The Bahamas in Pictures: 15 Beautiful Places to Photograph

Written by Karen Hastings
Feb 7, 2020
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Pictures of The Bahamas are all about color: eye-popping blue water, snow-white sand, kaleidoscopic coral, fiery sunsets, and the rainbow of hues featured in the Junkanoo parade. Zoom in to highlight the details of the underwater sea life and colorful masks. Snap a wide-angle photo to capture the vibrant colors of the Caribbean Sea, the cloud-tufted blue sky, and candy-hued cottages.

From the Abacos and Exumas to Andros and Eleuthera, travel photos showcase the natural beauty of these islands. Bring your camera everywhere you go, so you don't miss any opportunity to capture the top attractions of the Bahamas and other beautiful places to photograph in this tropical paradise.

1. Cable Beach, New Providence

Beautiful Cable Beach
Beautiful Cable Beach

Soft white sand, blue sky, and striking turquoise water. What more could you want from a beach in the Bahamas? Cable Beach poses brilliantly for that postcard-perfect photo, and even the string of resorts along its shores can't mar its beauty. Photographing it in the middle of the day captures the contrast of the cerulean sky and blue-green water against the dazzling white sand.

2. Junkanoo, Green Turtle Cay

Junkanoo masks on Green Turtle Cay
Junkanoo masks on Green Turtle Cay | Photo Copyright: Karen Hastings

Every year between Christmas and New Years, the Bahamian islands ignite with Junkanoo celebrations. This infectious parade features colorful masks, creative costumes, and Caribbean rhythms played on pulsating drums. Believed to originate from the celebrations of slaves during their days off over Christmas, Junkanoo is a visual feast for photographers. Zoom in on the masks and costumes to bring the artistry into focus.

3. Eleuthera Island

Dock at sunset on Eleuthera Island
Dock at sunset on Eleuthera Island

What could be more romantic than a fishing dock beckoning you to stroll out to a fiery sky at sunset? Magenta mingles with lavender, orange, and gold in this sunset photo on beautiful Eleuthera Island, also known for its pineapple plantations and pink-sand beaches.

4. Big Majors Cay, Exuma: The Swimming Pigs

Swimming pig on Big Majors Cay, Exuma
Swimming pig on Big Majors Cay, Exuma

Pigs may never fly, but they can certainly swim. Capture this comical sight on Big Majors Cay in Exuma. Also known, appropriately, as Pig Beach, this tiny uninhabited island is the perfect place to photograph a quirky slice of island life. These friendly transplanted pigs welcome handouts from boaters as they bob in the shallows, swimming out to greet you like a pack of friendly dogs.

5. Elbow Reef Lighthouse, Elbow Cay

Elbow Reef Lighthouse on Elbow Cay
Elbow Reef Lighthouse on Elbow Cay

Candy-striped like a giant peppermint stick, Elbow Reef lighthouse is an iconic sight on tiny Elbow Cay in the Abacos. Its red stripes pop against the lush greens and brilliant blue sky, welcoming visitors arriving by ferry to Hope Town. You can climb the 101 steps to admire panoramic views from the 89-foot structure, one of only a few remaining manual beacons in the world. But the best place to photograph it is from the water.

6. Munjack Cay

Aerial view of Munjack Cay
Aerial view of Munjack Cay

Aerial views capture the shapes and colors of the peaceful Bahamian Out Islands. And Munjack Cay, also known as ("Nunjack" and "Manjack" Cay) just north of Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos, is no different. From above, you can better appreciate the patterns and hues of the shifting sands as they merge with the crystal green shallows. Lush foliage provides pops of color against the white sand and clear blue sky. If you're lucky, you might even capture the shadowy shapes of green turtles and stingrays in the shallows.

7. Paradise Island

Colorful buildings and the Atlantis Resort
Colorful buildings and the Atlantis Resort

Sherbet-hued buildings backed by the palatial Atlantis resort make an eye-popping palette as you cruise past Paradise Island on a clear day. Throw in a cloud-scudded sky and turquoise water, and you have the perfect background to capture these Caribbean colors.

8. Common Lionfish, Abacos

Common lionfish swimming on a coral reef in the Abacos
Common lionfish swimming on a coral reef in the Abacos

Aliens are invading Caribbean coral reefs. In this case, the common lionfish is the culprit. Accidentally released into the Atlantic from aquariums during Hurricane Andrew, this prickly specimen creates environmental havoc by decimating reef fish populations. Despite its dark side, the lovely-looking lionfish makes a striking subject for an underwater photo. But beware of its venomous spines!

9. Hog Island Lighthouse, New Providence

Hog Island Lighthouse
Hog Island Lighthouse

A play on blues forms the ideal background for this simple scene of Hog Island Lighthouse. This famous beacon on the western tip of Paradise Island dates from 1817 and is reputedly the oldest lighthouse in the West Indies. Today, it guards the northwest entrance to the Port of Nassau, its bone-white base standing out against the blue sea and sky.

10. The Exumas

Boat on a wooden jetty in The Exumas
Boat on a wooden jetty in The Exumas

It's all about the water color and clarity in The Exumas. More than 365 islands make up this stunning region in the Bahamas, and its powdery white sand and swimming-pool-blue sea feature in countless tropical island fantasies. Rent a boat to explore these beautiful islands and capture artistic pictures of the sand, sea, and sky, or fly over them for an abstract aerial view.

11. Little San Salvador Island

Little San Salvador Island
Little San Salvador Island

Smooth, jade-green water and a deep blue sky streaked with clouds contrast with the rugged texture and golden hue of the rocky shore on Little San Salvador Island. This private island is a popular cruise ship stop. Point the camera away from the tourists, layer the textures and colors in horizontal thirds, and you can capture a slice of the island's natural beauty.

12. Grand Bahama

Coral reef in Grand Bahama
Coral reef in Grand Bahama

Another world of color awaits under the Bahamian blue seas. Bring an underwater camera to capture the kaleidoscopic coral, the shimmer of fish, and the texture of feather dusters in the reefs of Grand Bahama. You'll also find reefs thriving with life around many of the other Bahamian islands.

13. Pink Sand Beach, Harbour Island

Pink sand beach on Harbour Island
Pink sand beach on Harbour Island

Pale pink sand against the baby-blue hues of clear Caribbean waters creates a dreamy vision on Harbour Island. One of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, this rosy-hued beauty stretches along the eastern shores of the island, its sands created by crushed coral insects mingling with pieces of coral. Composing this image in horizontal thirds highlights the colors of the sand, sea, and sky.

14. Andros Island

Dock on Andros Island
Dock on Andros Island

A dock stretching out into an idyllic island scene adds depth to this picture of beautiful Andros Island. Known for its excellent diving and bonefishing, Andros is the largest of all the Bahamian islands, yet it remains one of the least developed, making it a perfect destination for nature lovers.

15. Princess Cays, Eleuthera

Colorful cabanas on Princess Cays
Colorful cabanas on Princess Cays

Candy-colored cabanas pop for the camera at Princess Cays. Bright pink, burnt orange, mint green, and sunny shades of yellow create a rainbow of colors at this resort on the southern end of Eleuthera. Add some rustling palms bowing overhead, and you have an idyllic beach scene begging for a photo. Snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming are all popular things to do in the tropical waters.