Nassau: an island in the Pacific Ocean and the capital of the Bahamas. Attractions, beaches, climate Nassau

As you want in a slushy and cloudy day, even for a day plunge into the warm ocean waters and soak up the sun! Fortunately, modern man is free in his movements and can go to any heavenly place on the planet. Recently, Russians, already fed up with resorts in Turkey, Egypt and Thailand, are in search of something new and exotic. Give them this will be the capital of the Bahamas - Nassau. The island on which this beautiful city is located has long been a stronghold of piracy and robbery. But let's talk about everything in order.

The game of geographical names: what are you, Nassau?

If you start looking on the map of Nassau and will be very attentive, then, most likely, you will find two geographical objects with exactly the same names, but only they are located in different parts of the world. In one case we are talking about the capital of the Bahamas, but in another Nassau - an island in the Pacific Ocean. The latter also deserves a detailed description.

Nassau - an island lost in the ocean

In the Pacific there are a lot of lost archipelagoes, which for many centuries do not change their appearance. Nassau belongs to this category. The island is part of the group of Cook Islands and is remarkable for its pristine beauty. It is almost completely overgrown with coconut palms, which are the only income of a few local residents.

One of the features of the island the natives consider its shape. The fact is that Nassau has practically no bays and lagoons - it is completely open to storms and winds. This greatly complicates the life of the islanders, who are constantly exposed to the destructive effects of cyclones and typhoons. After each revelry they have to restore almost completely destroyed houses.

Description of the island

Nassau has very small dimensions, it is more correct to call it an atoll, and not an island. In length it has only 1200 meters, and in width - 800 m. The shape of the right slightly elongated oval provided Nassau with the absence of lagoons, which, in turn, significantly complicates the approach to the atoll. On all sides it is surrounded by coral reefs. In some places their width exceeds one meter.

Several years ago, the project of constructing a convenient harbor was actively discussed, which would give impetus to the development of tourism on the island, but the significant cost of this project hinders its implementation.

Many tourists would like to spend their holidays in a secluded Nassau: the climate on the atoll has a lazy and relaxing rest. The average temperature all year round is kept within 25 degrees, which would be very comfortable for holidaymakers. However, you will not see tourists on Nassau. For this purpose, there is absolutely no infrastructure on the island, and at present the development of this industry on the atoll is not expected.

History of the island

Initially, the atoll was inhabited, it was inhabited by the natives from the nearby island of Pukapuka. It should be noted that even now Nassau belongs to the population of this atoll.

Europeans discovered the island only at the beginning of the XIX century, but it did not make a big impression on them. Literally for 70 years, Nassau was periodically reopened by the French, English and captains of whalers.

At the end of the XIX century, the atoll was occupied by the Americans, later it passed under the jurisdiction of the British Empire, and only in the middle of the last century it was purchased by the inhabitants of Pukapuk.

Population of Nassau

According to the latest data, only 70 people live on the atoll, more than half of them are school-age children. All the islanders live in a single village, which does not even have a name. As we have already mentioned, frequent typhoons cause significant damage to the dwellings of the islanders, so they make their houses as simple as possible, the roofs of such huts are made of palm leaves and twigs, which allows them to recover quickly after another hurricane.

In the middle of the last century, a school was opened in Nassau. It still works, which is very convenient for local people who do not need to leave their domain to get an education.

Can I buy tours to Nassau? Unfortunately no. In the best case, if you come to the Cook Islands, you will be able to reach the atoll as a guest with the help of local residents. But stay here for the night you are unlikely to succeed - the islanders do not like too much foreigners.

And what about the capital of the Bahamas, because it was about it that we spoke at the beginning of this article? Do not rush, we will definitely tell about another Nassau.

City of Nassau: description

The capital of the Bahamas is located on the island of New Providence. The city occupies almost the entire territory and is a cultural center of the Bahamas. The total area of the island is approximately 20 square kilometers. Km, on which are the most beautiful villas, excellent harbors, entertainment centers and magnificent beaches. All this is available to tourists day and night.

The city itself is reminiscent of the buildings of a stiff England. And this is not surprising, because for a long time the island was under the rule of the British. Most of the buildings belong to the XIX century, many of them are historical monuments.

In recent decades, the city has replenished with modern entertainment centers and casinos. The newly constructed area of Cable Beach impresses the imagination with bright signs and an abundance of people, as it is here that Nassau's nightlife is concentrated.

City `s history

In the XVII century it was the English who laid the city here, but in those days it bore the proud name of Charlestown. Although with such a beautiful name it existed for several years, and already in the 90s of the XVII century it was renamed into Nassau. Under this name the city developed in the future.

It is worth noting that his story is very rich in events. For a long time New Providence was the main base of pirates of the Caribbean Sea. They hid their ships in numerous bays and enjoyed life in drinking establishments.

For many years, British, Spanish and even Americans fought for power over the city. Nassau saw a lot of bloody battles and deaths, until the power of the British crown was established on him. But at the end of the XIX century the island became very interesting to Americans. They began to come here on vacation, and during the "dry law" many smugglers smuggled alcohol through Nassau.

Now the city is the capital of tourism in the Bahamas, vacationers bring to the budget up to half of all incoming funds. The development of Nassau is proceeding at a fast pace, the city quickly adapts to the needs of holidaymakers, which is very valuable for them.

When can I go to rest in the Bahamas?

The climate of Nassau is subequatorial. This is very conducive to the development of tourism, the average temperature rarely falls below 25 degrees. In winter (February, March) the tourist flow decreases slightly, but Russians can rest easy at this time of year. After all, by our standards, the water temperature is twenty degrees - this is perfectly acceptable for swimming.

In the summer, hurricanes and typhoons are common in the Bahamas, so this is not the best time to relax. The high season in Nassau begins in September and lasts until February.

City of Nassau: Sights

Usually small islands do not have a lot of attractions and monuments, but the capital of the Bahamas is not in this category. So, what can you advise the tourists who came to Nassau? What to see first?

As a rule, guests go to the Parliament Square. Here is a large monument to Queen Victoria and almost all the buildings of the colonial era. They are distinguished by a special architecture and character.

Among the numerous museums in the Bahamas, the most popular is the Pirate. It is dedicated to that period of the history of the island, when the power of reckless corsairs was established on it. The exhibits of the museum are very interesting, the collection is periodically replenished with new finds.

Great interest among tourists is caused by old forts, designed to protect Nassau from the water. Many vacationers are happy to visit the aquarium, which contains all the inhabitants of the underwater world of the Bahamas.

Excursions to Nassau have different directions. They are divided into historical and entertaining. The first category includes an examination of the British heritage of the island. But the entertaining excursion program includes various sports, sea walks and, of course, visits to night entertainments, of which in Nassau a great many.

Beach area of the island

The beaches of Nassau are beautiful and varied, but most tourists prefer spending their time on the Paradise Island. This small piece of land, literally covered with snow-white sand, is very close to Nyu-Providence and even connected to it by bridges. Here are the most luxurious hotels, and you can find a lot of interesting activities for the day to pass the most fun and rich.

The most popular resort on Paradise Island is called Atlantis, and it is often compared to Las Vegas. Once it served as only a haven for local fishermen, but literally for two decades turned into a luxurious and fashionable resort.

From Russia to Nassau do not fly direct flights, but with the help of transit routes, our compatriots will also be able to experience the pleasure of contemplating the beauties of the Bahamas and to examine all the sights of their capital.