Between islands
Flying is the fastest and usually most practical way to move between islands. Bahamasair and several small regional carriers connect Nassau to most of the inhabited Family Islands. Flights are short — 20 to 45 minutes — but can be expensive and sometimes unreliable; build in flexibility.
Bahamas Ferries operates passenger services from Nassau to the Abacos, North Eleuthera, Harbour Island, and occasionally other islands. Schedules vary by season; check bahamasferries.com for current routes.
Mailboats are the old-fashioned option: slow cargo-and-passenger vessels that ply the same routes the ferries do, stopping at small settlements that flights skip. They're inexpensive, atmospheric, and genuinely useful for reaching the more remote islands — but schedules are irregular and change without much notice. Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau is where most mailboats depart.
Within the Abacos, small ferries run between Marsh Harbour and the offshore cays (Hopetown, Man-O-War, Great Guana) several times a day.
On Nassau and Grand Bahama
Nassau has taxis, jitneys (shared minibuses that follow fixed routes for a flat fare of $1.25), and car rentals. Traffic in Nassau is genuinely bad, especially around the cruise port. Renting a scooter is a popular option for Paradise Island and the quieter parts of the island.
In Freeport, a car is virtually essential — the island is spread out and public transport is limited.
Remember: driving is on the left.
On the smaller islands
Most Family Islands are small enough to explore by rental car or golf cart. Golf carts are the standard transport on Harbour Island, Hopetown, and Green Turtle Cay, where cars are limited or banned. Bike rentals are available on several islands.