Balmoral maybe? Mobile ticket. I'd like to know too. There were 3 baby dolphins that I could see . The majority of the lagoon is on a sandbar and very shallow. Web5 hours (approx.) Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. My wife and I have taken our two girls over to Blue Lagoon on several occasions. Having only been to Pearl Island, I can only say that I really enjoyed it there. The only negative is that I wish it was a longer stay. Pearl island is a tiny coral island with a minuscule beach. The unpaved area is rocky and jagged. Beach shoes need outside the actual beach. If you are staying in the Bahamas for several days, then I highly recommend you check out the Blue Lagoon for a day. We easily booked the night before and were instructed to arrive at the Blue Lagoon Island office at 9:15 am for a 10:00 am ferry ride. Started August 27, 2021, By It's open sea, not interior protected lagoon. Which is the better beach day excursion, Balmoral Island, Pearl Island or Blue Lagoon? After we finally boarded the ferry, we zipped across the blue water for about 30 minutes before arriving at Blue Lagoon. The beach itself is beautiful and there are plenty of loungers. WebPearl Island Activities. Supercharge your procurement process, with industry leading expertise in sourcing of network backbone, colocation, and packet/optical network infrastructure. The island is beautiful and the people are nice, don't get me wrong. I noticed a Sail and Snorkel one in Nassau that may be fun as well. You will be salty for the rest of the day, just get used to it. The island is beautiful and the people are nice, don't get me wrong. WebPearl island is generally flat concrete with a few steps to the beach. Pearl Island package from Nassau: Escape the crowds. Welcome to Bahamas Local, Your Bahamas Online Search Engine, Exuma Kitesurfing Bahamas Kiteboarding and SUP. We took the Blue Lagoon ship excursion this past November. The kids were getting bored and when I tried asking where the ferry was, no one knew. :), My 1st time using this. I left feeling really sad and disappointed that the cruise line endorsed this type of entertainment. The current price for the day pass is $115 per adult, $45 for children 3-12 and under 3 years old is free. But dont worry if you have older kids, there is a deeper section to swim in by the inflatables if they want to snorkel or jump in the water. Option 3: Other Nassau excursions? Another beach is located behind the pavilion. But if you are visiting the Bahamas on a cruise and only have one day to experience Nassau, I dont think the Blue Lagoon should be at the top of your list. When planning out your Bahamas getaway itinerary, be sure to include a ferry ride to Blue Lagoon Island. They also offer the dolphin experiences, WebView live webcams in Bahamas and see whats happening at popular beach resorts in the Caribbean. Last time we went to Blue Lagoon the water was only 6 inches deep. It's not a bad little trip for the money (considering how expensive everything else is). Pasted as rich text. You can post now and register later. Do we need to take sn excursion? I have only been to Blue Lagoon, but it was AWESOME! Which should YOU choose on your next visit to Nassau and the Bahamas?#celebrityedge #cruisevlog #nassau PI we can do a VIP Cabana for $480 or just the beach day for $208. Don't expect a wide variety of beer.they only have Kalik, the "beer of the bahamas", affectionately nick-named "cow-lick" by Americans. The lighthouse is small, it takes maybe 2 flights of stairs to get to the top. We are only there from 7-2:30, so trying to decide what to do. Lots to see and do! Overall the Blue Lagoon is a great place to go and a great location at that. BahamasLocal.com is a user-friendly search engine with exclusive listings on businesses and community organizations in The Bahamas. I am very confused what to book. Just an update on the Blue Lagoon tour. The lagoon itself was nice, but it is very small. The beach is in bad need of grooming with many tree roots Thank you so much for coming back and updating us! Oh absolutely! Once there, your three grandkids will have a blast. One thing I did really love about Blue Lagoon Bahamas is how beauctil the little island was. But looking into all 3, I'd say Blue Lagoon has the best beach - as it has a lagoon! Is the popular Nassau excursion Pearl Island better than Blue Lagoon Island? We were then loaded into a boat - packed shoulder to shoulder, no social distancing and some guests refusing to wear their masks even though it was required. If you have smaller kids than Blue Lagoon will be a GREAT place to visit. