The Bahamas of… James Bond. Discovering the most “famous” Caribbean

How to plan a unique and fun Bahamas sailing vacation, exploring islands so beautiful that even the most famous spy in cinema, James Bond, was captivated.

007 exploring the Bahamas

The very legendary Scottish actor Sean Connery who first played and made inimitable 007 also inaugurated the British secret agent’s visits to the Bahamas: it was 1965 for the shooting of the film “Thunderball: Operation Thunder,” in which Bond’s villain and enemy was the great Italian actor Adolfo Celi. Twelve years later it is the turn of another beloved 007, British actor Roger Moore, to travel to the nature and sea of the Bahamas during the vicissitudes of the 1977 film “The Spy Who Loved Me.” A few years later it was Sean Connery again, back to play James Bond for one last time after “leaving” the character, who found himself in the Caribbean islands for his adventures. Several scenes were shot in the Bahamas and contained in the 1983 film “Never Say Never.” The last Bond – for the time being… – to visit the archipelago “on business” was the most recent 007, Daniel Craig: during the adventures of the 2006 film “Casino Royale” he, too, got to experience the beauty of the Caribbean lands.

Bahamas among spies, corals and pirates of the Caribbean

In short, whether you are a big fan of James Bond adventures or not, if you are looking for a cue to plan your next boating vacation in winter, the Bahamas is an interesting option anyway. In the meantime, we offer you this itinerary that follows the places visited by the four film secret agents — by land but mostly also them by sea, above and below… — and which incidentally, but not too incidentally, are also some of the most beautiful and fascinating places in the entire archipelago. Islands that, of course, it is complicated to reach with your own sailboat from Italy: no fear, however, because there are several charter companies operating with offices in the Bel Paese as well and that can organize with you and for you a charter in the Bahamas; also taking care of flights to and from Italy and all the necessary transfers and services.

Positioned on the island of New Providence, which is one of the largest but not the largest of the more than seven hundred that are part of the Bahamas, the city of Nassau is not only the capital of the Caribbean country but is also its main center, including tourism. In fact, this is where the interstate airport is located that connects the Bahamas directly to both the United States (although Florida is “only” 250 nautical miles away) and from here one can charter a sailboat to set out on a cruise to explore the state-archipelago that stretches southward almost to Cuba and southeastward to Turks & Caicos. Nassau is then also a tourist destination as well as a star in films starring 007. Its colonial old town, dating back to the second half of the 17th century, is full of remarkable historic buildings, most of which are located along the main thoroughfare of Bay Street. Among them is the one at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel, which takes us back to the first James Bond film hosted in the Bahamas: in “Thunderball: Operation Thunder,” in fact, the spy arrives in Nassau by sea and heads to this very hotel via Bay Street. Then today on the same street we also discover another interesting tourist attraction, the Pirates of Nassau Museum (info for guided tours, tel: +1.242.3563759). It is the place to immerse oneself, before sailing among the islands that were its favorite havens, in the epic of the Caribbean buccaneers. The Bahamas itself was a favorite landing place of theirs for at least two centuries, so much so that in the mid-eighteenth century they proclaimed in Nassau itself a “Pirate Republic” that was led by, among others, the notorious and infamous Blackbeard.

Those Bahamas between luxury and nature

Having finally left the moorings from Nassau, the first island to visit by sea is New Providence itself, perhaps starting along the northern coast from the magnificent and secluded Cable Beach: about two kilometers long, it is characterized by the presence of very white sand and tall palm trees and is another spot linked to the 007 epic. In fact, in the past behind the beach was a Casino at the tables of which we find our James Bond always during a scene in the movie “Thunderball.” From here then navigation continues southwest to reach another fascinating cove, Clifton Bay: well sheltered it is enclosed by lush, verdant nature surrounding Jaw’s Beach. Just off these shores is another 007 location, albeit an underwater one: it is the James Bond Wreck, a wreck located at a depth of about 20 meters (thus reachable only by experienced divers) near which scenes from the 1983 film “Never Say Never” were filmed. It is a 30-meter-long cargo ship used by 007 as an escape route from a tiger shark that was launched at his heels.

