The Islands of The Bahamas are located about 60 miles off the coast of Florida. A group of over 700 Islands and 2,400 Cays, The Bahamas offer unlimited possibilities as a retirement destination.
Calm waters and cooling trade winds have rightfully earned The Bahamas an international reputation for sailing, with regattas and races held year-round. The islands are actually the birthplace of the Gulf Stream, a phenomenon that also accounts for their astonishing variety and abundance of marine life. Legendary game fish draw sport fisherman in search of the "big one," and more than 50 international fishing records have been set in these waters.
The great writer / fisherman Ernest Hemingway considered the Bahamian island of Bimini a home. The same conditions that make these islands so amenable to sailors and fisherman draw visitors to the vast and diverse underwater parks. With more than 5% of the planet's reef mass, The Bahamas offer inexhaustible pleasures and challenges to snorkelers and divers.
The natural beauty of the water extends to the thousands of miles of shoreline, which has some of the world's most stunningly beautiful and unsullied beaches. From the pink sands of Harbour Island and Eleuthera to the deserted strands of the Exumas and San Salvador, there is a lifetime of beaches to experience.
Further inland are gardens and National Parks with rare and endangered species, such as the exotic Abaco Parrot and the Bahamian Iguana. Although The Bahamas are as diverse and numerous as the days of the year, the reassuring unifier is the charm and hospitality of its people.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism offers a People-to-People programme; an opportunity for visitors to experience a genuine and informal taste of Bahamian hospitality and culture. Volunteers holding interests similar to yours give you a taste of Bahamian life and potentially a lifelong friendship. Bahamians will be more than happy to introduce you to the richness of their history, folklore, culture and cuisine. Over a succulent dish of cracked conch and guava duff, you'll hear tales about the nefarious pirate Blackbeard and the mysterious blue holes of Andros. They'll tell you about the original Eleutheran Adventurers, the playful the Junkanoo troupes.
Easy access to The Bahamas is one reason for its long-standing popularity as a winter holiday destination. Only a few miles from the south Florida coast, in fact closer than Caribbean destinations, the islands can be reached quickly either by air or by sea.
Temperatures average around 68°F (20°C) during the winter season, and 86°F (30°C) during the summer. Humidity is fairly high, particularly in the summer. The rainy season is May-October, when the showers are usually short but heavy. June-November is the official hurricane season.
The climate of the Bahamas, although somewhat unstable, is very nice. You might want to schedule your vacation outside the hurricane season, of course, but the rest of the year is really delightful. The weather is pleasant in the winter season although cold fronts from the North American continent can bring strong north winds, some rain and surprisingly low temperatures. The summer months are warm and humid, there can be occasional thunderstorms.
Why to Invest;
One of the most attractive elements of investing in The Bahamas is the tax-free status accorded to income. There are no taxes levied on capital gains, corporate earnings, personal income, sales, inheritance, or dividends. This tax freedom is available to all resident corporations, partnerships, individuals and trusts.
Investors are also attracted to the stability of the economy, which is steadied by the solid value of the Bahamian dollar. This currency is pegged to the US dollar on a 1:1 ratio. US dollars and Bahamian dollars are used interchangeably throughout the island chain.
The inducement of a tax-free environment and a stable currency are enhanced by a series of investment incentives that provide relief from customs duties on approved raw materials, equipment, and building supplies, as well as allowing exemptions from business licenses and real property taxes for up to 20 years.
