If you cruise in the Bahamas there is a high chance that you will visit Nassau, and if you a cruising there is also a high chance that you want go to the beach. Junkanoo Beach is the closest public beach to the Nassau cruise terminal, so while were there we went to check it out and spent about half of our day there.
Getting to Junkanoo Beach
There are lots of beaches around Nassau, but Junkanoo happens to be the closest to the cruise terminal. We were planning on going to a beach a beach over on Paradise Island, but while were waiting for the Pirates of Nassau Museum to open we decided to just walk over to Junkanoo and see it. It was very easy to get to and not crowded at all so we decided we would just go there in the afternoon instead of making our way over to Paradise Island.
To get to Junkanoo Beach you exit the cruise terminal and go right on Bay Street (the main road) past the Straw Market. Bay Street will eventually curve left and turn into Marlborough street, stay on it and it will turn back into Bay Street when it curves right. Walk on Bay Street for a few more minutes and you will reach the first section of Junkanoo Beach on your right.
There are a few signs along the way, but they are easy to miss, fortunately the beach is not difficult to find as long as you keep walking on the main road with the ocean on your right.
What to do at Junkanoo Beach
We thought because Junkanoo was close to the port, well known, and free that it would be really crowded. But it was not bad at all. We did our historical stuff and shopping in the morning and then spent the afternoon at Junkanoo and it was very calm. People seemed to start leaving in the middle of the afternoon, so it seems like midday was probably the busiest time. I imagine this can vary a lot depending on how many ships are in port on a given day.
The water at Junkanoo beach was very nice and clear. Lucy was a little hesitant about the water at first, like she normally is, but after she warmed up to it she had lots of fun. When we were there they waves were small and fun to play in.
The sand and Junkanoo Beach was very nice. Lucy really enjoyed digging in it. We brought our travel beach blanket and that worked well for this beach.
We spent our time in the first section of the beach. There seemed to be four sections with the first two being the cleanest. The first and last sections were designated as bottle free zones, so they seemed like the best choice if you are there with kids.
Sum Up
If you would like to do Nassau on the cheap (let’s face it, no one goes on a cruise to go to Nassau specifically) then I think Junkanoo Beach is a great choice. It only takes about 10 or 15 minutes to walk there from the cruise ship, so you don’t have to deal with taxis or busses. Junkanoo was clean and pleasant while we were there.