Having completed the circumnavigation of the island of New Providence, another much smaller islet is reached: although today it is attached to the mainland by several road bridges, Paradise Island has since the early twentieth century been perhaps the most popular tourist destination of the many in the Bahamas. But also one of the most frequently used film sets by directors in Hollywood and beyond. In fact, as many as two 007s have been visitors to the beautiful Caribbean location: in order of time it was again the Sean Connery of “Thunderball: Operation Thunder” who chose one of the long white beaches on the north side of the island to invite to a romantic picnic on the sand in the company of one of the legendary “Bond girls.” Although in this case the tete a tete was actually a cover to investigate the shady dealings of Spectre’s enemies. In much more recent years, Daniel Craig also returned to Paradise Island, during the filming of “Casino Royale” in 2006. Indeed, the blond 007 arrives at the splendid Four Seasons The Ocean Club resort on the trail of his suspects and finds time to enjoy both the hotel’s five-star treatment and the island’s lush nature. A curiosity: one of the spots in the resort where we find Bond is named Martini Bar and Lounge in honor of the famous cocktail drunk by the British spy on all his travels.

Sailing in the natural paradise

Then heading north about 120 miles by boat we reach the magnificent island of Grand Bahama: which remained almost uninhabited for centuries because of the shallow waters that surround it and which also give it its name (from the Old Spanish word for “bajamar” or “shallows”) it has been almost rediscovered for tourism purposes. In fact, these shoals are formed by a vast and lush coral reef that is one of the main attractions of the entire archipelago. Front and center on the island’s southern coast is a tiny and beautiful atoll that is also protected by the Bahamas’ smallest National Park. It is called Peterson Cay (info on landing rules: tel. +1.242.3525438) and is home to a deserted, wild dream beach that is accessible only by sea and in front of which you can take a magnificent swim or enjoy snorkeling to admire the colorful reef fish. Another magnificent destination-which are actually two islands, North Bimini and South Bimini, separated in the middle by a tiny stretch of open sea-is Bimini: it too is home to a coral reef that is spectacular in color and wildlife. So much so that even here our James Bond made a detour. In the azure waters of Bimini, in fact, marine and underwater shots were taken that were later used during the 1977 film “The Spy Who Loved Me.” A perfect place to give bottom is in the southern part of the North Bimini coast: this is where the so-called Radio Beach is located: it is a small wild inlet that is enclosed by a beach that becomes enchanting especially at sunset time. So much so that there are a few small wooden kiosks ashore to which one can go to have a Caribbean drink in front of the sun dipping into the sea.

The last stop on this cruise in the footsteps of cinema’s most famous spy finally takes us south to the Bahamas, the whereabouts of the Exuma Islands. It is an archipelago within an archipelago in this group includes as many as 365 larger islands and tiny atolls. One of which, positioned toward the northern part of the Exumas is that of Staniel Cay: it is here that between land and sea is a fantastic system of underwater caves is ideal for snorkeling, as well as diving, of course. And it is precisely here that we find our 007, again played by Sean Connery for the film “Thunderball.” Bond in fact explores these caves on foot and by swimming to uncover the shady dealings of his arch enemy, the villainous Emilio Largo, number two in the terrible Spectre. But arriving here by boat one quickly forgets all nastiness as one begins to enjoy, from the deck and from the sea, a teeming exotic marine life made up of a colorful coral reef among which swim thousands of brightly colored fish, such as yellowtail snappers and angel fish. For those who then want to imitate 007 and enter the larger cave that opens directly into the sea, it is best to wait for the time of low tide when it can be accessed seza effort on foot. At high tide, however, diving equipment is required.

Leaving the Spectre’s secretive haven, one sails a few miles north to reach another magnificent atoll, that of Compass Cay. Along its rugged coastline the reef is truly magnificent, while the islet is also perfect for an overnight stop by hosting a new and fully equipped tourist marina (info: tel. +1.242.4227300).