White sand is abundant in the Bahamas, but after a few days of beach bliss in Nassau and neighbouring Paradise Island, it’s time to turn inland and explore the country’s rich history and food culture. Luckily, there are tours for that.

Dig up Delicious Cuisine Secrets

In this island nation, not only should conch fritters be prepared to perfection to wow the palate, a well-seasoned chicken should be cooked with spices including thyme, garlic and tomatoes. These are just two food tips shared on a restaurant tour around Nassau with Tru Bahamian Food Tours.

At downtown eateries a local guide explains the history of dishes like peas and rice, and drinks like switcha, a Bahamian twist on lemonade. In between stops, they share the island’s history as you walk past heritage buildings painted “conch pink,” a colour historically made from ground-up shells of this edible sea snail.

Distill the Truth About Pirates on a Rum Tour

During the Golden Age of Piracy, from 1690 to 1720, Nassau was a haven for buccaneers, whose preferred loot was rum. Though the island no longer supports pillaging, you can still sample rum—and rum-infused foods on the Rum Runner’s Passage tour with Islandz Tours.

Over at Luna Rum Distillery, you’ll enjoy a selection of flavoured rums such as banana, and learn how to use them in cocktails. John Watling’s Distillery, on the historic 1789 Buena Vista Estate, offers traditional rums, including a pale rum, an amber rum and a single barrel rum. Fun fact: John Watling was a 17th-century “gentleman pirate” who abstained from pillaging on Sundays.

Cook Chowder or Sample Chocolate at Graycliff Restaurant

More swashbuckling lore awaits at Graycliff Restaurant, located in a 1740 mansion built by Captain John Howard Graysmith, a notable historical figure. Now a hotel and five-star restaurant, your palate can enjoy elevated island cuisine served inside the elegant restaurant or learn how to make it. Executive chef Elijah Bowe teaches aspiring chefs the secrets behind signature dishes such as Bahamian conch chowder and guava soufflé in interactive cooking classes at the Graycliff Culinary Academy.

If chocolate is your passion, pop over to adjacent Graycliff Chocolatier. Discover how island flavours are blended into decadent confections on The Art of Chocolate Factory Tour.

“Fort”-ify your Historical Knowledge

Nassau is home to three forts built to protect the island. Visit Fort Fincastle on the Discover Nassau Land & Sea Tour, which delves into the island’s colonial and pirate past. Cruise around the Paradise Island Harbour on a catamaran to see famous sights from the sea including Hog Island Lighthouse and Fort Montagu.

Satiated, hydrated and well-educated, you can end your vacation back where it started—on a beautiful Bahamian beach.