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. We are avid travelers who love discovering new areas and traveling in our Camper Van. You can definitely bring your own snorkel gear to BL. I like that Balmoral is 5.5 hours long but my kids are so spoiled and swam with the dolphins so many times, its not even special to them anymore. I've done both and my choice would definitely be Pearl Island which I've done now about 4X's only for the fact that it is limited to about 200 guests per day so it never felt crowded. You are ready to leave the island within an hour and a half. I've been multiple times. It's shared with Sandals. Is Pearl island less busy? Blue Lagoon offers life vests of different sizes so kids and adults can use them to swim to the inflatable area. Ultimately decided to book the VIP Cabana for 2 at Pearl Island. Lunch. WebOne of the best beaches in the Bahamas can be found at Blue Lagoon Island, also known by its official name Salt Cay. Thrilled? Upload or insert images from URL. We did the Pearl Island beach and snorkel excursion in October. By Choose one of our exciting Beach Escape Packages and experience the perfect tropical getaway! We spent most of our time in the water anyways. The boat ride over is nice but they do may a quick stop at Margaritaville to pick up a few more passengers. Get answers to your questions about New Providence Island, Last Minute Hotels in New Providence Island, Browse all 25,251 New Providence Island topics , Back from Margaritaville Resort- Trip Report, SLS Baha Mar - need help deciding (option 2 is the Reef). Valmoisy, September 24, 2016 in Bahamas. Whether it renting a boat and exploring or just going on one of there tours. Option 2: Blue lagoon offers beach and other activities. Your email address will not be published. If you have your own, no need to borrow gear from BL. Let me just say that the gear isn't the best. Leaning towards blue lagoon. Leaving on the Edge on the 20th of this month. Nice, but not a sweeping ocean view. I will never stay at Atlantis . In this video I will show you what a day at Pearl Island is like - including the beach, the free lunch, and the lighthouse. Thanks. Please do let me know what you thought of the other excursion. For anyone who's been to these, what are the main differences? Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, This is a birthday cruise, so the idea of a VIP cabana sounded nice as a celebration, We usually travel with friends, not often it's just the two of us, and since it's a 2 person cabana, now seemed like a good time, Reviews online regularly repeated that people like the food at Pearl Island more than Blue Lagoon, At BL, I'd probably be most interested in either the dolphin swim or sea lion encounter, and I can do both of those in the Florida Keys, so less of a push to try it in the Bahamas. At Dolphin Encounters, you have the once in a lifetime opportunity to play with dolphins before marveling at their spectacular leaps and bows, and meet amazing sea lions. The beach is small but nice and they have lots of water toys (kayak, paddleboard, trampoline) that you can use in the equally small roped off swimming area. Visibility is awesome if you can get the cheap mask to seal to your face good enough to stay under for longer than 20 seconds. First of all, we did just the pearl island snorkel, not the pearl island snorkel w/ treasure hunt. JSJ. To make your day truly memorable, add on swim or encounter. I'm not into dolphin or other sea life excursions. And as tide went out, it got more and more shallow as the day went on. I recently visited Nassau onboard the Celebrity Edge and took the cruise line sponsored excursion to Pearl Island. Be sure to bring lots of sunscreen -- there are plenty of shaded areas, but the sun is strong this time of year. I do. CC Help Jenn CC Help Jenn My snorkel didn't even fit in my mouth! So we usually just stay on the ship in Nassau, but for our upcoming cruise next week I was considering doing either Pearl Island or Blue Lagoon. Bring your own gear and enjoy the BL -- lots to do and see for adults and kids alike. Beach Escape incl. Bahamas Balmoral, Pearl Island or Blue Lagoon Balmoral, Pearl Island or Blue Lagoon By Valmoisy, September 24, 2016 in Bahamas Share Valmoisy 147 :). I've never been there.but from what I heard & seen on pics, I wanna goooooooooo!!!!!!! We were lucky enough to be staying on Nassau, but had we been a cruise ship passenger I would have been REALLY upset about wasting half of my day. Stay up to date with our latest news and product, Blue Lagoon Island, Nassau, Nassau / Paradise Island, Bahamas. The lighthouse is cute and the views of the beach and water are nice from the top. Option 1: Pearl Island offers a beach break and snorkel (lighthouse climb). I know they have snorkeling so there must be a deeper area on the other side for that. Here is a full review of our fun day at Blue Lagoon Island. On the ride pack to port they will slow down and point out the waterfront homes of the rich and famous and historical sights. I'm between pearl island and blue lagoon as those two are offered by the cruise line. Which is better Pearl Island snorkel or Blue Lagoon Snorkel? It starts out like that but gets to above my waist out as you walk out further. The island is small, but everyone seemed to be spread out and it never seemed crowded at all. Balmoral and Pearl Island seem less expensive. