Should you bring cash to the Bahamas?

English is actually the official language of the Bahamas, so it'll be spoken everywhere you go. There's no need to get your currency exchanged, US currency is accepted. You'll want to travel with cash and a major credit card though, because you'll probably need both during your stay. Tips are king.



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It's always advisable to bring money in a variety of forms on a vacation: a mix of cash, credit cards, and traveler's checks. You should also exchange enough petty cash to cover airport incidentals, tipping, and transportation to your hotel before you leave home, or withdraw money upon arrival at an airport ATM.

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Upon check-in at all hotels, you are required to place a credit card on file as your security deposit for your incidentals. There is a holding charge on the credit card, which is based on various factors, including number of nights and type of package booked. Atlantis Paradise Island is a cash free resort.

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How much is customary? Many restaurants in the Bahamas will automatically add a 15% gratuity to your bill. If there is a service charge on your bill there is no need to leave an additional tip, however, if you receive exceptional service and wish to add more, this is at your discretion.

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You'll find that merchants on the island do accept most major credit cards, though we recommend some cash for smaller, local merchants and restaurants who may require cash. Taxis in The Bahamas will require cash.

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Expect to pay more than $25 a plate for something as mundane as shrimp over linguine—and that's at a casual sports bar outside Nassau. Of course, where there's a will, there's a way to eat cheap in the Bahamas, and you can bet that it involves local food.

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Water -- Technically, tap water is drinkable throughout The Bahamas. Still, we almost always opt for bottled. Resorts tend to filter and chlorinate tap water more aggressively than other establishments; elsewhere, bottled water is available at stores and supermarkets, and tastes better than that from a tap.

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Advantages of using cash If your spending discipline breaks down when you use credit cards, cash may be a better choice while you let loose on vacation. No foreign transaction fees: Many credit cards charge an extra fee of up to 3% on purchases made outside the country, although you can find cards that don't.

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Your iPhone is locked to the carrier that it last worked on in your home country. You need to get your iPhone unlocked so that it would work with any carrier's SIM card. Contact your carrier and ask them whether they can temporarily unlock your iPhone so that you can use it with another carrier in the Bahamas.

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In the Bahamas, service staff and hotel workers expect to be tipped. The usual tip for service from a taxi driver or waiter is 15% and $1–$2 a bag for porters. Most travelers leave $1 to $3 per day for their hotel maid, usually every morning since the maid may have a day off.

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In general, you'll want to plan on tipping restaurant staff, the concierge, bartenders, housekeepers, the bellman, pool staff, and shuttle drivers at all-inclusive resorts. Impeccable service can always be rewarded with higher tips, but there are some accepted standards for travelers to lean on.

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Table manners are Continental -- the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating. Meals are often served buffet style or family-style. Keep your elbows off the table and your hands above the table when eating.

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Many restaurants in the Bahamas will automatically add a 15% gratuity to your bill. If there is a service charge on your bill there is no need to leave an additional tip, however, if you receive exceptional service and wish to add more, this is at your discretion.

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Your driver has a list of all rates to all locations. It's best to establish the fare before you take the ride. The currency is the Bahamian dollar (B$1), pegged to the U.S. dollar so that they're always equivalent. (In fact, U.S. dollars are accepted widely throughout The Bahamas.)

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