Visit Bimini Islands, Bahamas
Bimini is the nearest island to the US East Coast and only 50 miles to the east of Miami, Florida. Because of its proximity to the US, large number of boaters continue to visit Bimini since early days engaging in big game fishing and partying at nights at several bars and restaurants here.
While Bimin is a chain of islands, the two biggest islands are North Bimini where the main settlement is in Alice Town, and the other is South Bimini where the airport is located.
South Bimini has mostly been a farming land where a small community of local families live and there are limited tourist accommodations and amenities there. However large number of visitors come to North Bimini to enjoy one of the best out island Bahamian life.
Bimini is well known to be the Capital of big game fishing. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream passes north of Bimini. The waters around the island are ideal for catches like wahoo, tuna, Marlins and even swordfish. In 1935 the well known author Ernest Hemingway sailed across to Bimini on his own boat for the first time... he fell in love with the island and repeatedly came until 1937.
Hemingway engaged in deep sea fishing trolling the Gulf Stream, enjoying his rums in the evenings at the bar of Compleat Angler Hotel where he stayed, and writing his book 'To Have And Have Not'. In 2006, this small yet famous hotel was destroyed by fire and with that were gone all his photos, signed autographs and memorabilia. Hemingway captured his intense experience of fishing on the stream and the island itself in his book 'Islands in the stream'.
Road Map Location of Bimini Islands
While fishing remains a huge attraction of Bimini, other equal tourist magnets are diving and snorkeling to explore many shipwrecks that lay submerged in the waters here. Locals of Bimini were once engaged in wrecking ships and making a living out of the salvage. Later during the Prohibition Period in the United States, Bimini became a safe haven for the rum runners who stashed their liquor stocks here.
SS Sapona, one of the wrecks ran aground in 1926 during a hurricane. It's now a partially submerged ship with part of it jutting out of water. Over the years the ship has been stripped of its wooden structures much of which was used in Compleat Angler Hotel.
There are two main roads in North Bimini, King's Highway and Queen's Highway. King's Highway and Alice Town in North Bimini has several shops, restaurants and bars.
So why should you visit Bimini?
Well other than enjoying one of the best out island Bahamian laid back hospitality, great Bahamian food (try the conch salad or cracked conch), there are many other reasons.
If you like to do fishing at deep sea or even bonefishing at the shallows like in The Bahamas Bank, or scuba dive to explore wrecks, reefs or even to the mysterious Bimini Road off North Bimini that many believe leads to the Lost City of Atlantis, or snorkel to see stunning marine life, or kayak through the mangroves, then there are hardly any other island in Bahamas or even Caribbean to beat Bimini.
There are regular flights to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) and Nassau. There is also fast ferry between Miami and Bimini (operates few days a week and takes 3 hours each way). Once in Bimini, you can rent battery operated golf carts or scooters to get around the island.
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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