At a Glance
Character of the Islands
The Exumas are a chain of approximately 365 cays stretching roughly 100 miles through the central Bahamas, southeast of Nassau. Unlike Nassau's busy cruise-ship economy, the Exumas are defined by nature, solitude, and water that independent travelers consistently describe as among the clearest they have ever seen anywhere in the world, comparable in color and transparency to French Polynesia, and often likened to sapphire-blue or Gatorade-colored in its intensity.
The essential character of the Exumas is one of unhurried natural beauty. Visitors repeatedly remark on arriving at beaches and finding themselves completely alone, even during moderately busy travel periods. This stands in sharp contrast to Nassau's beaches, which draw cruise-ship crowds. The Exumas reward slow exploration: there are simply too many beautiful spots to name, and nearly every bend in the water reveals another unmarked sandbar, hidden cove, or empty beach.
The island chain is anchored by Great Exuma and the smaller Little Exuma to the south, connected by a one-lane bridge. Georgetown, the main town on Great Exuma, sits on Elizabeth Harbor and serves as the practical hub, the place to shop, eat, rent boats, and organize excursions. North of Georgetown, the cays become progressively more remote and nature-dominated, eventually entering the protected Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
The Water
The water is the central fact of the Exumas. It is extraordinarily clear, shallow enough over sandbars to read the bottom in fine detail, transparent enough in open coves that snorkelers can see everything from the surface. The color shifts from pale turquoise over sand flats to deep sapphire in channels, with the full spectrum visible at once across any given anchorage. Several travelers independently describe it as the best water they have ever seen.
This clarity is partly a function of geography: the Exumas sit on the edge of a shallow bank, with warm, calm water on the leeward side of the cays and the open Atlantic on the windward side. The sheltered inner waters are ideal for snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming. Strong currents do exist, particularly at cuts between cays and at spots like Thunderball Grotto, and warrant caution (see experiences).
Key Experiences and Landmarks
The Exumas are most famous for a handful of headline experiences, all requiring a boat to reach:
Swimming Pigs at Pig Beach (Big Major's Cay) The most iconic attraction in the Exumas. A colony of free-roaming pigs lives on this uninhabited island and will swim out to meet arriving boats. Pigs can be fed carrots, fruit, or vegetables. The pigs are large and food-motivated. Multiple accounts caution against extending a flat hand, as bites can occur. The origin of the pigs is genuinely disputed, with sailors leaving them behind and a deliberate tourism venture both offered as explanations, but their swimming behavior appears natural: observers report the pigs enter the water independently, without being coaxed by food. Pig Beach is approximately 2 hours by boat north of Georgetown. Plan a full day for any excursion that includes it.
Thunderball Grotto (near Staniel Cay) A sea cave made famous by the James Bond film Thunderball and subsequently by Splash. At low tide the entrance is exposed and swimmers can enter freely; at high tide entry requires swimming underwater. The grotto interior features stalactites and stalagmites, shafts of light through ceiling holes, and abundant marine life. Visit at low tide. Currents can be strong, particularly at distance from the entrance, and this spot is better suited to confident swimmers.
Compass Cay — Nurse Shark Swimming A small marina where nurse sharks congregate in the dock area, habituated to human contact and comfortable being touched. They are uniformly gentle. The one consistent instruction: don't put your hand in their mouth. Compass Cay also has a cross-island trail to an Atlantic-facing beach, and a natural tidal pool called Rachel's Bubble Bath, a rocky depression where ocean swells crash over the rim to create a naturally foamy, warm jacuzzi effect.†
Iguana Island (Allen's Cay) The first significant stop north of Nassau for sailing charters, Allen's Cay is home to a large colony of endangered Northern Bahamian Rock Iguanas, a species native only to the Bahamas. The iguanas are habituated to visitors, grow to over 4 feet, and can live up to 40 years. Grapes and lettuce are cited as appropriate snacks; most guides ask visitors not to feed them, though feeding appears common in practice.†
Wardrick Wells — Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park The heart of the Land and Sea Park is Wardrick Wells Cay, which many charter sailors regard as the most scenically distinctive anchorage in the Exumas. The cay features mangrove creeks, sand flats that expand dramatically at low tide, rock formations, and hiking trails including the famous Boo Boo Hill, a hilltop where visiting boaters traditionally leave a painted board bearing their boat or family name, believed light-heartedly to appease the weather gods. The park has a mooring field; reservations are handled by VHF radio, typically on the morning of arrival. No restaurants on the island, so provision your own food.
Staniel Cay A small, low-key inhabited island with a functioning village, marina, yacht club with a well-regarded restaurant (two dinner seatings typically at 6pm and 8pm, verify current schedule before booking), and rental bicycles and golf carts. Staniel Cay is the practical base for Thunderball Grotto, Pig Beach, and Compass Cay day-trips, and is the terminus for most organized full-day excursions from Georgetown.
