Bimini yacht charter
About 50 nautical miles from Miami, Bimini is the easiest way to sail from Florida into Bahamian waters: big-game fishing, clear shallows and an island pace a world away from South Beach.
Get My ShortlistCall 1-561-463-6840Florida’s gateway to the Bahamas
Bimini lies about 50 nautical miles east of Miami across the Gulf Stream, a few hours by motor yacht in good weather. It is a Bahamas port of entry, so you clear customs on arrival. Charters usually start in Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach on a yacht permitted to carry guests between Florida and the Bahamas, spend two or more nights in Bimini, and either return to Florida or continue to the Berry Islands and Nassau. Weekly crewed charters start around $20,000 for a catamaran; motor yachts are typically quoted plus expenses.
Big-game fishing, clear water and Hemingway’s island
North and South Bimini are small, low-lying islands on the edge of the Great Bahama Bank. To the west the Gulf Stream runs deep and blue, which is why Bimini has been famous for marlin, tuna and wahoo since Ernest Hemingway fished here in the 1930s. To the east, the bank turns to impossibly clear, shallow water perfect for snorkelling, paddleboarding and sandbar picnics.
Alice Town on North Bimini has a relaxed, local feel, and the resort marina on North Bimini makes an easy base for longer stays. Bimini also works beautifully as the first stop on a longer charter to the Berry Islands and Nassau.
The Gulf Stream crossing decides the plan
The Gulf Stream flows north at a few knots between Florida and Bimini. With a southerly or light wind it is a pleasant crossing; when a northerly wind blows against the current, seas build quickly. Your captain picks the weather window, which is why we suggest building a little flexibility into the first and last days.
On arrival in Bimini the yacht clears Bahamas customs and immigration; guests need valid passports. Returning to the United States, guests report their arrival to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, usually through the CBP ROAM app. Your captain guides you through both steps.
The best of Bimini by yacht
Sportfishing in the Gulf Stream
Marlin, sailfish, tuna, wahoo and mahi in season. Many motor yachts carry fishing gear or can arrange a dedicated sportfishing boat alongside.
Honeymoon Harbour, Gun Cay
A sheltered beach where friendly southern stingrays glide through the shallows.
SS Sapona wreck
A concrete-hulled ship grounded in the 1920s, now a shallow snorkelling site full of fish.
Alice Town and the beaches
Conch salad, quiet beaches on the western shore and a slower island rhythm.
A sample long weekend: Miami to Bimini
Miami to Bimini
Morning departure across the Gulf Stream; clear customs and settle into the marina or a calm anchorage by lunch.
Bimini fishing day
Sunrise run to the edge of the Stream for sportfishing, then an afternoon swim off the western beaches.
Gun Cay and the Sapona
Snorkel the Sapona wreck and spend the afternoon at Honeymoon Harbour with the stingrays.
Bimini to Miami
Cross back in the morning weather window and arrive in Miami for dinner ashore.
With a week, continue east across the Great Bahama Bank to the Berry Islands and finish in Nassau, flying home from there.
What a Bimini yacht charter costs
| Yacht type | Typical weekly fee | How it is priced |
|---|---|---|
| Crewed catamaran, 45–60 ft | $20,000–$40,000 | Often all-inclusive |
| Luxury catamaran, 60–80 ft | $40,000–$90,000+ | All-inclusive or plus expenses |
| Motor yacht, 75–100 ft | $60,000–$120,000 | Plus APA of 25–35% |
| Superyacht, 100 ft+ | $150,000–$500,000+ | Plus APA of 25–35% |
Short Florida-to-Bimini trips are often priced by the day or for three to four nights. Crossings and longer passages add fuel on motor yachts; catamarans are slower but often all-inclusive.
Add Bahamas charter taxes (10% VAT plus a 4% charter fee, about 14% in total) and a crew gratuity of 15–20%. Our Bahamas charter cost guide walks through all-in examples.
Ranges are our own guide and vary with yacht, season and availability.
Planning a Bimini trip from Florida?
Tell us your dates, group and the kind of week you have in mind. Within one business day we reply with yachts that are genuinely available, with every cost set out in advance. There is no fee to you: the yacht pays our commission.
Get My ShortlistCall 1-561-463-6840Your brokers
Hansel Sneed
Founder and Yacht Charter BrokerHansel founded Sneed Charters in 1992 and has spent more than three decades matching families, couples and companies with crewed yachts across the Bahamas, Florida and the Caribbean.
Adrian Sneed
Yacht Charter BrokerAdrian handles day-to-day charter planning, from Nassau day charters to week-long journeys through the Exumas and the Abacos, and works directly with captains and owners on availability, relocation and pricing.
Bimini yacht charter FAQs
About 50 nautical miles. A motor yacht crosses in a few hours in good weather; a sailing catamaran takes most of a day.
Yes. Bimini is a Bahamas port of entry, so guests need valid passports, and you report your return to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, usually through the CBP ROAM app.
It is possible on a fast motor yacht in calm weather, but the round trip and customs make for a long day. We usually recommend at least two nights.
Bimini is one of the most celebrated sportfishing destinations in the Atlantic, with marlin, tuna, wahoo, sailfish and mahi in season.
Yes, on a yacht that is permitted to carry guests between Florida and the Bahamas. We shortlist only yachts that can legally do the route.
Related charters and guides
Sources checked November 2026: U.S. CBP – CBP ROAM for pleasure boaters.