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Cat Island
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Cat Island, The Bahamas, combines quiet beaches, Mount Alvernia, Lucayan and Loyalist history, fishing villages and unhurried island culture away from resorts.

An Island of Open Horizons

Cat Island lies east of the main Bahamian islands, a long, lightly developed ribbon of pine woodland, scrub, salt ponds and broad Atlantic beaches. Its settlements are small and widely spaced, with Arthur's Town, New Bight and Port Howe providing the island's principal centres rather than a single dense town. The pace is quiet, and the landscape remains as important as the built heritage: roads pass between coconut palms, rocky headlands and low hills, while fishing boats and churches anchor village life.
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Heritage in the Landscape

The island's history reaches back to Lucayan communities and later Spanish contact, followed by plantation agriculture and the arrival of Loyalist settlers. Ruins, old churches and traditional settlements offer glimpses of these successive eras. Near New Bight, Mount Alvernia rises to the highest point in The Bahamas, where the stone Hermitage built by Father Jerome occupies a forested summit. The structure is both a religious retreat and one of Cat Island's most distinctive landmarks.

Village Life and Natural Quiet

Cat Island suits travellers drawn to uncrowded beaches, swimming, fishing, diving and the simple pleasure of moving slowly between settlements. Arthur's Town is associated with the singer and actor Sidney Poitier, while Port Howe preserves traces of plantation history in the remains of Deveaux House. Local bars, roadside food stalls and community gatherings provide a more authentic social rhythm than a resort strip, and the island's clear waters, reefs and secluded coves reward visitors who allow time for unhurried exploration.

When is the best time to visit Cat Island?

Best: January–March · 29°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January (best)2940
February (best)2935
March (best)2935
April3030
May3130
June3325
July3425
August3525
September3425
October3330
November3135
December3040

Getting to and around Cat Island

How to get there

Cat Island is reached primarily by air from Nassau, with airports serving different parts of the island, including New Bight Airport in the centre and Arthur's Town Airport in the north. Flight schedules and operators can change, so connections should be checked before travel and ground transport arranged for the arrival airport. Small charter aircraft may also connect Cat Island with other Bahamian islands when available. Sea access is possible through inter-island maritime services, including mailboat connections, but these are not equivalent to a frequent scheduled ferry and require careful timetable verification. There is no international airport on Cat Island, so most overseas visitors connect through Nassau.

Transportation

Cat Island is long, rural and sparsely settled, with attractions and beaches separated by considerable distances. A rental car is generally the most flexible way to reach Mount Alvernia, Arthur's Town, Port Howe and remote coastal areas, although visitors should drive cautiously and confirm fuel arrangements before setting out. Taxis can be arranged around airports and settlements, but availability is limited compared with Nassau and advance planning is sensible. Walking works within individual villages and along selected beaches, not as a practical way to explore the whole island. There is no extensive urban bus, rail or mass-transit network, and evening transport options can be particularly limited.

Best attractions in Cat Island

Cat Island's attractions are dispersed through a landscape of beaches, woodland and small settlements. The Hermitage on Mount Alvernia, near New Bight, is the island's most distinctive visitor site: its hand-built stone rooms and chapel occupy the summit of the highest point in The Bahamas. In the north, Arthur's Town offers a glimpse of village life and connections with Sidney Poitier, while the southern settlement of Port Howe preserves the remains associated with Deveaux House and the island's plantation era. Long beaches and quiet coves around Fernandez Bay and other coastal areas provide opportunities for swimming, snorkelling, fishing and simple shoreline walks, subject to weather and sea conditions. Inland roads reveal churches, old homes, coppice and salt ponds, while Orange Creek and the surrounding northern coast offer a more remote island atmosphere. The appeal lies less in a concentrated list of sights than in the gradual discovery of history, sea and community across a lightly developed island.

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Best landmarks in Cat Island

The Hermitage on Mount Alvernia is Cat Island's defining architectural landmark, a compact stone retreat built by Father Jerome in the early twentieth century and set on the highest ground in The Bahamas. Its chapel, cells and irregular masonry express a deeply personal religious vision while providing broad views across the island. In Port Howe, the ruins associated with Deveaux House recall the plantation period and the Loyalist presence that shaped southern Cat Island, although the site is experienced chiefly as a historic remnant rather than a restored mansion. Village churches and modest traditional homes in New Bight and Arthur's Town reflect the island's post-emancipation community life. The Sidney Poitier Memorial, associated with Arthur's Town, links the island to one of the country's most internationally recognised cultural figures. Together these places show Cat Island through faith, plantation history, community and national identity.

