TRAVEL TIPS

Getting Here and Around

Air Travel

South Bimini's teensy airport (BIM) was enlarged and improved in 2015, thanks to help from Resorts World Bimini, to cope with the extra traffic it brings. It services flights from Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) with Skybahamas and Silver Airways (which code shares with United Airlines), from Nassau with Skybahamas and Western Air, and from Freeport, Grand Bahama Island with Flamingo Air and Western Air. More than six charter airlines fly from Fort Lauderdale: Apollo Jets from FLL, Island Air Charters and Tropic Ocean Airways from Sheltair FBO at FLL, and Watermakers Air and Bahamas Express from FXE. Tropic Ocean Airways also flies a floatplane from Miami Seaplane Base. To reach North Bimini, you take a short taxi ride ($3) from the airport and a five-minute ferry ($2). The ferry runs until 10 pm or so for staff and guests who live on South Bimini.

Contacts

Bimini Airport. Bimini. 242/347--4111.

Boat and Ferry Travel

From Miami, the Bimini Superfast cruise ship takes 2½–3 hours to reach Resorts World's new pier. On board, guests enjoy gaming, restaurants, and bars—or take a nap. You can buy a variety of packages: some include meals and different length stays at a Resorts World villa/condo or the new Hilton hotel. Although rarely chosen, to reach Bimini by old-fashioned mail boat, contact the Dockmaster in Potter’s Cay in Nassau at or the Bimini mail boat office at 242/347–3203 for an up-to-date schedule. M/V Sherice M usually leaves Potter's Cay, Nassau, on Thursday afternoons for Chub Cay, North Bimini, and Cat Cay, and returns on Monday morning. The one-way trip takes about 12 hours and costs $50. Going between North and South Bimini requires a five-minute ferry crossing, managed by the local government ($2 each way) which runs from early morning to fairly late at night.

Bimini's eight marinas accommodate private yachts and fishing boats in droves with most crossing the Gulf Stream from Florida, a distance of around 48 nautical miles. As you enter port, fly the yellow quarantine flag. Coming into North Bimini, you have to clear Customs in Alice Town at the Bimini Big Game Club and Immigration in the government buildings in Bailey Town. Coming into South Bimini, dock at Bimini Sands Resort & Marina and take a taxi to clear at Customs and Immigration at the airport, 2 miles away.

Once docked, only the captain can leave the boat in order to clear with local Customs and Immigration. All crew are required to remain on board until the captain returns having cleared. The clearance fee is $150 for boats up to 30 feet in length and $300 for boats over 30 feet, and covers the cruising permit, fishing permit, Customs and Immigration charges, and the $25 per person departure tax for up to three persons. Additional persons over the age of six are charged a $25 departure tax.

Contacts

Bimini Big Game Resort & Marina. 242/347--3391; www.biggameclubbimini.com.

Bimini Customs Office. 242/347--3100.

Nassau Dockmaster's Office. New Providence Island. 242/393–1064.

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