Beach on Paradise Island?

[39august]

I understand that the beach on Paradise Island is quite nice both at the Sheraton and Atlantis. I know the beach is public but you can't use hotel lounge chairs. My question is , is there any shade to be had at this beach? I don't like to just bake in the sun and always choose a spot with a bit of shade.

[momof4boys]

Just back from the Elation (detour to Bahamas bcause of Hurricane Emily) We went to the public beach near Atlantis. Chairs are $10 each and umbrella is $20. Umbrella is a must! We rented 2 chairs and one umbrella and it was definitely worth it. I was already a bit red from snorkling in Nassau! Waves were great the day we were there. Lots of people (esp. little kids) selling things on the beach. :( The big jars of water ($1.00) and drinks including drinks in coconuts were nice though! :)

[fmfdoccruiser]

Family and I will be in Bahamas mid-October, and were looking for the nicest beaches w/ kids. Are Paradise Island beaches within walking distance to the cruise port? If not, how did you get there? What about the water temp? Thanks for anything you could share. It's our 1st cruise, travelling with our 19 month,6 and 9 year old girls, plus Granny!

 

Vicki

[momof4boys]

Paradise Island is not within walking distance! If you take a ferry (which will be located right across from dock) it is $6 pp 2- ways. The boats say they run every 30 minutes but they wait until they are full. When we went they crammed us in the boat and had people sitting on the top (roof) in white plastic pool chairs strapped to the floor! LOL. It is about a 25 minute ride. Then you have to walk quite a ways to the beach! On the way back they station little kids to point the way to the ferry. They give a "tour" of the trip then ask for donations since the tour guide works "independently" -- Optional of course! LOL

 

 

They have numerous taxis and if we were to do it again I would probably opt for this way to go. We were a group of 7 but it looked like they had the van type of taxis, too.

 

The beach and water were gorgeous! Not sue about the water temp at that time but I suspect wonderful! On the free beach chairs and umbrellas const ($10 for chair and $20 for umbrella. With your little ones, I recommend that you place yourself (chair and belongings) as close to the water as possible because people will come and put things in front of you. This way you will be close to the kids and can watch them.:)

 

It is really beautiful and you will have fun!!

[fmfdoccruiser]

Melinda,

Thanks for the info. I'm glad you had a wonderful time, despite the weather. What other Bahama adventures did you encounter??

[momof4boys]

In Nassau in the am we booked the Pearl Island Treasue hunt. Boys loved it. Each older boy found a large conch shell and younger one found oyster with a pearl in it. The guides showed everyone how to clean shell of the meat and prepare it. They then shared the food. Lunch was provided and drinks. (Chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs) In afternoon we went to Paradise Beach.

 

In Freeport, we booked Tranquility Shores Beach Break with drinks and lunch included. When you arrive at the port, a band greets you. Within minutes, a marching band shows up and plays for over an hour! Outside of the immediate port area it is industrial. However, this did not bother us! We took a ride across the island to a beautiful beach area! Merchants could sell things outside of bar/resturaunt area but no one sold things on the beach! The adults found a big table by a large opening to settle down to. The kids got a couple of chairs on the beach, and then went to play in the water. The water was very calm (especially compared to the day before) but beautiful!! You could rent paddle boats, jet skis, or a tube ride. No other toys available. (Bring frisbee, and sand toys, etc!) Lunch was available for around 3 hours--hamburgers, chicken, hot dogs, macaroni salad, etc. A band was set up on the beach and played almost continually. A few games were arranged like limbo, egg toss, and island dance lessons.

 

Our other stop (and least anticipated) was Key West. Our friends flew in from Florida so could hardley believe they cruised to Florida. However, we booked the Catermaran Sail and Snorkel and it was fantastic! This group was very professional. They emphasized safety and taught everyone about the reef and the fish they might see. We sailed for an hour then snorkeled for an hour. They played music for the people who stay on board and served all the water, pop, wine, and beer. When you finish snorkeling you join in the drink fest! We had a wonderful time. Thanks for asking. :)

[fmfdoccruiser]

Thank you for taking the time to share:) !! I'm trying to take as much guesswork out, and just have fun. Can hardly wait.