The Caribbean's Problematic Paradise Is A Breathtaking Beach With Dangerous Secrets

There are many reasons to visit Cabbage Beach, and most visitors to the Bahamas are likely to spend time there. First, it's easy to get to; the beach occupies the northern coast of Paradise Island, which lies just across the bridge from the capital city of Nassau. Just about anyone flying or cruising into the country will arrive in Nassau, and it's hard for newcomers to turn down a white-sand beach that stretches for two miles along aquamarine waters. Meanwhile, Paradise Island is littered with hotels and resorts, so it's very likely that you'll spend the night. You might as well hang out on the beach that attracts thousands of visitors per day, including locals.

Yet this convenient and well-known playground has its downsides as well. For starters, there are no lifeguards on duty. You might think that such a beloved location would have high wooden platforms posted along the waterfront, along with a small army of paid first responders surveying the shallows for trouble, but visitors to Cabbage Beach swim entirely at their own risk. That means there are no professionals to save you if a riptide drags you out to sea; unfortunately, riptides are a very real danger and have caused people to drown here.

Then there are manmade dangers: This busy crossroads attracts its fair share of vendors, scammers, and drug dealers. Many of the vendors are perfectly legitimate, offering food and beach chairs to passersby, but the constant offers of goods and services can get oppressive for casual beachgoers. More malevolently, scams come in all forms, from unlicensed taxis and fake tours to dodgy timeshare presentations and wildly expensive jet ski rentals. Here are some other common scams you're likely to encounter while on a cruise.

The natural dangers of Cabbage Beach are fairly easy to avoid: just don't swim out too far. The waves here are often powerful and riptides are hard to predict, so exercise caution when wading out. Children should stay close to land, and weak swimmers should wait for calmer surf. It's best to visit with company, so friends or family members can keep track of each other. Some people have been rescued by good samaritans at Cabbage Beach, something to be thankful for, but visitors should assume they will have to fend for themselves in an emergency. If you are swept away, here's some practical advice for surviving a rip current.

Avoiding scams is a little more complicated. Crime in the Bahamas has become so concerning that the US State Department actually issued a travel advisory about this popular Caribbean destination. It's best to make all tour reservations online or at a brick-and-mortar business; the same should go for water sports activities and rentals. For rides, only use marked taxis; note that Uber and Lyft do not operate in the Bahamas, and registered taxis are generally expensive (and charge extra for more than two passengers).

Lots of merchants on the beach are professional and will just take "no" for an answer, but others may get pushy or clingy, which can quickly shift into harassment. Nothing ruins a sunny day like a creepy tagalong offering you stuff you don't want. In short, if you feel the slightest suspicion or discomfort, decline and walk away. Naturally, keep an eye on your belongings and avoid taking anything truly valuable to the beach.

You may ask yourself: Is Cabbage Beach actually worth it? Yes, it's convenient, but should you really endure crowds, cads, and crushing waves just to get a little tan? If the Bahamas has 2,200 miles of coastline, surely there's somewhere less stressful to visit.

A beloved alternative to Cabbage Beach is known as "Jaws Beach." While the name actually comes from "Jaws 4: The Revenge," which was filmed nearby and is, of course, about man-eating sharks, Jaws Beach is a peaceful patch of sand on the west side of New Providence island, about 19 miles from Paradise Island. While this isn't nearly as easy to access as Cabbage Beach, Jaws Beach rewards visitors with its own coral reef and a spectacular underwater sculpture garden. You still get the soft sands and transparent waters that make the Bahamas so famous, but there's far less hustle and bustle at Jaws Beach and the surrounding Clifton Heritage Park. Also, you're unlikely to see any actual sharks here.

Another peaceful destination is Love Beach, which is both a little closer to Nassau (10 miles from the city center) and boasts 40 acres of protected coral reef, which is a boon for divers and snorkelers taking advantage of Caribbean clarity. On slow days, you may have these powdery sands and walls of palm trees all to yourself. Remote as it seems, Love Beach is still close to hotels, restaurants, and even the Paradise Games Casino.