Stocking Island Directly across Elizabeth Harbor from Georgetown and accessible by short boat ride. Key stops include Starfish Beach (accessible only by water, with a beach bar called The Sandbar featuring a pool table and drinks on-site), Chat & Chill Beach Bar and Grill (a beloved open-air restaurant where you pull a boat onto the beach, known for its burgers, conch, and resident stingrays), and Sand Dollar Beach at the southern end. See experiences for more detail on individual beach stops.
The Inhabited Islands: Great Exuma and Little Exuma
Great Exuma
The main island is traversed by the Queen's Highway, a single road running roughly north-south. Driving is on the left. The road is paved but notable for significant potholes. Rental car drivers should take corners slowly and be prepared to cede narrow sections to oncoming traffic. A rental car is effectively necessary for any independent beach exploration on the island.
Beaches accessible by car from north to south include: Exuma Point Beach (snorkeling and sandbar), Coco Plum Beach (sandbars at the south end), Farmers Hill Beach, Three Sisters Beach (named for three prominent offshore rocks), Mosstown Beach, Tar Bay Beach, Hooper's Bay Beach (sea turtles present, best earlier in the day), and Jolly Hall Beach. Nearly all of these are consistently reported as uncrowded to completely empty.
Georgetown itself has grocery stores (Smitty's is mentioned as one of the few), takeout restaurants, and a concentration of small eateries and beach bars, fewer options than Nassau but sufficient, and far less commercialized. Several travelers recommend picking up groceries for self-catering given the limited and sometimes slow restaurant service.
Little Exuma
Connected to Great Exuma via a one-lane bridge, Little Exuma is quieter still. Key beaches include Pretty Molly Beach, Forbes Hill Beach (two distinct beach sections with snorkeling), and Tropic of Cancer Beach, a long, north-facing beach notable for straddling the geographic Tropic of Cancer line, with a rocky snorkeling area at one end. Tropic of Cancer Beach is reached via a left turn off the Queen's Highway onto a dirt road.
Practical Character Notes
Scale and remoteness. The Exumas feel genuinely remote. Grocery and dining options are limited. Self-catering is common and practical. Service can be slow by mainland standards, with one travel account mentioning a 90-minute wait for takeout. This is not a complaint so much as a calibration: the islands operate on island time, and adjusting expectations is part of the experience.
Crowds, or the absence of them. Across multiple independent accounts from different periods, visitors consistently report having entire beaches to themselves. This is the defining difference between the Exumas and Nassau, and the central reason many travelers strongly prefer the Exumas.
Boat access. A large portion of the Exumas' best experiences are only accessible by water. Renting a boat independently for a day (operators in Georgetown at Elizabeth Harbor, including Exuma Water Sports and men's water sports) or booking a full-day organized excursion from Georgetown are the two main options for visitors without their own vessel. Charter sailing is also a popular multi-day format (see getting-around).†
Swimming pigs vs. Nassau. Pig Beach is accessible from both Nassau (via day-trip boat tours, roughly $130–150 per person as of recent reports, verify before booking) and from the Exumas (as part of a full-day excursion from Georgetown, roughly $350 per person as of recent reports, verify before booking). The Exumas-based trip is shorter in boat transit time and generally the more natural way to experience the surrounding cays simultaneously.†
Currency. The Bahamian dollar is pegged 1:1 with the US dollar; US dollars are accepted everywhere. Major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are widely accepted; American Express acceptance is less reliable. Bring some cash for smaller transactions.
Language. English is the official and everyday language throughout the Exumas.
Weather. Peak season runs roughly November through April/May, when northern visitors seek warmth. Average temperatures are around 78°F, similar to Miami or Key West. Hurricane season runs approximately June through October/November, a secondary reason for the off-peak designation of those months. Water temperatures are cooler in winter months, though still swimmable for most visitors. The sun sets early in winter, which compresses the useful daylight window for activities.
The Exumas vs. Nassau: A Character Comparison
For travelers deciding between the two, the distinction is consistent across sources: Nassau (New Providence Island) offers more infrastructure, more restaurants, more organized tours, more nightlife, more transportation options, and better connectivity, at the cost of crowds, cruise-ship traffic, and a more commercial beach experience. The Exumas offer dramatically better beaches, near-total solitude, and the most famous wildlife experiences in the Bahamas, with a much smaller selection of amenities and a pace that rewards patience.
Travelers who prioritize beaches, marine encounters, natural scenery, and quiet consistently choose the Exumas and report wanting to return. Travelers who want variety of activities, city amenities, or easy logistics may find Nassau more practical as a base. Several sources note the two are complementary: a trip combining both is feasible.
The Exumas are more about nature and beauty and just the most gorgeous water on planet earth and hundreds and hundreds of islands — one charter sailing source summarizing the essential difference from more developed Caribbean destinations.
Most information sourced from traveler accounts dated 2025–2026. Prices, operating hours, and business names change, so verify locally before relying on specific figures.