret coming here if you’re planning a trip that’s one half R&R and one half surf. The location is great for accessing Surfer’s Beach and Holiday Beach, which are two of the best breaks in the country. But to get to them you’ll need to peel yourself off the private beachfront, away from the infinity pool, and out of your gorgeous villa-style suite. Easier said than done, eh?
Villa Allamanda
Vibrant and colorful Villa Allamanda channels the pizzazz of the Caribbean region with its boldly painted rooms and loveable furnishings. We especially like the panoramic deck spaces that come with some units. The location is great for accessing the wind-protected breaks of southern Eleuthera.
Seaview Pointe/A Frame House
We list this charming little bungalow because it’s just a short romp up the track to Surfer’s Beach, one of the best all-round A-frame waves on the island of Eleuthera. It’s super-highly rated to boot, offering space enough for three guests in a charming, traditional setting.
Nothing to suit? Use Booking.com to search for accomodation for your surf trip to the Bahamas…it’s got a map feature that lets you see exactly how close your hotel will be to the next surf break, which is handy.
When to surf in the Bahamas?
The winter months of December to March are the best time to surf in the Bahamas, because they have the most consistent N swells. It also happens to be peak season for weather.
Bahamas surfing really relies on the northerly swell systems of the Atlantic Ocean. They fire all year but load up in earnest with the low-pressure storms of fall and winter.
The groundswells that move southwards from the coast of New England pick up good power as they go, and there’s not a touch of the underwater canyon to mess things up before they run into the reefs of the Abacos et al. That’s great news, but often means parts of these islands that are unprotected by coral gardens show nothing more than closeout shore breaks from morning until night. It’s nonetheless the season you’re after, so travel in the period from December to March to get the best surf conditions.
Things to do in the Bahamas when you’re not surfing
One of the great things about the Bahamas is that you can travel one of the top island groups like the Abacos or Eleuthera, do a day’s surfing, and then get stuck into all the other things this amazing corner of the Caribbean has to offer.
And there’s lots. The bucket-list activities here would have to include…
- A boat charter – Look, if you can afford it, then this experience will blow your mind. Sailing the Bahamas is not like sailing anywhere else on earth. You’ll drop by totally empty beaches that are PARADISE, dine on board, and get to swim in glistening coral reefs. This all-inclusive package is around $4000-5000 for a group of six.
- Swimming with pigs – Yea, it’s odd, but there are a series of beaches around the Bahamas that are famous for their swimming pigs. A guided tour like this one is the best way to tick it off the list before you head off to the surf destinations.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
the spots listed are good….but there are so many secret spots. overhead and alone should be the title…get a sailboat and get down here..
Ah yea, we bet. Same in loads of places – from Ments to Maldives, most island-reef setups have ridiculous places to access by boat. Best discovered, not read about and all that though ay. 🙂