I am going to the Bahamas pretty soon. I am assuming tourists are not allowed to carry? Internet searches I have done have been useless. The two people I am going with have no idea I carry and I want it to stay that way. I am thinking I may just have to go without taking a gun. Any travel to the Bahamas for you guys? Thanks for your help.
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Traveling to the Bahamas
- Thread starter BrentC
- Start date
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The Bahamas are certainly a no go zone. Unless you want to end up in a 3rd world jail. It's not worth it. Put a nice folder knife in your luggage and just carry it in a pocket, (the chances are that's illegal, but it wouldn't likely be as bad as getting caught with a firearm). Even the US Virgin Islands don't recognise any permits but their own. Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
I've gone to Freeport twice and my family has been going for 30+ years. There's never been a safety issue (that I'm aware of) and the two times I was there I didn't ever feel a weird or unsafe vibe anywhere. Obviously I offer a small sample size but if I were going next week (I wish) I wouldn't think twice about leaving any firearm at home. Just my 
.
Relax and enjoy!
.Relax and enjoy!
This^^^
The police officers that do carry have to check out their firearm daily and each bullet issued must be accounted for when they return it. Went to the bahamas last year and had a blast. I didn't feel a need for my gun at any time, not even in fry town. Enjoy the views, enjoy the rum, enjoy the food, avoid the cuban cigars because they'll all be fake and avoid the Bahama Mama's.
What's wrong with the Bahama Mama's?
I travel to the Bahamas every year to dive. I've never been a victim of violent crime even though I have made some poor decisions and put myself into dangerous situations. I have cruised Nassau with a pimp in his VW Beetle dune buggy, gone to shady local bars that were invite only, been to an organized crime sushi joint, and gone aboard strangers ships in marines in the middle of the night without issue. I have more crazy stories than you would believe I in no way suggest that you do as many dumb things as I have done, but rest assured, it's not as dangerous as you hear.
TheEngineer
Expert
...then this 
...turns to this 
...leading to this 
...and ends like this 
It is illegal for you to carry there. There is no way that I can tell you truthfully that you will be safe 100% of the time, or that there will be no need for self-defense. I don't care who has gone there and what they have done... you can't tell someone else "you'll be fine" because I did this and that and I was fine. That is nutty. You know home many kids graduated from NIU before the shooting there? I bet if you asked them, they would have told you just how safe the campus was. Tragedy can strike anywhere.
My only advise is try to stay away from shady areas and shady people...that will not guarantee anything but it should increase your odds of not becoming a victim. Don't stand out from the crowd by pulling out lots of cash or wearing fancy jewelry. I would carry pepper spray and or a knife but that is just me. All too often tourists are exploited all over the world because they are not from the area and can be taken advantage of. That doesn't mean you shouldn't go and enjoy yourself it's just the way it is. Just some food for thought.
My only advise is try to stay away from shady areas and shady people...that will not guarantee anything but it should increase your odds of not becoming a victim. Don't stand out from the crowd by pulling out lots of cash or wearing fancy jewelry. I would carry pepper spray and or a knife but that is just me. All too often tourists are exploited all over the world because they are not from the area and can be taken advantage of. That doesn't mean you shouldn't go and enjoy yourself it's just the way it is. Just some food for thought.
If you do travel off the beaten path. You begin to see billboards and painted signs EVERYWHERE, they have things on them like "keep your virginity, its worth the wait" and "Condoms help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS".
How awesome is it to say I've rolled Nassau with a pimp in his dune buggy? I'd do it in half a minute. Im going back to the Bahamas in September, where did you find that guy? lol
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I was at Crazy Johnnies when I met him. The club is no longer known as crazy Johnnies, but you can still find. it. Just ask for Bahama Bay Club and go one block south. The bar is on the second floor of a boat store. When you arrive at the place formally known as Crazy Johnnies, ask for Damien. The bartender will know who you're asking for. He is a local pimp who also installs pools. Damen spends a lot of time at crazy Johnnie's, dependent on their live music.
