Getting Oriented

New Providence Island is generally referred to by the name of its historic capital city, Nassau.More than two dozen hotels and at least double as many restaurants lure more than 2 million tourists to the city—and nearby Paradise Island and Cable Beach—annually. The heart of commerce and government and the bulk of the country's 300,000 people is crammed onto the 21-mi-by-7-mi island, less than 200 mi from Miami. Venturing outside the three main tourist areas will give you a better idea of true Bahamian life, and a glimpse at some less visited but worth-the-trek attractions.