With our pristine beaches, crystal clear waters, spectacular natural scenery, wonderful climate and warm, welcoming hospitality, it's easy to see why so many of the world's big name filmmakers and production companies choose to shoot in The Bahamas.
Along with recent box office successes like Pirates of the Caribbean, fans will already know that over the years our islands have played a starring role in many of the Bond movies, providing locations for unforgettable sequences in no fewer than six of the blockbusters.
Although sets are de-rigged after filming, like the famous building site used for the 'parkour' chase at the beginning of Daniel Craig's first performance as Bond in Casino Royale, you can meet many locals who work on the productions.
People like Gavin Mckinney, an underwater cameraman and stunt man who doubled for both Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan, and Joan Carroll and her daughter Marina who worked on a couple of the locations for Thunderball. You could even come across driver Stephen Symonette, and Romeo Farrington, the owner of a limousine company in Nassau, who might be persuaded to take you on a tour of the Casino Royale 'sets'.
Of course, if you decide to recreate some of the scenes for yourself, here's where to start...
Thunderball (1965) - Thunderball is particularly well known for its underwater scenes, such as a spear-gun battle set in 'The James Bond Cave' (which is north of Staniel Cay on Exuma) and underwater love scenes at Clifton Pier, Nassau. Several scenes were shot on Paradise Island, such as a Junkanoo Mardi-Gras filmed along Bay Street and an underwater battle at Lyford Cay. To watch these scenes click here and view the footage at 01:56min for the Junkanoo Mardis Gras, 00:14min and 02:28min for the underwater battle.
Read the Empire review of Thunderball here.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - one of the most exciting scenes in the 007 series was filmed in Coral Harbour, New Providence Island (Nassau). Staring Roger Moore as James Bond, one spectacular scene combined both underwater and ariel shots of Bond's water diving car and another scene includes a huge tanker swallowing a submarine. To watch these scene please click here and view the footage at 01:00min for the underwater car and 02:16min for the tanker scene.
Read the Empire review of The Spy Who Loved Me here.
Never Say Never Again (1983) - Sean Connery returned in his last performance as James Bond in the 14th Bond adventure that featured scenes shot in Nassau. Underwater battle scenes and romance between Bond and Bond Girl Domino (played by Kim Basinger) were filmed at Clifton Pier, Nassau. To watch these scene please click here - view the footage at 00:52min and 01:28min for the underwater battle - and here and view the footage at 00:56min for the romance scene. The hotel where Fatima Blush attempts to then assassinate James Bond was the Best Western British Colonial Resort - to watch this scene click here.
Read the Empire review of Never Say Never Again here.
Casino Royale (2006) - one of the most recent James Bond movies, staring Daniel Craig, features scenes filmed at Coral Harbour in New Providence and at the One and Only Ocean Club on Paradise Island. To watch the first clip filmed at an abandoned motel at Coral Harbour for the Madagascar Shanty Town scene, click here and view the footage at 00:49min and 01:03min. Another clip is a chase scene through a construction site at Coral Harbour, which be watched here and view the footage at 00:56min, 01:00min and 01:08min. Scenes of James Bond's hotel filmed at the One & Only Ocean club can be seen here and view the footage at 00:47min, 00:54min and 01:05min. The location can also be seen here - view the footage at 01:10min.
Read the Empire review of Casino Royale here.
