Zoo in Nassau on my own?

[Sourismom]

I want to see the zoo in Nassau, and I've read you can get there on the jitney. The friend I'm traveling with is going to be doing a cruise excursion in Nassau, so I was wondering if it's "safe" to ride the bus to the zoo on my own. I traveled around Europe by myself in college (alas, a while ago!), so I'm certainly not afraid to go off on my own and actually prefer it a lot of the time. I just don't know what the "vibe" is in Nassau and wanted to know if people feel unthreatened.

 

Also, how long does it take to get to the zoo on the bus? Can you catch a convenient bus back to the port?

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Ardastra Gardens is where you want to go and it's easy and safe to get there via the #10 jitney bus which you catch at the street corner across Bay Street from the straw market. Tell the driver that you want to go to Ardastra and would he please tell you when to get off. It's really only 5-10 minutes ride on the jitney. The ride is $1.00 and you pay the driver when you get off. Once you're dropped off, you have to walk the rest of the way...about five minutes....up hill on Chippingham Road and follow the signs to the entrance.

 

To return you have to walk back downhill to Bay Street, cross the street and stand on any corner waiting for an eastbound jitney. They come along every 5 minutes or so....just waive at the driver and he'll stop to pick you up. There may actually be a marked bus stop since you're at Arawak Cay, home of popular Bahamian restaurants, but I don't recall one. We just stood there and flagged down the first jitney in less than a minute.

 

Be sure to watch the marching flamingo show, the top feature of this little zoo, as well as participating in the bird feeding.

 

BobK/Orlando

[Sourismom]

Thanks for the great info!!