For your next vacation in one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean, you are wondering which areas to avoid in Nassau in the Bahamas.
Many tourists choose the Bahamas archipelago for its resorts, beautiful beaches, and clear, turquoise waters perfect for diving or snorkeling.
But when you have to stay in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, before choosing your hotel, you ask yourself a few questions.
Here is the 2024 Nassau Safety Guide to help you choose the best place to stay and avoid dangerous areas of Nassau.
Is Nassau a safe city in 2024?
To assess whether Nassau is a safe or dangerous city, I compared its level of crime with other cities in the world but also with American cities.
And when compared globally, Nassau is not among the most dangerous cities. In fact, unlike Cape Town or Acapulco , it did not appear in the rankings of the world's most dangerous cities in 2024 ( statista.com or populationu.com ).
According to Numbeo.com's global ranking of the 400 most dangerous cities based on their crime index, Nassau is in the upper range. In fact, for Nassau in the Bahamas, this website assigns it a crime index of 64.77 in 2024. This is a very high index, proving that Nassau is not among the safest cities in the world.
If we compare it with other cities in the world, we can conclude that Nassau is more crime-ridden than Buenos Aires at 63.27, Santiago de Chile at 61.16, Athens at 55.88 or Paris at 57.01.
And if we compare it with American cities, Nassau would be less dangerous than Baltimore , St. Louis , Detroit or Cleveland.
Is Nassau dangerous for tourists?
No, the city of Nassau is not dangerous for tourists apart from a few neighborhoods and areas to avoid (see list below) and provided they are careful.
In fact, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism claims that crime levels in Nassau are comparable to those of any other major city, but American , French, and Canadian authorities have issued warnings.
Indeed, for 2024, the French Government, which has not classified the Bahamas as a zone of vigilance, nevertheless indicates the following on France Diplomatie :
“Acts of delinquency (thefts, burglaries), sometimes violent, have been reported on the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence, mainly in the cities of Freeport and Nassau. Travelers should avoid traveling at night in certain areas of Nassau and Freeport that are not usually frequented by tourists.
The Canadian government also recommends that visitors exercise a high degree of caution in 2024: travel.gc.ca
The different areas in Nassau
The city of Nassau is located on New Providence Island in the Bahamas. It has just over 300 inhabitants and is organized around the following districts:
- Downtown Nassau which houses the administrations of the capital of the Bahamas
- Palmdale near the center
- Paradise Island peninsula located in front of Downtown
- Blair Estates
- Yamacraw Beach
- Little Hermitage to the East
- Nassau Harbor which is the port where cruise ships dock
- Cable Beach (Nassau Hotel District) which includes the neighborhoods of Grove, Skyline Heights, Sandy Port and Delaporte.
Here is a map of the main neighborhoods of Nassau in the Bahamas: Google map . It will allow you to easily identify areas to avoid in Nassau and the best places to stay (see list below).
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Nassau
According to government authorities and statistics, here are the 3 most dangerous areas of Nassau in the Bahamas:
- The areas around Fish Fry and Arawak Cay ;
- The area Sand Trap nearby;
- Neighborhood Over the Hill which is located south of Shirley Street in downtown Nassau.
Click on the links provided to geolocate on Google Maps the areas to avoid in Nassau.
As a reminder, the US government states on its website travel.state.gov :
“In Nassau, increased vigilance is required in the Over the Hill area south of Shirley Street where gang violence has led to a high rate of homicides primarily affecting the local population. Violent crimes, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be careful when staying in short-term vacation rentals where private security companies are not present. »
To form your own opinion, you can consult the statistics published by the Bahamas police , which records all data related to crimes.
Is Downtown Nassau dangerous?
Nassau's city center is visited by thousands of people who come to shop, enjoy the bars and restaurants, visit the Straw Market, or simply sightsee. The busiest area is along and around Bay Street and Woodes Rogers Walk. Generally, there are no problems during the day.
However, the British Government states this:
“Be vigilant at all times and don't walk alone away from the main hotels, tourist areas, beaches and downtown Nassau, particularly after dark. » Source: foreign-travel-advice/bahamas
Safest neighborhoods in Nassau
To make the list of the safest neighborhoods in the city of Nassau, I synthesized information published on the websites of real estate agencies and on the best travel forums.
According to these sources, the safest neighborhoods in Nassau are:
Best areas to stay in Nassau
You will find many hotels on the island of New Providence. But if you are looking for a safe and pleasant place to stay near the beach in Nassau, then here are the 2 favorite areas for tourists:
Cable Beach
The resort town of Cable Beach is quite far from Downtown and the areas to avoid in Nassau. It's where the majority of hotels are concentrated, accommodating thousands of tourists from the United States and around the world.
If you're looking for the best place to stay near Nassau's most beautiful beach, then I recommend the Sandals Royal Bahamian All Inclusive.
Paradise Island
Paradise Island is an island located opposite the city of Nassau to which is connected by two bridges. It is on this island, far from the neighborhoods to avoid, that the most beautiful hotels in Nassau are to be found.
Indeed, this island has long attracted many wealthy and famous people for decades. Even today, Paradise Island has kept its glamorous atmosphere. Tourists come here for the many nightlife, the beautiful shops, the good restaurants, the casino and of course for the heavenly beaches.
Among the most luxurious, The Royal at Atlantis is also the most legendary, particularly for its Atlantis Aquaventure water park. Indeed, it is known worldwide and has become a must-see in the Bahamas!
How to visit the city safely?
If you want to safely visit the old quarters of Nassau, the beautiful colonial houses, the historical monuments, then book a guided tour.
Indeed, you will be picked up and picked up from the hotel or the ferry terminal, will have an English-speaking guide and will travel by air-conditioned bus.
This article was produced by synthesizing web data and information from traveler forums, blogs, rankings and statistics updated in 2024.