Short answer: most of the Bahamas’ all-inclusive resorts are on New Providence, the island of Nassau: along Cable Beach west of downtown and on Paradise Island across the harbor. Outside Nassau there are only a few, on Grand Bahama and on the Out Island of San Salvador. In all, the country has only a handful of true all-inclusives, and several of them are adults-only; the famous mega-resorts such as Atlantis and Baha Mar are not sold as all-inclusive, so you pay per meal there. Cable Beach suits couples and groups who want a long, calm beach close to the airport; Paradise Island suits adults who want to be near Nassau’s sights and Cabbage Beach; Grand Bahama suits families on a budget and divers; and San Salvador suits travelers who want a remote island with diving.
The Bahamas is an archipelago, so where you stay shapes the whole trip far more than in a single-island destination. This guide explains what an all-inclusive rate usually covers in the Bahamas, where the main resort areas are, and which resorts suit which kind of trip, using facts from the resorts’ own websites and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. For the bigger picture, start with our Bahamas travel guide.
How all-inclusive works in the Bahamas
An all-inclusive rate in the Bahamas covers your room, meals, snacks and drinks, and usually non-motorized water sports and entertainment. Beyond that, the resorts differ a lot, so compare their lists line by line:
- Taxes and tips: the Bahamas charges 10% VAT, and hotel rates are often quoted before VAT, resort fees and automatic gratuities. Some all-inclusives fold everything in: Sandals Royal Bahamian includes all taxes and tips, and Breezes Bahamas says its rate includes all taxes with no resort fees. At others, check the final total before you pay.
- Drinks: house drinks are included everywhere on this list; some resorts include premium brands, and others keep them for a higher room category.
- Often extra: spa treatments, scuba diving at some resorts, motorized water sports, excursions such as boat trips to the Exumas, and room categories with butler service or private pools.
- Transfers: Sandals includes round-trip airport transfers; elsewhere, Nassau’s airport taxis charge fixed fares by zone, with a bridge toll for Paradise Island.
- Sandals Royal Bahamian (Cable Beach, Nassau): an adults-only all-inclusive designed for couples, about 10 minutes from the airport. Sandals lists 10 specialty restaurants and two food trucks, eight bars including three swim-up bars, seven pools and five whirlpools, PADI scuba diving for certified divers, all taxes and tips, and airport transfers. A short boat ride takes you to its private offshore island, Barefoot Cay, with two beaches and a spa. The resort was once a favorite of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
- Warwick Paradise Island (Paradise Island, harbor side): an adults-only all-inclusive on the island’s south shore, close to shops, restaurants, the casino and Cabbage Beach. It has its own private beach on the harbor and a 10,000-square-foot terrace and boardwalk looking over Nassau Harbour, plus a spa, fitness center, tennis courts and live entertainment. Suits couples who want to be close to Nassau’s sights.
- Hotel Riu Palace Paradise Island (Paradise Island, beachfront): an adults-only, 24-hour all-inclusive on a white-sand beach, with six restaurants including a steakhouse, a grill and a Japanese restaurant, three bars, two pools (one with a swim-up bar), a spa and a 24-hour gym. Suits couples and friends who want round-the-clock food and drinks on the beach.
- Breezes Bahamas (Cable Beach, Nassau): a relaxed all-inclusive with 395 rooms in two towers and about a thousand feet of beach. Its rate covers the room, meals, unlimited drinks, activities, entertainment, Wi-Fi and all taxes, with no resort fees. It welcomes couples, singles, groups and families with children aged 14 and over. Note that it hosts spring break and graduation student groups on select dates from March to June.
- Club Med Columbus Isle (San Salvador, Out Islands): an all-inclusive that covers the room, unlimited dining and drinks, including alcohol, and more than 25 activities; scuba diving costs extra, and there is a diving doctor on site. It is about five minutes from San Salvador’s airport, and Club Med describes it as aimed at couples and adults, with some family options. Suits divers and travelers who want a remote island.
- Viva Fortuna Beach by Wyndham (south shore of Grand Bahama, Lucaya): an all-inclusive set on 26 acres, with packages that cover the room, all meals and snacks, and unlimited drinks. There are three restaurants, a pool, a kids’ club and 274 rooms with balconies or terraces. Viva describes the island’s waters as a diver’s paradise, known for shark and dolphin encounters. Suits families and divers who want a simpler, quieter island than Nassau.
Two more costs sit outside the resort bill. The Bahamas charges a departure tax of B$15 for everyone aged 6 and over, which is normally collected through your air ticket. And if you eat out, many restaurants add a gratuity to the bill; the Ministry of Tourism suggests 15% for servers where it is not included. The Bahamian dollar is at par with the US dollar, and both are accepted everywhere. Our guide How Much Does a Trip to the Bahamas Cost? explains each charge and what a week costs on each island.
Where to stay: the main resort areas
Cable Beach, Nassau
About 4 miles (6 km) west of downtown Nassau, Cable Beach is a long, calm beach lined with big resorts, including the Baha Mar complex. It is only 15 to 20 minutes from Lynden Pindling International Airport, and jitneys and taxis run into town. Two of the country’s best-known all-inclusives, Sandals Royal Bahamian and Breezes Bahamas, are here. It suits couples, friends and anyone who wants a beach holiday with a short transfer.
