Fall has hit Canada and winter is just around the corner! The temperature is dropping and many Canadians only have one thing in mind. Travelling to someplace warm during the fall and winter months. Taking a vacation in the Bahamas is very ideal for most Canadians, especially if they’ve experienced what the beautiful islands have to offer. 

In this blog post, we will go over the legal requirements to travel to the Bahamas from Canada, the potential hazards and dangers that the country presents to tourists, as well as the reasons so many Canadians love spending time in the island nation!

Bahamas Health Visa

Before you book your flight to the beautiful island nation, you must obtain a Bahamas Health Visa to be able to enter the country. The purpose of the health visa is to confirm that as a traveller, you understand health and safety protocols regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To obtain the Bahamas health visa. You must complete an online test no more than exactly 3 days before your visit to the Bahamas. You must also complete a COVID-19 test before entry into the country and receive a negative result. Lastly, just like any other nation outside of Canada. You must have an up-to-date passport to be able to enter the Bahamas.

Now that we’ve established what is required for travel to the Bahamas from Canada. Let’s explore some of the dangers that resulted in death in the island nation.

Bahamas Deaths

Unfortunately, despite being a beautiful tourist hot spot. There have been a few tourist deaths in the Bahamas. Recently someone visiting the country died from a shark attack which is a pretty rare occurrence. Especially with the safety precautions that tourism companies make before a planned shark dive. 

Just to reiterate how rare a shark attack is. According to an Australian study, there’s an average of ten shark attacks per year globally. That’s actually less than vending machine deaths per year. So it’s safe to say that it’s very unlikely that you will be mauled by a shark when you travel to the Bahamas from Canada.

Sandals Resort Bahamas Deaths

In the summer of 2022, there were three fatalities caused by carbon monoxide poisoning at a Sandal’s resort within the Bahamas. It’s very unusual for a popular franchise such as Sandals to have carbon monoxide leaks. A reporter mentioned in a USAToday article that a spokesperson for the resort mentioned they’re installing carbon monoxide detectors across each hotel location.

It’s likely that Sandal’s infrastructure is much safer after the unfortunate accident, as the brand would lose a massive amount of potential customers if it builds a reputation for killing guests.

There have been other reported deaths like when the body of a seventy-year-old male was found in the capital of the Bahamas. If you do feel hesitant about visiting the country, we can’t blame you. However, there are several tourists who die in many other nations all around the world every year. And given that there was no “foul play” in each of these incidents. 

We highly doubt that The Bahamas is dangerous for Canadians or any other traveller. Now that we’ve covered the requirements to travel to the Bahamas from Canada. As well as incidents that resulted in tourists dying. Let’s explore all the reasons people love the country!

Bahama Boat Tours

Have you ever seen people having fun with pigs in dazzling turquoise waters on a tropical shore vis Instagram posts? Sounds pretty wild right? It’s a very popular tourist attraction that’s synonymous with Bahama’s tourism experiences, specifically the boat tours. Watch the video below to see a glimpse of how much fun swimming with island piggies can be:

The Bahama’s boat tours also give tourists the joy of deep sea fishing in the saltwater ocean! Canadians are so used to freshwater fishing that it can be really exciting to catch fish that are completely new to what you’re used to. Prices can be anywhere between $600 and $5000 USD. So make sure you save up before your trip!

Shark Diving Bahamas

Once you travel to the Bahamas from Canada, the first thing almost anyone does is coordinate a shark diving adventure! There are about 10 species of sharks that you can potentially see on diving expeditions, including hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, and more!

This memorable experience costs between $130 and $440 per individual depending on the company that you choose for your shark diving. Make sure to pack your luggage with a waterproof camera since you’ll have plenty of sharks and marine environments in the deep-blue sea to take a picture for your Insta!

Don’t worry about drying off after! Usually, the boats are very tourist-friendly and come prepared with beautiful towels ready once you get out of the water. We do recommend you check out the Sandals blog post about the shark diving experience as it details some safety precautions before you get in the sea!

Visit The Pink sand Beach in The Bahamas

Seasoned travellers know far too well that the Bahamas is home to vibrant pink sand beaches that always finds itself on tourism social media content. What causes the sand to be so pink in the Bahamas? It’s actually due to tiny insects that aren’t even visible to the naked eye!

Their pink shells get crushed and powdered naturally from people, animals, and even the water crashing against the beach. Over time it dyes the sand into a light-pink colour that the island nation is famous for.   

If you’re interested in visiting the pink beaches. You must head to the island that’s right of the island Eleuthera, where North Eleuthera Airport is located on. Then, you must take a ship to the isle where you can access the pink beaches. Which are located on the right of Dunmore Town.

The Food in the Bahamas

You’re in for a culinary treat once you finally get settled into your resort or Airbnb. There’s so much delicious food within the island nation. The food is almost guaranteed to leave you craving for even more! Let’s explore some of the food in the Bahamas that tourists just can’t get enough of:

Cracked Conch

This dish is one of the most well-known cuisines found in the country. It’s comprised of sea snails that are battered and deep-fried with seasonings and often come with a spicy aioli sauce to dip it in. Restaurants often prepare cracked conch with some lime slices for you to drizzle lime juice to taste. Additionally, this is the national dish of the Bahamas!

Souse

Soup lovers should definitely try a bowl of Souse! Unlike most soups. The broth is served cold and has a delicious savory flavour due to the seasonings used to prepare souse. It also has pickled meat that tastes salty.

Yellow Bird

This is a sweet and fruity-tasting cocktail that’s synonymous with Caribbean cuisine. It typically contains a mixture of white rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, triple sec, mint, and lime juice. It’s very refreshing, especially when you’re sipping it on a hot day on the beach. We recommend trying a yellow bird when you visit or make one at home. 

Minced Crawfish

Absolutely a tourist favorite amongst Canadians. Minced crawfish is prepared with several different ingredients that blend together to make a very savory and aromatic seafood dish. It melts in your mouth and is no surprise that you can find several recipes for it on Google.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Conclusion

Although there have been several news stories covering tourist deaths in the Bahamas. It’s a safe tourist hot spot that has an incredible amount of culture, adventures, and scrumptious cuisine. There’s really no surprise why so many people travel to the Bahamas from Canada. We recommend booking an airplane ticket and visiting when you get the chance!

Thank you for reading our blog post! If you have any questions. Please feel free to comment or access our contact page and get in touch with us. Thanks again, and have a great day

Written by Co-Owner Jonathan Cohen.

The post Travel to The Bahamas from Canada: What Tourists Should Know appeared first on Travelling with Abundance.