Bimini

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City/Settlement

Alice Town

Location

North Bimini and South Bimini lie just 50 miles east of Miami; the entire chain of the Biminis stretches 28 miles long

Size

Hook-shaped North Bimini is 7 1/2 miles long, and combined with South Bimini, it makes up a landmass of only nine square miles

Population

Approximately 1,600

History

The history of Bimini dates back to Ponce de Leon’s visit to the area in 1513 during his quest for the Fountain of Youth.  Settled in the early 1920s, Bimini once served as a base of operations for rumrunners from Nassau.  Once Prohibition took effect in the United States, the economy began to prosper.  And when famed author Ernest Hemingway found his way here in 1935, Bimini began to develop its own tropical vacation allure.

Shopping

Although The Bimini Islands are not known for shopping, a few local shops and a small straw market dot King’s Highway.  Bimini bread, a famous local treat, is found at many of the shops and stands.

Activities

Bimini offers dives to reefs and wrecks, swimming with the island’s wild dolphins, snorkeling, kayaking, and bicycle rentals.  While hardly considered crowded, most of Bimini’s beaches lie on the west side of North Bimini.  The most popular beach is in Alice Town off Queen’s Highway, named Radio Beach.

Airline Service

Continental Connection (800-231-0856) flies to Bimini daily from Miami International Airport
Bimini Island Air (954-938-8991)
Island Air Charters (954-359-9942) offer service from Fort Lauderdale

Accommodation options on Bimini include:
Bimini Big Game Resort & Marina (800-737-1007)
Bimini Blue Water Resort Ltd (242-347-3166)
Bimini Sands Beach Club Hotel (242-347-3500)

Attractions

Bimini Boat Building: “The Bimini Bonefisher,” a custom handcrafted work of art, is the latest creation of Ansil Saunders, a fifth generation boat builder.  His boats have been shown at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and in Nassau.  Mr. Saunders builds four boats per year, and construction usually takes about 10 weeks.

Lost City of Atlantis: In 1968 the discovery of huge limestone blocks off the coast of North Bimini led many to believe this was once an undersea road to the Lost City of Atlantis.  Many divers have examined this half-mile stretch of neatly aligned relics, and everyone seems to have an opinion of what this may, or may not be.

The Fountain of Youth: A spot said to be the fountain can be seen near the airport in South Bimini and is of great pride to locals – many claim to have undergone a revival due to the medicinal forces of the water throughout the islands.  It is said that the Healing Hole, a special pool on South Bimini, holds the magical powers of rejuvenation and healing.

Bimini Museum: The Bimini Museum offers visitors a tour through Bimini’s history and has become one of the major tourist attractions on the island. It contains many items of interest, including a copy of the Bahamas Constitution, signed by Prime Minister Lynden Pindling; the immigration card of Dr. Martin Luther King, who visited Bimini in 1964; a number of exhibits, such as the Bimini Fishing Hall of Fame; and countless old photos and artifacts that depict the island’s heritage.

Hemingway Museum: About 70 years ago acclaimed author and avid fisherman, Ernest Hemingway, made his first visit to Bimini and subsequently made numerous trips back to this spot which he called “home.”   While in Bimini, he worked on several of his books and magazine articles, including “To Have And Have Not,” and “On The Blue Water.”  Most of the time that Hemingway spent in Bimini was at The Compleat Angler Hotel.

Other Information

U.S. currency is accepted and is interchangeable with the Bahamian dollar.  Temperatures, year-round, range from 68 to 86 degrees during the day and 62 to 70 degrees at night.  Sea water temperature ranges from 73 degrees in February to 82 degrees in August.  The entry requirement for U.S. and Canadian residents is proof of citizenship, in the form of either a passport or an original, raised-seal birth certificate and a photo ID (e.g. a valid driver’s license). All U.S. citizens and foreign nationals traveling to the United States from The Bahamas are required to present a valid passport or another secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. For more information please go to Bahamas.com.