Thanks for the tips, ill see if he'll pimp out his dune buggy for a bit. lol
I spent a week and a half in Nassau last year. What a lovely place, though the first night there I do believe there were a couple police officers who were murdered... it's not a place to wander around after dark.
With that said, wake up early and go enjoy the beaches. Get some fresh conch salad by the beach and check out Paradise Island... but beware it is expensive as $#*% there... rest of the islands are alright, price wise.
Stay out of the ghetto, don't buy drugs from people in vans who park by the beach and ask you if you want to buy some (derr), and probably best to avoid 'locals bars'. You should be safe otherwise.
Lucky you, what I'd give to be at the beach right now drinking rum from a coconut and passing out in the shade of a palm tree....
OH YEAH! You have to do this: Stuart Cove's Sub Bahamas Adventure Stuart Cove Divers Bahamas Best Dive Trips That was so much fun. Taking a personal submarine to the 'Hollywood bowl' where they filmed underwater scenes for some movies. While the first batch of people went down they just let us swim and snorkel in the ocean off the coast of some small island used as a bird sanctuary. Was probably one of the funnest things I did the entire time there. Got to see a ton of neat fish. No sharks though
With that said, wake up early and go enjoy the beaches. Get some fresh conch salad by the beach and check out Paradise Island... but beware it is expensive as $#*% there... rest of the islands are alright, price wise.
Stay out of the ghetto, don't buy drugs from people in vans who park by the beach and ask you if you want to buy some (derr), and probably best to avoid 'locals bars'. You should be safe otherwise.
Lucky you, what I'd give to be at the beach right now drinking rum from a coconut and passing out in the shade of a palm tree....
OH YEAH! You have to do this: Stuart Cove's Sub Bahamas Adventure Stuart Cove Divers Bahamas Best Dive Trips That was so much fun. Taking a personal submarine to the 'Hollywood bowl' where they filmed underwater scenes for some movies. While the first batch of people went down they just let us swim and snorkel in the ocean off the coast of some small island used as a bird sanctuary. Was probably one of the funnest things I did the entire time there. Got to see a ton of neat fish. No sharks though
I spent a week and a half in Nassau last year. What a lovely place, though the first night there I do believe there were a couple police officers who were murdered... it's not a place to wander around after dark.
With that said, wake up early and go enjoy the beaches. Get some fresh conch salad by the beach and check out Paradise Island... but beware it is expensive as $#*% there... rest of the islands are alright, price wise.
Stay out of the ghetto, don't buy drugs from people in vans who park by the beach and ask you if you want to buy some (derr), and probably best to avoid 'locals bars'. You should be safe otherwise.
Lucky you, what I'd give to be at the beach right now drinking rum from a coconut and passing out in the shade of a palm tree....
OH YEAH! You have to do this: Stuart Cove's Sub Bahamas Adventure Stuart Cove Divers Bahamas Best Dive Trips That was so much fun. Taking a personal submarine to the 'Hollywood bowl' where they filmed underwater scenes for some movies. While the first batch of people went down they just let us swim and snorkel in the ocean off the coast of some small island used as a bird sanctuary. Was probably one of the funnest things I did the entire time there. Got to see a ton of neat fish. No sharks though
Screw the silly personal sub thing. Stuart's Cove is KNOWN for their shark experiences. They've been covered by the Discovery Channel as #1 for seeing sharks. We did not know this and randomly chose their brochure for a snorkeling day. Ended up on the "buffet line", as they called it, holding a rope behind the boat 20 ft over a school of reef sharks going at the bait box on the ocean floor. Then they got us on board, pulled the bait up, and sharks were literally leaping onto the boat.
Yeah, we saw the people in the sub things. Sub-par experience.
As for Nassau, be smart and stay in the tourist areas after dark. It can be dangerous if you aren't smart.
TheEngineer
Expert
Beat me too it...we did the same snorkeling trip a few years ago and it was the most amazing thing i've ever done.
3 stops...Hollywood Bowl, Nygard Cay, then the buffet line...i will never forget driving out and watching the water transition from the pretty blue where you can see the bottom to pitch black...all the time knowing you're about to jump in with sharks
