Getting Around

Transport on the Exumas — rental cars, water taxis between cays, boat charters

The Exumas present a genuinely unique transport challenge: the island chain stretches roughly 150 miles from north to south, and the places most worth visiting are scattered across hundreds of cays with no road connections between them. Getting around well requires combining at least two modes, typically a rental car for Great Exuma and Little Exuma, and some form of boat access for the outer cays.

The Basic Reality

Great Exuma and Little Exuma are the only islands connected by road. A single main road, the Queen's Highway, runs the length of both islands, crossing between them via a one-lane bridge. Everything else in the chain is accessible only by water.

Rent a boat. Travelers who did it called it one of the best decisions of their trip; those who didn't relied on excursions or water taxis and had less flexibility.

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Rental Cars

What to Expect

Renting a car is strongly recommended for anyone staying on Great or Little Exuma. The Queen's Highway is paved, but many beach access roads are unpaved dirt tracks. Multiple travelers noted needing a capable vehicle for these side roads, and one rented a RAV4 specifically for this reason.

One critical local difference: vehicles in the Bahamas drive on the left side of the road, and the driver's seat is on the right side of the vehicle. This catches some visitors off guard, particularly at night. Allow time to adjust.

Named rental operators mentioned in sources:

• Out Island Car Rental, located directly across from the airport†

Practical Notes

• Beach parking is informal throughout the Exumas. When you see a beach access sign, park near it and walk the path down.
• Dirt roads to beaches are common, so take them slowly.
• Night driving on the left can be disorienting if you're not used to it. One traveler pair noted it took adjustment even after driving on the left in Ireland.

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Boat Rentals (Self-Drive)

Why Rent Your Own Boat

Renting a self-drive boat from Georgetown is cheaper than guided excursions and gives you complete freedom to explore Elizabeth Harbor, Stocking Island, and the nearby cays at your own pace. The harbor is manageable for beginner boaters, since you anchor near shore rather than docking in most cases.

The map provided by rental companies is sufficient for navigating the harbor area.

Note on tides: Several sources mention running into sandbar problems when staying too long at Chat and Chill or other shallow spots. One boat captain with 45 years of experience got stuck on a sandbar for the first time due to a low-tide timing mistake. Pay attention to tide times, especially when anchoring in shallow areas around Stocking Island.

Named Rental Operators

• Men's Water Sports (also referenced as "Men's"), Georgetown, Elizabeth Harbor. Multiple sources mention this as the go-to rental location in Georgetown. [Corroborated across multiple sources, 2026]

Time-sensitive: Rental prices and availability not confirmed in these sources — verify directly before booking.

What You Can Reach

With a day boat rental from Georgetown, travelers commonly reached:

• Stocking Island (North Beach, Starfish Beach, Sand Dollar Beach)
• Chat and Chill Beach Bar
• Red Shank Cays
• Man of War Cay and its sandbars
• Channel marker reefs and snorkel spots in Elizabeth Harbor

Pig Beach (Big Major's Cay), Thunderball Grotto, Staniel Cay, and the iguana islands are significantly farther north. See the Excursions section below.

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Water Taxis

For travelers who don't want to self-drive a boat, water taxi services operate from Georgetown. One specifically named option:

• Elvis's Water Taxi, Georgetown. An alternative to boat rental for reaching Chat and Chill and Stocking Island.†

Time-sensitive: Water taxi schedules, fares, and operating hours not confirmed in these sources — verify locally on arrival.

Chat and Chill on Stocking Island does not open until 11:30am (reported 2026, verify before planning your day).

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Guided Boat Excursions

Local Day Excursions (Elizabeth Harbor Area)

For exploring the immediate harbor area and nearby cays, local guides with smaller boats are available. Traveler accounts describe hiring local captains who know the waters intimately, offering a more personal experience than larger tour operations. One captain mentioned had lived in the Exumas his entire life.

See experiences for details on what these local guided trips typically cover.

