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Matthew Town
ℹ️Practical info — Matthew Town
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- Hire a local guide to access the Inagua National Park, as you cannot enter independently to see the flamingos.
- Morton Salt runs a massive operation here; you can sometimes view the vast pink salt pans from the road.
- Bring plenty of mosquito repellent, especially after rain or near the wetlands.
- The town is very remote, so confirm your flight and accommodation well in advance.
🍽 Food
Sometimes hunted locally and served roasted or stewed in small local diners.
Reef fish like snapper, best eaten grilled at a local guesthouse.
Freshly baked, slightly sweet white bread available at the local bakery.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
A must-buy, directly from the source of one of the world's largest solar salt operations.
Simple handmade items created by local artisans.
The 19th-century lighthouse gives a quiet historical spot with sweeping views.
The vast, still waters of the salt flats reflect the sky perfectly on calm days.
Water temperature…
Matthew Town is the only inhabited settlement on Great Inagua Island, the southernmost island of the Bahamas. It was named after George Matthew, a 19th-century Governor of the Bahamas. The town is world-renowned as the headquarters of the Morton Salt Company, which operates one of the largest solar salt production facilities in the world there. Over one million tons of salt are produced annually, making Matthew Town an industrial hub of the archipelago. Geographically, the town sits on the edge of the Inagua National Park, which hosts the largest colony of West Indian flamingos in the Caribbean. A local landmark is the lighthouse built in 1870, which is still in operation and provides panoramic views of the flat island landscape. Life in Matthew Town is closely tied to the salt industry and ecotourism, while the town has maintained its original, isolated character. The surrounding flora and fauna are unique, attracting birdwatchers from around the globe.
- Location: Bahamas
- Top sights: Great Inagua Light · Erickson Museum
- Nearby: Salina Point (54 km)
- Population: ~452 (2026)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Jan–Mar.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
| Rain mm | 35 | 22 | 30 | 38 | 92 | 70 | 47 | 66 | 94 | 135 | 78 | 40 |
Geography
Facts
- Headquarters of Morton Salt, one of the world's largest salt facilities.
- A colony of over 80,000 West Indian flamingos lives nearby.
- The historic 1870 lighthouse is still manually operated.
- The only permanent settlement on the 1,500 km² Great Inagua Island.
- Produces approximately 1 million tons of sea salt annually.
- A major base for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in the south.
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Sights in the town Matthew Town (2)
Frequently asked questions
What is the town known for?
Are there flamingos there?
Can you visit the salt factory?
How do you get there?
Are there hotels?
Matthew Town: where is it located?
Matthew Town: what is there to see?
Matthew Town: when is the best time to visit?
Matthew Town: why is it worth visiting?
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