Mix sun, sand and sea with world class casinos, shopping and restaurants and the result will look a lot like Nassau and New Providence. (Nassau is the capitol of the Bahamas on the island of New Providence. For many, the two names are interchangeable.) New Providence is the most populace island in the Bahamas, home to more than half of the country’s quarter million citizens. It is also home to the resort area of Paradise Island, which forms the north side of Nassau’s natural harbor. Along with Nassau, it is a popular cruise ship destination and sees the vast majority of New Providence tourism traffic.

In the waters surrounding this bustling vacation hot spot is the full spectrum of dive experiences. Expansive shallow reefs are rich with Elkhorn Corals, Star and Brain Corals and surprisingly healthy sponge formations. Both the regular cast of reef characters, and some unexpected star performers populate these reef communities. New Providence is also home to wrecks, walls, sharks and occasional pelagic visitors from the depths of the Tongue of the Ocean. Wreck City, on the southwest corner of the island holds what is probably the greatest concentration of diveable wrecks in the Bahamas. Shark Arena and Shark Wall, 12 miles south along the Tongue, is a world-famous attraction and has been featured in numerous films, commercials and documentaries.