Exuma

A long island chain in the central Bahamas, where swimming pigs near Staniel Cay, Thunderball Grotto, nurse sharks and the Land and Sea Park make up a classic island-hopping route.

The Exuma Cays lie in the central Bahamas, about 60–200 km southeast of Nassau. More than 360 small islands and sandbars stretch some 200 km from north to south, famous for their rare gradients of blue and turquoise water. This destination is based at Staniel Cay in the central Exumas, the hub for speedboat island-hopping: Pig Beach and Thunderball Grotto are just minutes away by boat. Heading north, you'll find the nurse sharks at Compass Cay and Rachel's Bubble Bath, then the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (Warderick Wells Cay, the Sea Aquarium snorkel site and the Shroud Cay mangroves), and at the far north the iguanas of Allan's Cay and the plane wreck at Norman's Cay; to the south are the iguanas of Bitter Guana Cay. The best season is December–May, with calm seas and little rain; June–November is hurricane season, with the highest risk in August–October. Getting there: small planes fly from Nassau to Staniel Cay in about 40 minutes, or travel north by boat or plane from George Town (Great Exuma); speedboat or flying day trips from Nassau are also available, though they're rushed and expensive. Accommodation on the islands is limited and pricey, so book ahead; plan to stay 2–3 nights, with a chartered boat (half or full day) as the main way to explore. Tips: every site is reachable only by boat, and entrance and park fees are extra; feed the pigs only fresh water, fruit and vegetables, and don't feed the iguanas; enter Thunderball Grotto at slack tide; supplies on the islands depend on deliveries, and cash in US dollars is widely accepted. The George Town area in the south requires a separate overnight base and is not covered by this destination.

Top sights

• Pig Beach, Big Major Cay – Wild pigs on an uninhabited island swim out to beg for food when they hear a boat. It is one of the Bahamas' most iconic quirky experiences.
• Thunderball Grotto – A sea-carved grotto beneath a small island, where sunlight pours through a skylight. Featured in the Bond film *Thunderball*, it is a snork…
• Compass Cay Nurse Sharks – Dozens of nurse sharks gather beneath the dock of a private island. Visitors can enter the water to swim with them or touch them, a thrill…
• Rachel's Bubble Bath – A natural rock tidal pool at the northern tip of Compass Cay, where ocean waves wash over the rocky barrier and fill the pool with foam.
• Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park – Established in 1958 as the world's first land-and-sea protected area, with coral reefs and uninhabited islands, headquartered at Warderick…
• Allan's Cays Iguanas – The northernmost island group in the Exumas, where the critically endangered Allan's Cay rock iguanas crowd onto the beach to greet visitor…
• Staniel Cay – The base for island-hopping in the central Exumas, a sleepy village of colorful cottages, a yacht club, and a small airstrip.
• Bitter Guana Cay – An uninhabited island south of Staniel Cay, where endangered Exuma rock iguanas inhabit a small beach framed by white limestone cliffs.
• Shroud Cay – A mangrove island in the northern part of the land-and-sea park, where you can take a small boat through a creek to a deserted beach on the…
• Norman's Cay Plane Wreck – The wreck of a C-46 transport plane lying in shallow water, a reminder of the drug lord base of the 1980s, visible while snorkeling.
• Rocky Dundas – Sea caves beneath two small rocky islands at the southern end of the land-and-sea park. The caves contain stalactites, and the coral reef o…
• Sea Aquarium Snorkel Site – A shallow coral reef near O'Brien's Cay, where dense schools of fish swim like a natural aquarium. It is a popular snorkeling spot in the l…

Where to eat

• Staniel Cay Yacht Club Restaurant – The island's main restaurant, serving all three meals by the dock; Bahamian set dinners, and a classic stop on Pig Beac…
• Lorraine's Café – A family-run Bahamian restaurant in Black Point on Great Guana Cay, known for coconut bread and barbecue ribs; a popula…

Itineraries

• Great Exuma & Staniel Cay Island Hopping – Stay in George Town first, then fly to Staniel Cay for three nights to see the swimming pigs, Thunderball Grotto, and t…
• Bahamas Island Hopper: Nassau, Eleuthera & Exuma – Visit three major island groups in one trip: Nassau's Old Town, a road trip through Eleuthera, and a boat tour from Geo…