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Explore Cat Island on the map

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Best restaurants in Cat Island

Dining on Cat Island is closely tied to Bahamian home cooking, fishing and the small settlements scattered across the island. Conch prepared as salad, cracked conch or fritters is a familiar local staple, while fresh grouper, reef fish and lobster appear when catches and seasons permit. Peas and rice, macaroni, plantain, baked fish and johnnycake provide hearty accompaniments, and simple breakfasts or lunches may be served from locally run kitchens rather than formal dining rooms. Restaurants and bars near the island's accommodation areas offer the most consistent meals, while roadside stands and community events can provide more informal tastes of Bahamian cooking. Imported supplies and limited opening patterns mean that dining is generally relaxed and modest in scale. Visitors should ask locally about the day's catch, available food stops and payment arrangements, especially when travelling beyond New Bight, Arthur's Town or Port Howe.

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Best bars in Cat Island

Cat Island has a small, community-based evening scene rather than a concentrated nightlife district or club circuit. Local bars and restaurants provide places to share drinks, conversation and Bahamian food, often with music and an easygoing atmosphere shaped by residents and visiting anglers. In settlements such as Arthur's Town, New Bight and Port Howe, evening activity may centre on community gatherings, church events, live music or seasonal celebrations rather than late-night venues. Goombay and rake-and-scrape traditions form part of the wider Bahamian musical culture and may be heard at local events, while regattas and festivals can bring temporary performances and social gatherings. Most entertainment is informal and locally organised, so schedules, transport and closing times should be checked in person. Walking between remote venues after dark is not advisable, making pre-arranged transport important.

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Best nightclubs in Cat Island

Cat Island has a small, community-based evening scene rather than a concentrated nightlife district or club circuit. Local bars and restaurants provide places to share drinks, conversation and Bahamian food, often with music and an easygoing atmosphere shaped by residents and visiting anglers. In settlements such as Arthur's Town, New Bight and Port Howe, evening activity may centre on community gatherings, church events, live music or seasonal celebrations rather than late-night venues. Goombay and rake-and-scrape traditions form part of the wider Bahamian musical culture and may be heard at local events, while regattas and festivals can bring temporary performances and social gatherings. Most entertainment is informal and locally organised, so schedules, transport and closing times should be checked in person. Walking between remote venues after dark is not advisable, making pre-arranged transport important.

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Best shops in Cat Island

Shopping on Cat Island is limited and local in character, with small groceries, convenience shops, roadside stalls and craft sellers serving individual settlements rather than a dedicated retail quarter. Visitors may find Bahamian-made souvenirs, shell or straw work, paintings, handmade jewellery and locally produced food items, although stock varies and should not be assumed. Fresh fish and other provisions are more likely to be obtained through local contacts than a formal market, while larger shopping trips are usually made in Nassau or planned before arrival. New Bight, Arthur's Town and Port Howe contain the island's practical services, but opening patterns can be informal and card facilities are not universal. Shopping is therefore closely connected to conversation and community life, with purchases from local artisans or small businesses contributing more directly to the island economy than standard resort retail.

