BS
Exuma
A chain of around 365 cays and islands with clear shallow water, swimming pigs and a protected marine park
A chain of around 365 cays and islands with clear shallow water, swimming pigs and a protected marine park
A group of feral pigs lives on Big Major Cay, near Staniel Cay, and swims out to boats. Most visitors come on a boat tour from Staniel Cay, Great Exuma or Nassau.
Do not feed the pigs on the sand or give them processed food, and keep children close.
Photo: cdorobek, CC BY 2.0
A hollow limestone cay near Staniel Cay with openings in its roof that let in shafts of light. It is a popular snorkelling spot, named after the 1965 James Bond film shot there.
Snorkel at slack low tide, when the currents are weakest.
Photo: cogdogblog, CC0
Created in 1958, this protected area covers a long stretch of cays and sea where fishing is banned. The park office on Warderick Wells Cay has trails, moorings and a skeleton of a sperm whale.
Visitors arriving by boat pay a park fee.
Photo: Craig Stanfill, CC BY-SA 2.0
The main settlement of the Exumas sits on Elizabeth Harbour, with a small straw market, shops and the boats that cross to Stocking Island. The National Family Island Regatta, a sailing race for local wooden boats, is held here every April.
Photo: Rüdiger Stehn, CC BY-SA 2.0
A narrow island across the harbour from George Town, with beaches on both sides, walking trails and the Chat ‘N’ Chill beach bar, known for its Sunday pig roast.
Photo: Rüdiger Stehn, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fresh conch is everywhere, from conch salad to fritters, along with grilled lobster (in season from August to March), snapper and grouper.
Restaurants are few and spread out, and many close one or two days a week; check opening times and book dinner in advance.
Exuma International Airport (GGT) near George Town has flights from Nassau, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and some other US cities. Smaller airstrips, including Staniel Cay, are served by charter and small regional airlines from Nassau and Florida.
On Great Exuma, rent a car (driving is on the left). To reach the northern cays you need a boat tour, a charter or a flight to Staniel Cay. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada and most EU countries do not need a visa for a tourist stay; you need a valid passport and proof of onward travel. The departure tax is normally included in your air ticket. Check current rules before you travel.
The Bahamian dollar (BSD) is pegged one-to-one to the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted everywhere. The Bahamas is expensive: most food is imported and VAT is added to many bills, often together with a service charge. The Out Islands are even more expensive than Nassau because supplies come by boat.
Boat tours are priced per person or per boat; costs vary widely.
Beaches, cays and a full-day boat trip.
Explore George Town and cross by water taxi to Stocking Island for its beaches and trails.
Drive south to Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma, stopping at small settlements along the way.
Take a full-day boat tour to Big Major Cay, Thunderball Grotto and the nurse sharks at Compass Cay.
Spend a slow day on a beach, or go kayaking or paddleboarding in Elizabeth Harbour.
Book the northern cays tour early; it depends on calm weather.
Follow the guide’s instructions; the pigs can bite or knock people over.
Tidal currents between the cays can be strong.
Carry some cash; not every small business takes cards.
Quick answers for planning time in Exuma.
The best-known group lives on Big Major Cay, also called Pig Beach, near Staniel Cay in the northern Exumas.
Fly to Exuma International Airport near George Town or to the Staniel Cay airstrip, mostly via Nassau or Florida. Some tours run by fast boat from Nassau.
Yes, if you can snorkel. It is a hollow cay with light coming through the roof and many fish, best visited at slack low tide.
Guides may provide suitable food in the water. Do not feed them on the sand or give them processed food, which can make them ill.
December to May has the calmest, driest weather. June to November is hurricane season.
Offline maps are useful on the Out Islands, where signal can be patchy.
Free
English is the official language, so translation is rarely needed.
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Boat operators, guesthouses and taxi drivers often reply by WhatsApp.
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Planning a wider trip? Our Bahamas travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.