A reader photograph of a Coral Harbor sunset has landed the small Bahamian community the latest spot in Caribbean Journal's long-running Photo of the Week series. The shot, taken by Samuel Symonette, captures the evening light over Coral Harbor on New Providence — the same island most visitors only ever see from the Nassau cruise terminal.
That's the point worth noticing. New Providence is home to the vast majority of the Bahamas' population and the port where millions of cruise passengers step ashore each year, yet most of them stay within a short walk of the ships. Coral Harbor sits on the island's southern shore, facing the sheltered waters between New Providence and the eastern islands, and it's a residential area rather than a resort strip. No mega-hotels, no beach bars playing music at full volume — just a stretch of shoreline where the day tends to end quietly and, judging by the photo, with a very good sky.
For travellers who've written off New Providence as a one-stop port, this is a useful nudge. The island rewards getting off the beaten path: the western end has fishing villages and quiet coves, the south coast has spots like Coral Harbor and Adelaide where the water stays calm, and the whole island is easily covered by rental car or taxi in an afternoon. Sunset timing makes it an easy add-on to a day spent at Cable Beach or downtown — drive out as the light drops and you'll see a very different Bahamas from the one in the brochures.
The Photo of the Week format itself is a nice travel resource. Caribbean Journal runs it using images submitted by readers, which means the locations featured are often small, personal places rather than the usual chart-topping beaches. If you're hunting for under-the-radar Caribbean scenery, scrolling the back catalogue is a decent way to build a list. Readers can submit their own shots by email with CPOTW in the subject line, so the series doubles as an open invitation to contribute.
Who is this story actually for? Anyone flying into Nassau for more than a day trip, and cruise passengers who can extend their stay. New Providence's southern shore is close to the airport, so even a final evening in the Bahamas can end at a spot like Coral Harbor rather than a hotel lobby. Bring a camera — clearly it works.
