Renting a boat is arguably the best way to explore the Bahamas.

Spread out in the Atlantic Ocean, the Bahamas has 700 islands. With the sea mass far outstriping the amount of land, hopping from island to island to your own liking is the only way to go about a holiday here. Boat rental is the most liberating form of travel...here are four reasons why:

Affordability

The first thing that comes to mind when you mention boat rental is cost. You fear that this is an extremely luxurious way of travelling, and will thus cost accordingly. The thing is, the Bahamas is already a very luxurious destination. On top of that, it's remote and relatively exclusive. This results in expensive hotel rooms which are more often than not pricier than renting a boat. Of course, this depends on different factors such as what kind of boat you get, how many stars the hotel is and so on. Generally though, boat rental is becoming surprisingly affordable—and this is much more economical than buying a boat, which requires maintenance. You won't be paying the price of depreciation either, or it being idle for 90% of the year.

Personalise your trip

Island hopping in the Bahamas by its very nature requires a boat—so why not drive your own? The beauty here is that you can explore where your gut tells you to go, and find incredibly isolated and hidden spots. If you don't have a boating license or if you're just a little worried about being in control, you can always hire a skipper, too! This isn't just about being able to choose which islands you want to go to, but things like stopping in a nice swimming spot, or going to landmarks, or deciding where to eat.

Comfort and leisure

Boat rental is a very flexible way to vacation. You can make it a vessel to sunbathe on, read, party, and swim from. You can stop at nice swimming spots, and if you spot some beautiful fish or sea turtles, snorkel to see them up close. Sea lovers, of course, are right at home, and there's no better way to see the landscapes and sunsets than to be floating on the tranquil, calm blue waters.

Boat rental—the social way to travel

Cruising around on a boat with just your friends and family is the ultimate way to vacation together. There's as little or as much distraction as you choose. You're not relying on public transport, traffic, sold out rooms, and so on. This is really the best way to stay away from mass tourism, too. The Bahamas is a fairly popular holiday destination, but the crowds generally stick to the same islands, places, and hotels.

With a boat, you can venture in and out of these as and when you choose.

The Bahamas is known for having crystal clear waters and a ton of marine life. From reefs to shipwrecks, there are many reasons why this makes it one of the best spots to sail around. It's then no surprise that this is the world's top destinations for scuba diving.

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