If you’re cruising near Nassau in the Bahamas, you may want to head about four miles east to Rose Island, an 11-mile-long thin strip of land with some of the best beaches in the islands. Rose Island once was a pineapple plantation, but that was hundreds of years ago. Now it has no infrastructure or roads, and a shallow lagoon lies in the middle. The highest point of land is just 52 feet above sea level. Rose Island doesn’t have much in the way of civilization. What it does have, in spades, is terrific beaches.
Before you get to the beaches, you want to avoid a treacherous reef that runs parallel to Rose Island’s north coast. According to Southern Boating, locals call this a “lower unit graveyard,” because so many boats have buried their props there. Instead, head for First Beach, which is the first beach on the west end of Rose Island, with white sand, superb snorkeling on shoals just off shore and not a lot of people.
For even more seclusion, Southern Boating says you should go to MacTaggart’s Beach, which is farther away on the eastern shore of the island. There are no amenities on MacTaggart’s, so bring what you need. If you’re unsure of your navigation, hire a captain with local knowledge.
You also can choose form the more popular Footprints Beach, with a bar and grill and other amenities, or Sandy Toes Beach, which even has a dock, a mooring area, and a grove of hammocks where you can hang out. Read more:
https://southernboating.com/destinations/bahamas/rose-island/
