Paradise Island is an island just off the coast of Nassau and it truly is paradise. It is a home to the famous Atlantis Resort which has a number of luxury hotels and attractions. Atlantis is like a Vegas vacation for families in the Caribbean. It is expensive to stay there and the cheapest we found a night was close to $600. We couldn’t afford to stay there but decided to see what it was all about and purchased a day pass which cost us $195 USD, and the baby was free. We headed out early and got there for 9 am to try and get the most of our money.
Here are some of the things you can do while either staying at Atlantis or with the day pass:
Spend some time on the private beaches
Atlantis has 4 private beaches, we spent time on Atlantis Beach and Cove Beach; both were phenomenal and had chairs/umbrellas, white sand and crystal blue water. There is also Lagoon Beach which we walked past and Paradise Beach which we heard is beautiful.
Swim in some of the 11 pools
If you want a break from the sand and want to be closer to restaurants and other amenities or have easier access to a chair (there are limited numbers on the beaches) try out some of the pools. There are volleyball nets and other activities in some of these pools too.
Cool down with the kids in Poseidon’s Playzone
In addition to the 11 pools there is also a waterpark for the kids called Poseidon’s Playzone. If you have children, this is the perfect place to cool off and have some fun. There are a few small waterslides, a massive splash pad, Greek themed playground all in a large children’s pool. Our baby had a blast here, and so were many other older kids as we could tell. Hell even I had fun, especially when Poseidon would dump the massive water bucket over the playground and pool.
Ride the slides in the Aquaventure Park
There are 9 main waterslides and smaller slides for kids within the waterpark. Everyone has seen photos or videos of the Leap of Faith which is a 60 foot drop which sends you through a clear tunnel in a shark infested pool, but there are many other thrilling waterslides. I went on the Leap of Faith and the challenger slides which both were a lot of fun and the lineups weren’t too big. It is a lot of fun going down waterslides through a Mayan Temple and there is also slides in the Power Tower which looked like a lot of fun. There is also a lazy river going around the waterpark which looked fun.
Explore the worlds largest open air aquarium
You can explore the aquarium as you’re making your way through the grounds and to different pools and beaches and maybe make a few small detours to see certain parts of it. The aquarium is massive and has indoor and outdoor sections connected. You will see turtles, Manta Rays, Sharks, the Largetooth Sawfish and many other endangered species of fish. The species you will see are amazing and it’s remarkable seeing them navigate the waters of a sunken Atlantis city. The aquarium prioritizes conservation and is a home to a number of rescued fish, dolphins, etc. that once rehabilitated will be returned to the wild and those that can’t return to the wild will stay in Atlantis.
Visit the Iconic Sites
There is the famous rope bridge and the iconic heart swing with the Royal Atlantis in the background. You will see these spots as you navigate and here you can get some cool Instagram worthy shots.
Eat in one of the many restaurants in the resort
There are tons of restaurants both inside and outside. Some are small food huts while there are fancy restaurants too. We chose to cool off inside the Shake Shack for some burgers and fries. It was pricey but tasty and parts of the aquarium went through the restaurant too.
Cool down and try to win some money in the large casino in the Royal Atlantis
There is a lot to do in Atlantis, and I can imagine how fun it would be to stay there. But if you are not staying there and want to get a day pass here are a few pointers to make the best of your day:
- Arrive early and stay late so you can spend all day exploring the massive resort. And make sure you pack for the full day.
- Don’t worry about bringing towels when packing because you get towels with the day pass and you can exchange them throughout the day.
- Follow the maps throughout the park, there are tons of them and it’s easy to navigate.
- Start on one side of the park and circle your way throughout the resort, stopping in the middle of the resort at the waterpark mid-day. We started at the conference center, made our way through the aquariums onto Atlantis beach and continued to travel through the resort.
- See the aquariums and iconic spots like the rope bridge and heart swing along the way, don’t plan to go to them first or last, because you will see them if following the map from one end to the next.
- Start at a beach before it gets too hot and when there are lots of chairs still available.
- Cool off mid-day with a lunch inside and then go to the Aquaventure Park which is right in the middle of the resort.
Atlantis was a lot of fun and even though it was expensive we got our moneys worth. I only went on a couple waterslides but I could have easily gone on a couple more but it was hard because of having the baby. We also spent a lot of time in Poseidon’s Playzone because it was fun for her. The only thing we really missed out on was Paradise Beach which I heard is beautiful. To truly enjoy, you really need more than a day on Atlantis. But still, if you are just getting the day pass, if you arrive early and follow the maps and stick to the plan you can have a lot of fun and get your money’s worth with an Atlantis Day Pass.
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