Full-Day Excursions to the Northern Cays

The chain's most famous experiences, swimming pigs at Big Major's Cay (Pig Beach), Thunderball Grotto, nurse sharks at Compass Cay, and rock iguanas at Leaf Cay, are clustered around Staniel Cay, a substantial distance north of Georgetown.

• Exuma Water Sports, mentioned as one operator running full-day excursions to Staniel Cay and surrounding islands.†

One traveler pair with a private charter noted the Pig Beach area requires a minimum half day, and their local guides recommended a full day. The area is roughly a two-hour boat ride north from the southern Exumas. A smaller day-rental boat from Georgetown may not be ideal for this distance; excursion boats or larger charters are better suited.

Typical full-day excursion stops (as reported by one source):

1. Rock iguanas — Leaf Cay
2. Plane wreck — Staniel Cay
3. Snorkeling — Thunderball Grotto
4. Swimming pigs — Big Major's Cay
5. Swimming with sharks — Compass Cay
6. Sandbar — Little Pipe Cay
7. Lunch — Staniel Cay Yacht Club
8. Snorkeling — Rudder Cut Cay

Time-sensitive: Excursion pricing, availability, and itineraries vary by operator and season — verify before booking.

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Bareboat / Crewed Charter (Multi-Day)

For the full Exuma experience over multiple days, liveaboard chartering is a well-established option. The key operator mentioned:

• The Moorings, based out of Nassau, with their Exumas base at Palm Key on the southern part of New Providence Island. One source noted the Moorings' Exuma operation had a poor reputation some years ago but had significantly improved in recent years.†
• MarineMax, chartering out of the Abacos (north of Nassau), not the Exumas. Mentioned for context as an alternative to The Moorings.

Key Charter Logistics

• Anchoring is the norm. There are very few mooring ball fields in the Exumas, and anchoring is how you spend most nights. Exceptions include Wardrick Wells (Exuma Land and Sea Park) and some marina stops.
• Wardrick Wells mooring balls must be reserved by VHF radio. Contact the park when within radio range; one source recommends calling when you get close and notes balls are generally available.†
• Compass Cay marina accepts advance reservations by phone. The entrance can be tight but dock staff are helpful.†
• Staniel Cay Yacht Club has slips and anchorage; dinner reservations are recommended, with two seatings typically at 6pm and 8pm.†
• Highborne Cay marina is a well-maintained stop with a restaurant (Zuma's), gift shop, grocery store, and hiking trails.†
• Norman's Cay marina has a restaurant (McDuff's). The nearby drug plane wreck is worth diving or snorkeling, best at low tide when currents are manageable.†
• Fowl Cay is a small private resort where non-guests can sometimes arrange dinner by calling ahead via radio.†

Direction of Travel

Charter routes typically run southeast from Nassau to reach the Exumas. A common planning approach is to island-hop steadily south and make a long return trip, or push south quickly and hop northward on the return leg. The key constraint is returning the boat to Nassau by the agreed time, typically 10am on the final day, to allow airport departure by midday.†

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Kayaks and Paddle Boards

Some Airbnb and rental accommodation properties leave kayaks or paddleboards for guests. One traveler used a clear-bottomed kayak provided by their host for snorkeling exploration near shore. It's worth checking for this when booking accommodation.

For those with kayak access, the tidal cuts between cays offer a notable experience: paddling into a cut at the right time lets the current carry you through in a natural "lazy river" effect. Use caution, as currents in cuts can be strong and conditions change with the tide.

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Golf Carts and Bicycles

On Staniel Cay specifically, golf carts and bicycles are available to rent for exploring the small island. This is one of the few outer cays with any form of land transport.†

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Planning Notes

Tidal awareness matters throughout. Multiple sources flag the importance of tides for snorkeling access (Thunderball Grotto is best at low tide), for sandbar navigation (boats ground out on falling tides), and for dinghy creek passages. Checking tides before each day's plan is standard practice among experienced visitors.