Bahamas Island Hopping: Ferry, Mailboat or Flight

Which islands can you reach by ferry from Nassau?

Fewer than older guides suggest. The operator's own passenger schedule, read on 27 September 2026, lists one high-speed service: the Bo Hengy III to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island in North Eleuthera. Its FAQ says the Monday sailing to George Town, Exuma, is "only a freight service currently".

The Ministry of Tourism's island hopping FAQ still lists Bahamas Ferries routes from Nassau to the Abacos, Andros, Cat Island, the Exumas and Freeport. Treat that list as out of date unless the operator's page shows a passenger sailing for your date. The company's freight schedule does run to Rock Sound, Governor's Harbour, George Town, Marsh Harbour and Freeport, but those are cargo sailings.

The same tourism FAQ says all 16 islands can be reached by air through Nassau. That is the real backbone of island hopping: the country is an archipelago spread over long stretches of open water, and most routes between islands run through the capital's airport.

Fast ferry, mailboat and flight compared

What the Harbour Island ferry costs and how long it takes

On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, check-in runs from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. and the boat leaves Nassau at 8:00. It reaches Spanish Wells at 10:10 and Harbour Island at 11:10. The return leaves Harbour Island at 3:40 p.m. and Spanish Wells at 4:20, reaching Nassau at 6:30. The operator adds that holidays and special events override this timetable.

Fares include VAT. An adult pays USD 139 one way or USD 257 round trip. A child aged 2 to 11 pays USD 103 or USD 185. The FAQ quotes each adult fare USD 1 lower, so expect the booking engine to be the final word.

A family of two adults and one eight-year-old, round trip: 2 × USD 257 + USD 185 = USD 699. One way it is 2 × USD 139 + USD 103 = USD 381.

A day trip: the timetable leaves 4 hours 30 minutes on Harbour Island (11:10 to 3:40) or 6 hours 10 minutes on Spanish Wells (10:10 to 4:20). Miss the afternoon boat and you wait for the next scheduled sailing: two days from Wednesday to Friday, or four from Saturday to Wednesday.

Is flying faster than the ferry?

For almost every island except North Eleuthera, flying is the only scheduled option, so the question is really how much airport time to budget. Bahamasair's own offers page says direct flights leave Nassau for Eleuthera daily and for Abaco daily. The tourism board's page on Eleuthera lists three airports on the island, at North Eleuthera, Governor's Harbour and Rock Sound. Harbour Island has no airport of its own; the board describes a five-minute boat crossing from Eleuthera.

At Nassau, domestic flights leave from the building LPIA's terminal map calls International and Domestic Departures, not the separate US Departures terminal. Bahamasair closes counter and online check-in 60 minutes before domestic flights and wants you at the gate 20 minutes before departure. The tourism board advises allowing two hours for connections in Nassau, and warns that smaller carriers are not always listed on sites such as Kayak or Expedia.

Bahamasair publishes no fixed domestic fare table, so this guide does not quote air fares. On top of the fare, the airport's domestic tariff sets USD 18.70 in charges per departing domestic passenger. Compare the full price in the booking engine against the ferry's USD 139 before deciding on North Eleuthera.

Luggage: where the ferry wins

Bags change the maths more than fares do. Bahamas Ferries allows each paying passenger two free checked pieces and one small carry-on that fits under the seat. Its policies page gives two different limits: up to 45 lb in its checked-luggage section, and up to 50 lb and 60 linear inches per bag in its conditions of carriage. Pack to 45 lb to be safe. Extra pieces start at USD 12 to 13 if prepaid and USD 25 to 26 if paid at the vessel, depending on which of the operator's pages you read.

Bahamasair's domestic baggage rates include one free bag of up to 50 lb and 62 inches. The second costs USD 55 plus VAT, the third USD 95 plus VAT, and bags of 51 to 70 lb pay an extra USD 50 plus VAT. Its carry-on allowance is one piece of up to 22 × 14 × 9 inches and 20 lb.

A couple with two suitcases each: on the ferry, all four bags travel free if each is within the weight limit. On Bahamasair, the two second bags cost 2 × USD 55 = USD 110 plus VAT in each direction.

Bulky gear does not suit the ferry. Bicycles, surfboards and coolers over 48 quarts must go as freight; the fares page lists bicycle charges of USD 18 to 34. Bahamasair accepts surfboards and scuba gear without tanks as checked baggage and charges USD 125 for a bicycle.

What happens when the weather turns?

Every Bahamas Ferries timetable carries the line "weather permitting, all going well". If the company cancels for weather, passengers are rebooked on the next available sailing, and the policies promise a full refund or a new date when the company cancels. Your own changes are stricter. Tickets are non-refundable and valid for a year, and you must give 24 hours' notice to keep the fare. For international bookings, the policy applies a 50% penalty to cancellations made 24 hours or more ahead and 100% inside 24 hours.

Bahamasair reroutes you on its next flight with seats. When severe weather causes the disruption, the airline says you pay your own hotel, meals and incidentals, though staff will help you find a room.

Mailboats: what we could and could not confirm

Mailboats are cargo boats that also carry mail and some passengers. The Government of The Bahamas lists "Inter-island Passenger Freight and Mail Service" and the Port Department among the responsibilities of its Ministry of Energy and Transport. That page gives phone numbers (+1 242 328 2701 or 2705) but no timetable, and we found no current official mailboat schedule or fare list online.

The service still exists. The tourism board's Andros page says South Andros is reachable by "the weekly mail boat" and North Andros by ferry and mailboat from Nassau. The same page mentions daily ferry service from Nassau to Fresh Creek in Central Andros without naming an operator; we could not confirm that service.

For a sense of the journey, CNN Travel reported in 2014 that the boats leave from Potter's Cay Dock, take about 14 hours to George Town and 37 to 42 hours to Inagua, and are prone to delays in rough seas, with basic shared cabins. It described them as family-owned boats that hold government mail contracts. Those figures are more than a decade old. Use them as a guide to scale, not as a timetable.

Choosing your route

For Harbour Island or Spanish Wells with heavy luggage, the fast ferry is the simplest choice if your dates fall on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday. For any other island, or a tight schedule, book a flight directly with the airline and keep two hours in Nassau for the connection. Take a mailboat only if you have spare days, can confirm the sailing by phone or at Potter's Cay, and do not need to be anywhere on a fixed date.

Around Christmas and New Year, the ferry's holiday sailings replace the regular timetable, and its group discount does not apply during holidays and regattas. If you are timing a trip around the parades, read our Junkanoo guide and check the operator's alerts and schedule notices before you pay.