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Cat Island essentials

Currency and Payment
The official currency is the Bahamian dollar, abbreviated BSD, which is maintained at parity with the United States dollar. US dollars are widely accepted, though change may be given in Bahamian currency. Larger hotels, shops and established businesses may accept payment cards, but small restaurants, roadside vendors, taxis and community-run services may be cash-based or have unreliable connectivity. ATMs and banking facilities are limited compared with Nassau, so carrying sufficient cash for transport, meals and incidental expenses is sensible. International visitors should notify their card provider before travelling and check whether their bank applies foreign-exchange or cash-withdrawal charges.
Safety
Cat Island is a quiet, low-density destination, but its rural character means that help and replacement supplies may not be close at hand. Keep valuables secure, avoid leaving belongings visible in vehicles and take ordinary care around airports, beaches and isolated roads. Follow local advice about swimming, snorkelling and boating, particularly when Atlantic winds create strong surf or currents. Roads can be narrow, uneven or poorly lit after dark, so cautious driving is important and walking beside main roads at night requires care. Sun protection, drinking water and insect repellent are practical essentials, especially when visiting exposed beaches or exploring inland tracks.
Emergency Situations
In The Bahamas, call 911 or 919 for police, fire or medical emergencies. State clearly that the incident is on Cat Island and provide the nearest settlement, road, beach or landmark, as distances and place names can be interpreted differently locally. Medical facilities on the island are limited compared with Nassau, and serious cases may require transfer to a larger centre, so comprehensive travel insurance and reliable access to funds are important. Accommodation hosts, airport staff and local authorities can help identify the nearest clinic or arrange assistance. Keep essential medication with you, since pharmacies and specialist medical supplies are not widely available.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress casually but respectfully in villages and when entering churches, and ask permission before photographing people, homes or community events. Treat the Hermitage and other religious or historic places as working or culturally significant sites rather than backdrops for noisy behaviour. Do not remove shells, coral, plants or archaeological material from beaches and ruins, and avoid damaging reefs while swimming or snorkelling. Island life runs at a slower pace, so patience with delayed services and friendly greetings are appreciated. Tipping is customary for good service in tourism and hospitality, while exact amounts depend on the service and circumstances rather than a fixed island-wide rule.
Local Tips
Use the main settlements as orientation points: Arthur's Town is useful for exploring the north, New Bight sits near Mount Alvernia, and Port Howe gives access to the island's southern heritage landscape. Allow extra time for scenic stops, conversations and changing road conditions rather than planning a tightly timed itinerary. Local knowledge is especially valuable for finding current swimming conditions, fishing trips, food stops and access to less-marked beaches. Sunday activity may be quieter because of church observance, while community events and regattas can change the atmosphere of a settlement. Bring reef-safe sun protection, water and a charged phone when travelling away from services.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHola[ho-la]
GoodbyeChao[cha-o]
YesSí[see]
NoNo[no]
Please/You're welcomePor favor/De nada[por fa-vor/de na-da]
Thank youGracias[gra-cias]
Excuse me/SorryDisculpe/Lo siento[dis-cul-pe/lo sien-to]
How are you?¿Cómo estás?[co-mo es-tas]
Fine. And you?Bien. ¿Y tú?[bien. i tu]
Do you speak English?¿Hablas inglés?[a-blas in-gles]
I don't understandNo entiendo[no en-tien-do]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseQuisiera ver el menú, por favor[ki-sie-ra ver el me-nu, por fa-vor]
I don't eat meatNo como carne[no co-mo car-ne]
Cheers!¡Salud![sa-lud]
I would like to pay, pleaseMe gustaría pagar, por favor[me gus-ta-ria pa-gar, por fa-vor]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!¡Ayuda![ayu-da]
Go away!¡Vete![ve-te]
Call the Police!¡Llama a la Policía![ya-ma a la po-li-cia]
Call a doctor!¡Llama a un médico![ya-ma a un me-di-co]
I'm lostEstoy perdido[es-toy per-di-do]
I'm illEstoy enfermo[es-toy en-fer-mo]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Quisiera comprar...[ki-sie-ra com-prar]
I'm just lookingSolo estoy mirando[so-lo es-toy mi-ran-do]
How much is it?¿Cuánto cuesta?[cuan-to cues-ta]
That's too expensiveEso es demasiado caro[e-so es de-ma-sia-do ca-ro]
Can you lower the price?¿Puedes bajar el precio?[pue-des ba-jar el pre-cio]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?¿Qué hora es?[ke o-ra es]
It's one o'clockEs la una en punto[es la u-na en pun-to]
Half past (10)Y media[y me-dia]
MorningMañana[ma-nya-na]
AfternoonTarde[tar-de]
EveningNoche[no-che]
YesterdayAyer[a-yer]
TodayHoy[hoi]
TomorrowMañana[ma-nya-na]
1Uno[u-no]
2Dos[dos]
3Tres[tres]
4Cuatro[cua-tro]
5Cinco[cin-co]
6Seis[seis]
7Siete[sie-te]
8Ocho[o-cho]
9Nueve[nue-ve]
10Diez[diez]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?¿Dónde está...?[don-de es-ta]
What's the address?¿Cuál es la dirección?[cual es la di-rec-cion]
Can you show me (on the map)?¿Puedes mostrarme (en el mapa)?[pue-des mos-trar-me (en el ma-pa)]
When's the next (bus)?¿Cuándo es el próximo (autobús)?[cuan-do es el pro-xi-mo (au-to-bus)]
A ticket (to ....)Un boleto (a ....)[un bo-le-to (a)]

History of Cat Island

Lucayan Communities and First Contact

Before European colonisation, Cat Island was inhabited by Lucayan Taíno communities who travelled between the islands by canoe, fished the surrounding waters and cultivated crops suited to the subtropical environment. Spanish voyages reached the Bahamian archipelago in the late fifteenth century, bringing enslavement, disease and forced displacement that caused Lucayan society to collapse within decades. Cat Island is sometimes associated with competing theories about Christopher Columbus's first landfall in 1492, but the precise location remains disputed and cannot be presented as settled fact. This early history is nevertheless central to understanding the island as part of an archipelago shaped by Indigenous life long before plantation settlement.

