The Exumas
A 100-mile-plus chain of cays and sandbars in some of the most vivid water in the world — home of the famous swimming pigs.
Get free Exumas quotes »The Exumas are a chain of roughly 365 islands and cays running south-east from near Nassau. Great Exuma and Little Exuma, joined by a bridge, hold most of the people, the airport and the main town, George Town, set on Elizabeth Harbour. To the north, the uninhabited and lightly inhabited cays are a boater’s paradise: the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, established in 1958, was the first land-and-sea park of its kind in the world, and Big Major Cay near Staniel Cay is where the swimming pigs paddle out to meet boats.
Highlights of The Exumas
The swimming pigs
Pig Beach on Big Major Cay, reached by boat from Staniel Cay, Great Exuma or on day tours from Nassau.
Thunderball Grotto
A snorkel cave near Staniel Cay, filmed in the James Bond movie Thunderball.
Land & Sea Park
A no-take marine reserve of cays, reefs and trails, run by the Bahamas National Trust.
Sandbars & beaches
Tidal sandbars and long beaches around Great Exuma, including Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma.
Nurse sharks at Compass Cay
A marina where visitors can see nurse sharks in the shallows.
Sailing & regattas
Elizabeth Harbour at George Town fills with cruising yachts each winter.
Getting There
By air: Exuma International Airport (GGT) near George Town has flights from Nassau and some nonstops from the U.S.; small planes also serve Staniel Cay and other airstrips. Compare fares on AirfaresForLess.com.
By sea: Mail boats and private charters connect with Nassau; many visitors see the cays on day tours by boat or plane from Nassau.
Getting around: A rental car on Great Exuma; boats for the cays.
Where to Stay
Stay on Great Exuma for the widest choice — resorts, inns and beach villas around George Town and Emerald Bay — or at Staniel Cay for easy access to the pigs and the park. Browse the Bahamas Hotel Guide or let a specialist match you.
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Get up to 5 free quotes »The Exumas — FAQ
Where are the swimming pigs?
The best-known colony is at Big Major Cay (Pig Beach) in the Exuma Cays, near Staniel Cay. Tours run from Staniel Cay, Great Exuma and Nassau. Follow your guide’s rules on feeding and handling the animals.
How many islands are in the Exumas?
The chain is usually described as about 365 cays and islands, most of them uninhabited.
Which airport serves the Exumas?
Exuma International Airport (GGT) on Great Exuma is the main airport; smaller airstrips serve cays such as Staniel Cay.
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