Located between Nassau and Grand Bahama, the Berry Islands are one of The Bahamas’ most beautiful and peaceful destinations. This chain of islands is known for its crystal-clear turquoise waters, friendly communities, incredible fishing grounds, and authentic Bahamian culture.

From relaxing beaches and delicious native food to vibrant nightlife and spiritual fellowship, the Berry Islands offer visitors a truly memorable experience. The Berry Islands are also a popular destination for private boats and yachts, with several docking areas available throughout the islands.

How to Get There:

BahamasAir

Traveling to the Berry Islands is convenient from Nassau. Flights typically arrive at Great Harbour Cay Airport, which offers quick access to nearby settlements and attractions.

World-Famous Island Attractions: 

Rising 46 feet above sea level on Great Stirrup Cay, the island’s historic lighthouse is a quiet yet striking sentinel of the northern Bahamas. Once manually operated and essential to maritime navigation, it now runs on solar power—a seamless blend of heritage and modern sustainability.

Set against the backdrop of Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, the lighthouse retains a timeless charm, its colonial-style architecture lending both elegance and character to the landscape. While access to the cay is typically reserved for cruise guests, non-passengers can arrange visits in advance, offering a rare opportunity to experience this understated landmark up close.

On clear days, the lighthouse reveals itself from afar—visible even from Great Harbour Cay—catching the light at sunrise and sunset in a way that feels almost cinematic. It is less a grand spectacle and more a quiet icon, rewarding those who know where, and when, to look.

Ship Yard Beach/ Bardot Beach

The Community Well and Concrete Slab still exists today.

Big Whale Cay – Lighthouse and Church Mansion

Among the earliest settled islands in The Berry Islands, Big Whale Cay is steeped in history and intrigue. Once a thriving coconut and sisal plantation, it later became the private retreat of Marion “Joe” Carstairs—a famed British speedboat racer of the 1920s and ’30s.

After purchasing the island in 1934, Carstairs transformed it into a self-sufficient enclave, complete with a Great House, church, gardens, roadways, and a striking lighthouse that still defines the cay’s silhouette. Access was strictly limited to her guests and the Bahamian workers who maintained the estate.

Today, while time has quieted much of its former life, the private island’s lighthouse and ruins remain a compelling reminder of an era shaped by vision, solitude, and unmistakable character.

Bird Cay

Set on 250 acres at the southern tip of the Berry Islands, Bird Cay feels both remote and within easy reach—just a 30-minute flight from Nassau. Among its most intriguing features is an abandoned mansion, built in the 1940s by Francis Francis, now standing as a quiet relic of the island’s layered past.

Bird Cay is a secluded tropical beauty that remains quiet and largely untouched.

Hoffman Cay Blue Hole

Tucked away in the southern Berry Islands, this striking blue hole stretches nearly 600 feet across, its dark sapphire waters framed by a limestone cliff rising some 20 feet above the surface. For thrill-seekers brave enough to leap, the jump delivers an instant surge of adrenaline into the unknown depths below. Aside from the occasional oyster clinging to its walls, the blue hole remains eerily untouched — adding to its mystique.

Among the chain’s natural wonders, Hoffmann’s Cay Blue Hole is the most visited, reached by crossing a quiet horseshoe-shaped beach shaded by a fringe of Australian pine trees along the shoreline.

Visitors wishing to attend church services during their stay will find welcoming congregations within the community.