Plantations and Loyalist Settlement

After the Spanish period, Cat Island was gradually drawn into the British colonial economy. Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution reached The Bahamas in the late eighteenth century, bringing enslaved Africans and establishing plantations devoted chiefly to cotton and other agricultural production. Port Howe became an important centre of plantation activity, and the remains associated with Deveaux House recall the wealth and labour system that supported these estates. The island's scattered farms and settlements developed within this colonial framework, linking Cat Island to wider Atlantic trade while leaving a social landscape shaped by both European landowners and the African-descended population whose labour sustained the plantations.

Emancipation and Rural Community

The abolition of slavery in the British Empire took effect in The Bahamas in 1834, followed by a period of apprenticeship and then full freedom. Cat Island's economy changed as plantation agriculture declined, and formerly enslaved families established more independent communities based on small farming, fishing, wrecking and maritime trade. Churches became important centres of education, worship and social organisation, while settlements such as New Bight, Arthur's Town and Port Howe developed the local identities still visible today. The island's dispersed pattern of homes and public buildings reflects this rural history rather than the concentrated urban form found on Nassau.

Father Jerome and Mount Alvernia

In the twentieth century, Cat Island acquired one of its most distinctive landmarks through the work of Father Jerome, the adopted name of John Hawes, an English architect and Roman Catholic priest. He arrived in The Bahamas in 1939 and constructed the stone retreat known as the Hermitage on Mount Alvernia, completing a small chapel, living quarters and other buildings by the early 1940s. The complex combines religious purpose with local stonework and a dramatic elevated setting. Father Jerome remained associated with the island until his death in 1956, and the Hermitage continues to express the unusual meeting of personal devotion, architecture and Bahamian landscape.

Modern Cat Island

Cat Island entered the modern era with a largely subsistence and maritime economy, its communities connected by roads, small airfields and coastal transport rather than metropolitan infrastructure. Fishing, farming and tourism continue to shape livelihoods, while the island's small-scale accommodation reflects its settlements and beaches rather than a large resort model. Arthur's Town is also associated with Sidney Poitier, who was born there in 1927 and later became an internationally celebrated actor and diplomat. Contemporary Cat Island retains strong community traditions, church life and ties to the sea, alongside a growing interest in heritage, nature and low-density island travel.

Cat Island in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Cat Island, The Bahamas

Discover Cat Island like never before with Evendo, a 100% free app-based travel guide covering attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more. Plan your perfect trip today!

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
  • Rich images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details for each location
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences
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More about the Evendo app

Evendo is your comprehensive travel guide to Cat Island, The Bahamas. Explore attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and book hotels, tours, and experiences all in one place.

  • History of Cat Island and essential travel tips
  • Curated local advice to experience the island like a local
  • User-friendly navigation and 'Near me' feature
  • 100% free with no in-app purchases or hidden costs
  • Global coverage with information on over 7,000 destinations

Welcome to Cat Island, The Bahamas—a paradise waiting to be explored. With Evendo, your ultimate travel guide, you can uncover the island's hidden gems and must-see attractions with ease. Whether you're visiting the stunning Mount Alvernia and its famous Hermitage, taking a dip in the crystal-clear waters of Fernandez Bay, or exploring the historical ruins at Deveaux Plantation, Evendo has got you covered.

Evendo provides detailed information on all the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities. Each location comes with rich descriptions, images, local tips, maps, and contact details to make your trip planning seamless. Craving local cuisine? Discover top-rated restaurants like Da Smoke Pot and Hawk’s Nest Resort & Marina for an unforgettable dining experience.

With Evendo, you can easily book hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences directly through the app. No more hassle of searching multiple platforms for what to see and do—Evendo consolidates everything in one convenient place. From learning about the history of Cat Island to getting travel essentials and curated local tips, our app ensures you experience the island like a true local.

The app's user-friendly design offers easy navigation and a 'Near me' feature to help you find nearby attractions, no matter where you are on the island. Best of all, Evendo is completely free with no in-app purchases or hidden costs. Plus, it covers over 7,000 other destinations worldwide—so once you've downloaded Evendo, you have the world in your pocket. Download Evendo now and make the most of your trip to Cat Island!

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