North and Central America and Caribbean

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• The hurricane season in the Bahamas normally runs from 1 June to 30 November. You should monitor local and international weather reports and follow the advice of the local authorities. See the Natural Disasters section of this travel advice and the tropical cyclones page of the FCO website for more details.
  
  
• The Ministry of Health reports that there has been one confirmed case of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in the Bahamas and that it has been contained.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The at WHO website has further details. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated swine flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website .
  
  
• There is no British High Commission in The Bahamas. For emergency consular assistance, please telephone (00) (1) (242) 357 9005.  Alternatively contact the British High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica.   See the Contact Details of this advice for more details.
  
  
• It is estimated that 45,000 British nationals visited The Bahamas in 2007.  Most visits to The Bahamas are trouble-free. However, the main type of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in 2008 was for dealing with replacing lost and stolen passports. Violent crime in The Bahamas is usually within the local community but tourists have been the victims of robbery, sometimes armed.
  
  
• The water sports industry in The Bahamas is poorly regulated.  There have been a number of accidents including fatalities. We advise you not to rent jet-skis unless you are an experienced jet-ski user. See the Local Travel (Water Sports) section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and travel insurance for more details.