Bahamas? Come on pretty mamas!

The place you wanna go, with beautiful tropical sand and Kosher too.

If you’re looking for a great weekend getaway with the hubby, a girls trip, or vacation with the fam, this is the one!

We recently had the pleasure of enjoying a weekend trip* to the new hottest destination for Kosher luxury travel, the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas. Home to not 1, but 2 Kosher restaurants (the only kosher restaurants in the Caribbean!), Minyan on site, and Shabbat meals.

You’ll dine on the best Kosher cuisine, while sitting in the lap of luxury in this magnificent oceanfront resort, with beaches of white sand and clear blue water. One of the largest resorts in the Bahamas, lives on a sprawling property with eight pools, a newly built water park, water activities, a casino, art galleries, designer shops, and more.

While Kosher hotels may have once been found along the Borsht belt, and perhaps some accommodating hotels in Miami, being able to travel to the Bahamas would mean airline food and tuna cans for most Kosher travelers. But like the Borsht belt, that is a thing of the past.

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The Restaurants

Cinko Asian Latino Grill, the star restaurant (of 45+ restaurants and bars) at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, has been converted to Glatt Kosher under the supervision of Rabbi Sholom Bluming of Chabad of Bahamas, with a full time Mashgiach.

Serving up an array of rich culinary diversity of South America with bold Asian flavors, Cinko also offers a full bar with some of the freshest fish you’ll ever have. Cinko is known for its variety of fresh ceviche, each one better than the next, with an option for any palate. Their tortilla soup is out of this world. Order a grill platter to share, you won’t regret it.

Cinko is in such high demand that it’s recommended to book your dinner reservations as soon as you book your hotel room if you’re hoping to get in. It is open for dinner only, beginning at 6 PM.

After dinner, if you’re lounging at the jazz bar in the lobby, with live bands each night, bottles of Kosher wine can be pre-ordered from Cinko to enjoy at the Jazz bar.

For breakfast and lunch, you’re going to LOVE the beachfront Kosher Dairy Chalav Yisrael food truck, Knosh, located right next to the flamingo nursery. (Yes, you read that right.)

Knosh, (pronounced Nosh, the K is silent) is open 8 AM-6 PM. Start your day with the breakfast flatbread with wild mushrooms, gouda, truffle cream, and tomato confit. You can’t go wrong with a classic lox bagel. You can also go light and healthy with wild berries yogurt with granola.

For lunch, we recommend getting some of the most delicious loaded fries (with plant-based “meat”, cheddar, and sour cream) and the freshest Bahn Mi you can imagine with crispy fried fish.

Sip on your Kosher frozen Piña Colada, or Mango slushie with a heavy pour of Bahamian dark rum, optional but recommended for the full experience. A number of bars (including a swim-up one) use an OK certified mix for their smoothies, and the bartenders will happily display the bottle. Fresh smoothies at Daq’s, served in an emptied pineapple, are the epitome of a tropical vacation!

Pre-packaged, sealed Kosher items from Cinko are also available at Cafe Madeleine (a non-Kosher cafe) on the lobby floor.

Shabbat accommodations

Friday night meals are served fresh with a prefixed menu at Cinko. Reserve your meal in advance by 12 noon on Thursday. Shabbat lunch is prepared fresh on Friday, and distributed boxed from Cinko. In addition, you can preorder select menu items on Friday to be delivered to your room on Shabbat.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar prides itself on being all-accommodating. The staff is aware of Shabbat accommodations, providing magnets to avoid using the key fob, keeping staircases accessible, and are happy to press elevator buttons (no Shabbat elevator yet) or carry your items out to the pool. (The Eruv covers the building and some terraces.)

Minyan

For updated Minyan info, you’ll want to join the Chabad of the Bahamas Minyan chat hereDuring the week Minyanim take place in the chapel area, and on Shabbat, the Minyan is in Cinko.

Pools, water park, and beach

With a number of pools to fit every mood, you can find your spot, whether it’s with kids that will enjoy jumping from the cliff-ledge, swimming up to an aquarium, inside a cave, or lounging at a quiet cabana.

At Baha Bay waterpark, with thrill slides, wave pool, surf simulator, and lazy river, “I’m bored” is not something you’ll hear anyone say.

Of course, there is plenty of gorgeous Caribbean beach to enjoy, and a number of water and non-water activities. Be sure to enjoy a walk on the pier in the evening, it is serene.

Jewish Bahamian Destination Wedding?

While there was no wedding there that we were invited to, we did see the beautiful halls, suitable for weddings from small to large, featuring a commercial kitchen that the Rabbi Kosherizes for Kosher weddings, catered fully Glatt Kosher, with a stunning Chupa (You MUST order the tuna ceviche taco!) and a steel drum playing classical Jewish tunes.