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Next time I'll proof read before sending [emoji849]. The unpaved area is rocky and jagged. Escape to an unforgettable day! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. So all in all - the water was pretty, the food good, the logistics getting there not so much and the treatment of beautiful sea animals not something I can feel good about. Also, you can spend the day enjoying one of the most secluded Like when we held a sloth in Honduras, or swan with the pigs of Exuma. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. You also get a choice between fresh water, lemonade or fruit punch to go with your meal. Did anyone make it to Pearl Island? I will let u know what we do..I am sure you could always change if I find something worth going too..I will let u know. Your message has not been sent. My thoughts going into that decision: We just booked the Pearl Island private cabana excursion. If you had your choice between Pearl island or Blue Lagoon for a 5 hour beach excursion with lunch which one would you prefer and why? I've read that the pool isn't complete and there is a lot of construction still happening. Blue Lagoon Island is a small, private island located just off of Nassau, Bahamas. But, unfortunately, you are there for about 3 and a half hours. We didnt really have anywhere else to be so we sat and waited. Pearl Island looks smaller, so it may be less crowded. I snorkled at blue lagoon last year and there isn't that much too see. Powered by Invision Community. We took a small stroll and walked around to some other areas where there were noother poeple and the views were amaing. Pearl island has a rocky beach with little sand at times -- luck of the draw. 2018 Petabit Scale, All Rights Reserved. Ferry from Miami or Fort Lauderdale to Nassau. I'm not sure when you're going but I'll report back after my trip to let you know how Pearl Island was. Start planning your next cruise vacation by selecting a This is a dangerous and controversial practice and those operators should be avoided. I hear da beach & food is off da chains.Wapps dat ga get beat bad buddy!!!!! Started August 27, 2021, By We did walk down to the area and were able to watch the other guests interact and swim with dolphins (which was really nice because Atlantis charges you $35 just to view it) and it looked like a lot of fun. What are the advantages of Blue Lagoon in your opinion? If you have any other questions in refrence to Pearl Island, don't hesitate to ask - I'll be more than happy to let you know anything else that I didn't cover. Enjoy! Balmoral uses the south side/ Sandals the North. Thats great flexibility if the weather happens to be bad. Beach shoes need outside the actual beach. Thanks for any input. WebBlue Lagoon Island | Home of Dolphin Encounters - Nassau, Bahamas Experience the Real Bahamas on Blue Lagoon Island Home of Dolphin Encounters "Wow! Im debating between the two. I think I'm going to do Pearl Island. We won't share your email address. Here is a recap of our experience and then you can decide if its a good option for you. It is a beautiful area, with plenty of fish and other assorted ocean life. I guess I prefer it more on the shallow side as I just want to hang out in the water and it's a great depth for kids. The Blue Lagoon Island is, in fact, named Salt Cay but since it became a tourist attraction has become known by its main feature. By we are going for 11-14 June and your review will help me maximize my time and save money. But beware they are just like everything else in the Bahamasexpensive! More activities at one for example? Firstly, thank you for providing your take on travel! So if swimming with doplhins in on your list of things to do, then visiting Blue Lagoon would be a good option. We origionally booked our day at the Atlantis. If one or both are worth giving a try, which of the two would you recommend? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hello! Advice needed. With Blue Lagoon, much of the attraction for people is the animal shows etc. Our Offers. Explore the reef on a guided snorkel adventure. Has anyone been to Pearl island to give their opinion? Im going in 30 days and need advice between the two. Ive seen comments say Blue Lagoon was The boat ride to Pearl Island is long - about 35 minutes. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. And I would "only" do the VIP Beach Break again, due to it not being crowded in their VIP sections and their lunch upgrade was good. I have only been to Blue Lagoon out of the 3. It was very crowded in the non VIP area the day I was there. