Located just 50 miles east of the Florida coast near the city of Miami, the Bimini Islands are a small Bahamian archipelago made up of two main islands, North Bimini and South Bimini. Often called the « Gateway to the Bahamas », these tropical islands offer white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters just a short distance from Florida for travelers seeking an island escape.

The Bimini islands consist of two main islands, North Bimini and South Bimini, as well as several uninhabited cays. These islands of the Bahamas are known for their white-sand beaches lined with palm trees and their crystal-clear turquoise waters, ideal for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing in the sun.

With their coral reefs, the Bimini islands are home to exceptional marine biodiversity. Snorkeling and scuba diving enthusiasts can encounter many shark species such as the great hammerhead shark, nurse sharks, and the lemon shark, as well as majestic rays and playful dolphins.

The Bimini islands are also a destination where visitors can explore legendary sites and follow the trail of the « Lost City of Atlantis », believed by some to lie beneath the waters off North Bimini Island, as well as the « Fountain of Youth », whose existence Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León is said to have learned about from Indigenous people in Bimini in the early 1500s before setting out from Puerto Rico with three ships to find it.

For scuba diving enthusiasts, do not miss the famous « Bimini Road », a series of remarkably straight underwater rock formations that resemble roads from the lost city of Atlantis. This dive site is located in the waters northwest of North Bimini Island.

Taking the ferry is one of the most affordable and convenient ways to reach the Bimini islands from Florida, departing from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Ferry service is primarily operated by Balearia Caribbean, with a crossing time of about two hours. Tickets can be purchased online on the ferry companies' websites. You will arrive at the maritime terminal on North Bimini Island, from which you can reach your accommodation or travel to nearby South Bimini by a short boat ride.

For a faster journey, you can take a direct flight of about 30 minutes from Florida, departing from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach airports, operated by regional airlines such as Silver Airways, Tropic Ocean Airways (seaplane), and other small carriers. Flights usually arrive at the airport on South Bimini Island (BIM), from which you can take a taxi and ferry to North Bimini Island.

Some cruises include the Bimini islands as a stop on their itinerary. Resorts World Cruises, for example, offers one-day or multi-day cruises to the Bimini islands.

A valid passport is required to travel to the Bahamas, including the Bimini islands. If you are transiting through the United States, you must comply with the required entry procedures.

The Bimini islands, known as one of the world's top sport-fishing destinations, were a favorite getaway of Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. The author of « The Old Man and the Sea » came here to fish for marlin aboard his yacht, the « Pilar ».