These Lesser-Known Islands In The Bahamas Are The Caribbean's Next Big Thing

Forbes

3 days ago

Caerula Mar Club on South Andros Island in the Bahamas. Caerula Mar Club
Travel to the Caribbean is surging this summer, but it's the islands of the Bahamas that are burning brighter than ever. The island nation welcomed a record-shattering 11.22 million visitors in 2024, surpassing the previous year's record by 16.2%, and more than doubling pre-pandemic figures. But while the profound appeal of the Bahamas is no secret, it's where those visitors are heading that might surprise you.
Increasingly, visitors are leaving Nassau, flocking to lesser-visited islands in search of crowdless coastlines that whisper tropical paradise rather than scream busy, built-up resort town. It's a change that is putting some of the most beautiful islands in the archipelago on the map for the very first time.
The Out Islands are some of the least visited islands of the Bahamas, but arguably the most beautiful. Caerula Mar Club
More than 700 islands and cays comprise the Bahamas, yet for much of their history, just two main islands have welcomed any meaningful number of visitors: New Providence, home to the capital city of Nassau, and Grand Bahama, home to the bustling port of Freeport.
Now, it's the less-populated, much less-visited "Out Islands" of the Bahamas that take center stage in the nation's recent tourism boom. Named for their out-of-the-way location compared to Nassau, the Out Islands combined welcomed 40% less visitors than Nassau on New Providence Island in 2019.
By 2021, visits to the Out Islands began to surpass those to the nation's capital, with nearly 5.5 million visitors traveling to the Out Islands last year. Tourism statistics from the first quarter of 2025 reveal that visits to the Out Islands already outpace those to Nassau by nearly 100,000 visitors.
South Andros Island is one of the largest islands in the Bahamas, but one of the least populated. Caerula Mar Club
The Out Islands of the Bahamas are generally smaller, less populated, and more challenging to access than more populated places like Nassau or Freeport, so what makes them so special?
"The true magic of the Bahamas, for us, lies in the untouched beauty and genuine tranquility of the [Out Islands]," says Sarah Baeumler, owner of Caerula Mar Club on South Andros Island. "Unlike the bustling energy of Nassau, here on South Andros, you find a profound sense of peace, an opportunity to truly disconnect and immerse yourself in nature's rhythm."
Of course, not all the Out Islands are created equal. Among them are islands like Bimini, which has long been popular for its proximity to Miami and plush properties like the 750-acre Resorts World Bimini. Also a part of the Out Islands are destinations like Coco Cay, privately held as a cruise ship port of call by Royal Caribbean, and Half Moon Cay owned by Carnival.
Contrast these commercialized spots with islands like Eleuthera, the Abacos Islands, and Andros Island, known for their large expanses of totally untouched beaches and tranquil shores. Andros Island is the largest island in the Bahamas by far, yet it has just a tiny fraction of the population of other islands, preserving it as a mostly pristine expanse of seaside beauty.
Poolside and beachside at Caerula Mar Club on South Andros Island. Caerula Mar Club Out, Out, And Away
Even the smallest islands of the Out Islands are seeing scores of new visitors arriving, clamoring for their calmer shores. Since 2019, Andros Island has seen a whopping 36.6% increase in visitors, while Exuma has seen a 9.8% increase in visitor arrivals. Out Islands like Eleuthera and the Abacos report similarly impressive increases in arrival numbers.
New developments on islands once considered too out of the way for travelers are part of the increasing attraction. On South Andros, Baeumler's Caerula Mar Club debuted in 2020 as the first property of its kind on the island. A boutique luxury escape with just a handful of rooms and villas, it makes the most of the island's miles of untouched shores while not infringing upon the raw, removed feel of the island that makes it so attractive in the first place.
Baeumler and her husband purchased the ten-acre property and totally renovated it's existing structure to create a hideaway just steps off the white sands. The property features island-inspired beachfront dining, an intimate spa and wellness space for oceanside yoga classes and massages, sports courts and a gym, and a spacious pool deck alongside fun touches like hammocks, a pizza oven, and a full menu of excursions and experiences across the island.
Prior to the property's debut, there was little here to welcome visitors. The island was mostly known as a haven for serious sports fishermen, who came flocking to fish the waters known for having the best bonefishing in the world. Now, their companions are just as comfortable relaxing by the pool or enjoying a massage while their partners hunt prized catches on the waves. It's a transformation of tourism on the island that can't be overstated.
Eleuthera in the Bahamas. getty New and Improved
Nearby Out Islands are welcoming similarly exciting projects that promise to transform tourism in their own way. On Eleuthera, airport upgrades look to enhance access to the island from neighboring islands and abroad, helping visitors access new accommodations like the recently opened Potlatch Club.
On the same island, Jack's Bay is a private club and residential community set on 1,200 acres with miles of beaches, already home to a Tiger Woods-designed golf course. Another course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is set to debut next year. As the property continues to expand, private residences will be available for rent, for visitors looking to feel at home on what Woods called "one of the best pieces of property around the world."
Later this year, Montage Hotels & Resorts will debut Montage Cay on a private island in the Abacos, featuring 50 suites, plush overwater bungalows, and residences stretching across a 53-acre property with every imaginable amenity. On Exuma, a highly-anticipated Rosewood Hotels & Resorts property is set to open its doors in 2028.
Beachside villas on South Andros Island. Caerula Mar Club Out Island Experience
Whether travelers are headed to one of the islands' new developments or sticking to something familiar, the experience on these far less crowded islands is similar.
"It's about 'barefoot luxury,' a simpler, more authentic experience that allows for real connection with the island, its vibrant marine life, and the warmth of the local community," says Baeumler. Simply put, it's that paradise island feel that many are looking for when they dream of visiting the Bahamas in the first far, an experience only found far from Nassau's Paradise Island itself.