Paradise Island
Paradise Island lies across the harbor from downtown Nassau, joined by two bridges, and is home to Atlantis and the white sand of Cabbage Beach. The airport is 35 to 45 minutes away by taxi, and water taxis cross to downtown in 10 to 15 minutes. Two adults-only all-inclusives are here, the Warwick on the harbor side and the Riu Palace on the beach. Cabbage Beach faces the open Atlantic and can have waves and currents when the wind blows from the north; the harbor side is calmer. It suits adults who want to mix resort days with Nassau’s forts, markets and restaurants.
Grand Bahama
The country’s second resort island, with its own airport at Freeport. Its all-inclusive, Viva Fortuna Beach by Wyndham, is on the south shore near Lucaya, and the resort promotes the island’s diving. It suits families on a budget and divers who prefer a quieter island to Nassau.
The Out Islands: San Salvador and the Exumas
Most Out Islands have small hotels, villas and lodges rather than all-inclusives. On San Salvador, Club Med Columbus Isle is about five minutes from the island’s airport and is known for diving. In Exuma, the former Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma closed in August 2024 to be rebuilt as a family resort, Beaches Exuma; no opening date had been announced when we checked in October 2026, and press reports point to late 2027. Exuma is still worth a trip for its cays, sandbars and swimming pigs, but plan on a hotel or villa and eating out in George Town.
All-inclusive resorts by type
The resorts below are grouped by who they suit. Every detail comes from the resort’s own website or the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s listing; facilities and policies change, so check them again when you book. TravelerCenter is not paid by any resort for these listings; we chose them by area and type.
Adults-only
Good value and groups
Family-friendly
Families have fewer all-inclusive choices in the Bahamas than couples: Breezes is open to teenagers from 14, and Club Med Columbus Isle focuses on adults. Many families instead stay at a big resort on Paradise Island or Cable Beach and pay per meal, or rent a villa. To compare those with the resorts above, compare hotel prices for your dates.
When to go
December to April is the best weather: dry, sunny and breezy, with highs of about 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C), though winter cold fronts can bring a few cooler, windy days. It is also peak season, with the highest rates at Christmas, New Year and the March spring break. May and early June are the best value: still mostly dry, with warm seas, fewer crowds and lower prices after spring break.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. September and October are the cheapest months, but some Out Island businesses close then, so book flexible rates. See our best time to visit the Bahamas guide for month-by-month weather, and check the Destination weather tool for your dates.
All-inclusive or not?
All-inclusive makes good sense in the Bahamas. Food and drinks are imported and cost more than in the US: a mid-range dinner for two in Nassau runs around $200. If you plan to spend most days at the resort and enjoy a few drinks, a package with taxes and gratuities included gives you a predictable bill. Resorts that include extras you would pay for anyway, such as diving, airport transfers or a private island, add to the value.
It makes less sense if you want to explore. Nassau’s fish fry at Arawak Cay, conch salad stands and downtown restaurants are part of the experience, and day trips to the Exumas, Eleuthera or Nassau’s forts take you away from the resort for whole days. Families also have more choice at resorts that charge per meal. If you are on the fence, look at our top places to visit in the Bahamas and the Bahamas itinerary to see how many days you will really spend at the hotel, then compare hotel prices for your dates.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day Bahamas plan around your resort, mixing beach days with Nassau, Paradise Island and an Exuma boat day. Use the tip calculator for meals outside the resort and the packing list to get ready.
Frequently asked questions
Are there adults-only all-inclusive resorts in the Bahamas?
Yes. Sandals Royal Bahamian on Cable Beach, and Warwick Paradise Island and Hotel Riu Palace Paradise Island on Paradise Island, are adults-only all-inclusives. Breezes Bahamas on Cable Beach accepts children from 14.
Is all-inclusive worth it in the Bahamas?
Often, yes. Restaurant prices in Nassau are high, food and drinks are imported, and many bills carry VAT and a gratuity. If you will eat most meals at the resort, an all-inclusive is usually simpler and can be cheaper. If you want to explore other islands, a room-only stay gives you more freedom.
Do all-inclusives in the Bahamas include tips and taxes?
Some do. Sandals Royal Bahamian includes all taxes and tips, and Breezes Bahamas includes all taxes with no resort fees. Elsewhere, rates may be quoted before the 10% VAT, resort fees and automatic gratuities, so compare final totals. The B$15 departure tax is usually collected through your air ticket.
Which area is best for families?
For an all-inclusive with a kids’ club, Grand Bahama, where Viva Fortuna Beach by Wyndham is the family option. Families with teenagers aged 14 and over can also stay at Breezes on Cable Beach. Many families instead choose a big resort on Paradise Island or Cable Beach and pay per meal.
Is Atlantis all-inclusive?
No. Atlantis on Paradise Island and the hotels at Baha Mar on Cable Beach are not sold as all-inclusive resorts; you pay for meals as you go. They suit families who want water parks, pools and many restaurants and do not mind paying per meal.
Are there all-inclusive resorts in Exuma?
Not at the moment, as far as we found. Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma closed in August 2024 to become Beaches Exuma, a family resort, and no reopening date had been announced when we checked. Exuma’s other places to stay are hotels, villas and small resorts.