Public Holidays

Date 2005 Occassion
January 1 New Year's Day
March 25 Good Friday
March 27 Easter
March 28 Easter Monday
May 16 Whit Monday
June 3 Labour Day
July 10 Independence Day
August 1 Emancipation or Kadooment Day
October 12 Discovery Day
December 25 Christmas Day  
December 26 Boxing Day

Weekeend-Saturday, Sunday

Health & Safety

There are no specific shots that you are required to take before you arrive in the Bahamas except a yellow fever certificate if you are coming from an infected region. For caution sake, its better to get tetanus shot before travelling.

A sunstroke or sunburn can be the worst health hazard barring food poisoning (from Conch), diarrhoea and giardiasis. It is essential to carry water whenever you travel, as heat exhaustion and dehydration are fairly common among those who don’t take proper precautions. Try not to step out during the afternoons unless you are accustomed to the heat.

Be careful of the jellyfish that haunt many of the beaches.

Post & Communications

The main post office is at East Hill Street, Nassau. Bahamians don’t have door to door postal delivery services, instead everything goes to a Post Box. All parcels have to been opened in the presence of a customs official.  Most islands have direct dialling. International calls are expensive.

Weights and measures

Electricity: 120 volts

English Language Media

You have a choice of three local newspapers to read along with that cup of tea. The Nassau Guardian, The Tribune and the Freeport News. There are a number of tourist magazines that provide a list of eating joints and nightclubs