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Some other guest we talked to said they loved it and had a great time. You will be salty for the rest of the day, just get used to it. Error, please try again. While we really did enjoy our day at Blue Lagoon Island, I do want to mention a not-so-great experince we had also. We made lots of memories there, but wouldn't choose to do it a second time. Looks like on the excursion to Pearl people complained that they were only allowed a short period of time. Good luck in making your decision! We did not do the dolphin experience at Blue Lagoon and still loved every minute of being there! Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. Telephone (USA): 1-305-677-6594. Once you get the Pearl Island, you can get all your gear (a mask, snorkel, fins, and a vest). I believe the BL day would be much better suited for your crew. Was looking at Blue Lagoon - ordinarily I like to plan mu pwn excursions, but I'm worried about timing with such a short day. LauraS more. Snorkeling in Nassau: Water Temps in December? CC Help Jenn Pearl island is a tiny coral island with a minuscule beach. Balmoral is a small island off the coast of Cable Beach (Sandals, melia etc). Not that Pearl Island does, but they are very close to areas that the tour boat operators use. Telephone: (242) 698-1300 Thank you I am going next week. At the Blue Lagoon the possibilities are endless. First of all, we did just the pearl island snorkel, not the pearl island snorkel w/ treasure hunt. Note- moot point. But at least the food was good. Please give your opinions. Any updates or details would be appreciated. It is a great experience, but now that I have experienced it, I probably wouldn't do it again. The lagoon is really shallow andyou can basically walk across the enitre thing to the other side. info@pearlislandbahamas.com. Photographer @ the Atlantis for family picture? What was really neat is they brought up a small starfish, and let us hold it briefly, amongst other sea life that lives on the floor of the ocean. LauraS Then I will let you know the truth: is Pearl Island better than Blue Lagoon?! Balmoral is on a private island shared by Sandals Royal Bahamian. This incredibly beautiful island has had a fascinating past and continues to be the number one attraction in Nassau/Paradise Island for activities with families and is wonderfully enlightening and educational excursion suited for children and adults alike. It's not a bad little trip for the money (considering how expensive everything else is). You can snorkel for as long as you like, but upon getting out of the water, don't even think about needing a fresh water shower or jumping into the pooleverything on the island is salt water, including faucets in the bathroom, etc. And happy to show other single moms how traveling with their kids is always possible! I wan swim & play wit da dolphins. I talked to Blue Lagoon and they were neither helpful nor apologetic about the delays. HELP PLEASE!! They have a concierge that can book you directly on several tours around the Bahamas. Given that Atlantis also has beach access and a dolphin experience on its property, would you say its a day trip to Blue Lagoon is worth it? There are 2 sides to the Blue Lagoon. We are Jen and Abby, a single mom and daughter traveling the world on a budget. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114753850', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise in September. WebLocated just across the water from Paradise Island, about 3 miles northwest of Nassau, Blue Lagoon Island offers plenty of opportunities for rest, relaxation and fun in the sun. We're looking at doing the Sting Rays on Balmoral, but the few reviews I've found are not great/mixed. And they say you only get one, but the nice guy at the drink station had no problem giving us refills. I never booked a cabana there, I didn't find any need to after my excursion there. Blue Lagoon Island is a small, private island located just off of Nassau, Bahamas. We arrived right on time and were promptly told that our 10am ferry had been canceled and there wouldnt be another one until 11 am. The staff from BL seemed very disorganized, but people were patient for the most part. Sign up for our newsletter. Pearl Island Bahamas East Bay Shopping Centre East Bay Street Nassau, The Bahamas. PO Box CB-11567 I want the most beautiful beach, don't care about swimming with dolphins but have an 11 yr old girl and a 6 yr old boy both very active. I loved reading your reviews. When seeing the dolphins in captivity - it was quite sad to see them circling around and around their small pens waiting to come out or be fed. Was there much shade on Pearl Island? I recently visited Nassau onboard the Celebrity Edge and took the cruise line The other beaches at BL had only a handful of people. Blue Lagoon has more activities and more space. If Balmoral is the beach next to Sandler, it is beautiful. You can only get there by Ferry and there are no vehicles on this small island. Food is expensive, 4 or 5 dollars for hamburgers and hotdogs and 7 or 8 dollars for bbq chicken. Check current weather conditions, enjoy scenic views of the beaches, and discover the best places to visit.