Old Bight Beach
Cat Island, Cat Island, Bahamas
Old Bight Beach runs nearly five miles along Cat Island in the Bahamas, one of the longest continuous stretches of sand in the country, backed by the small village the beach is named for. There's no crowd to speak of here, just open coastline good for a long walk, and calm water that suits swimming and light snorkeling equally well.
An enormous, genuinely uncrowded beach that few visitors to the Bahamas ever see, though reaching Cat Island at all takes real effort, which keeps it a destination rather than a quick stop.
Combine a visit with the nearby Hermitage of Father Jerome on Mount Alvernia, the highest point in the Bahamas, since both sit close together on the same part of the island.
Cat Island is reached by small plane to New Bight Airport, from which Old Bight is about a 4.3 mile drive, with informal parking near the beach.
The beach is flat, open, and easy to walk for its entire length, with no boardwalk or paved path, just direct sand access from the village.
The dry season from November through May brings the calmest, most comfortable conditions, while hurricane season runs June through November across the Bahamian out islands.
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