Whether you’re looking for a place to rest your head in between island adventures, a vacation home for your family, or a place to retire – you want to know that you can relax and let your guard down.

After all, what’s the point of living in paradise if you’re constantly worried about your personal safety?

We’ve all heard the horror stories of exotic locations plagued by crime, just as we’ve heard splendid tales of adventure and wonder in the exact same places. It can be difficult to figure out what’s really going on until you visit yourself.

If you’ve already spent time in Great Abaco, Bahamas, you already know what a wonderful place it is. If not, then you’ll probably want to take a minute to learn some facts about the crime and safety of this beautiful island that Schooner Bay calls home.

Safety in The Bahamas

Even though The Bahamas is known for its relaxing lifestyle, friendly people, and having some of the most epic beaches in the world -- crime is still an important consideration for visitors.

The primary cause of concern for safety in The Bahamas is Nassau.

While most of the populated islands of The Bahamas have remained peaceful, the densely-packed island of Nassau has seen an increase in criminal activity.

Yes, it's a beautiful place with tons of exciting activities to do, but you need to exercise the same level of caution that you would in any major international city.

That might be fine if you're the type of person who has to be where all the action is, but most of our residents come to The Bahamas to relax and relieve stress -- and that's exactly why they choose to own a home here, rather than in a place like Miami.

All of that said, the vast majority of crime in Nassau and the rest of The Bahamas affects locals, not visitors.

The good news:

It seems that crime in The Bahamas is trending in a positive direction.

• 2016-2017 saw a decrease in serious crimes by 26%, the largest in 12 years (Source)
• 2017-2018 saw another decrease of 14% in overall crime (Source)

Safety in Great Abaco

A stark contrast from the small, congested island of Nassau -- Great Abaco is incredibly clean, peaceful, and spacious. Plus, it's unmistakably safer than Nassau and other areas of The Bahamas.

The first thing you'll notice here is that the people are all so nice and friendly. People of all ages, families, tourists, and locals all mix and mingle as they go about their day.

When you imagine living in an island paradise like The Bahamas, Abaco is the type of place that comes to mind. This is exactly why Schooner Bay was built here.

Safety in Schooner Bay

"The idea of living in a foreign country is intimidating for many people. Fortunately, we've had nothing but wonderful experiences during our time at Schooner Bay and we've found the Bahamian people to be among the friendliest and most welcoming of any people in the world." -Chris Williams, CEO of Legacy Global Development

Our residents love the fact that our community is private and secluded from the rest of the island. About 20-30 minutes away from the cities of Great Abaco, you rarely see people in the area who don't live or work in our community.

When you arrive at Schooner Bay, you are welcomed by security before entering our harbour village.

We pride ourselves on having a community where parents can let their kids play outside without concern. A place where you can leave your doors unlocked and never have to stress about your valuable possessions.

When you're here, you can relax and unwind, leaving all of your worries behind.

Then once you decide to leave, we close and lock the hurricane-proof shutters installed on every window to ensure your home is protected from weather damage.

Ultimately, you have to visit Schooner Bay for yourself to understand how incredible it is and to get a real feel for how safe it is.

Schedule a Discovery Stay to enjoy an unforgettable getaway in the Bahamas with your family!