Big Major Cay, an uninhabited speck in the Exuma Cays, is home to a population of feral pigs that swim out to greet arriving boats. It’s one of the most searched attractions in the Caribbean, and for good reason — watching a dozen pigs paddle through clear water toward your skiff is genuinely surreal. Most excursions combine Pig Beach with other stops like Compass Cay nurse sharks, Thunderball Grotto snorkeling, and Allen’s Cay iguanas, making for a full day of island-hopping through the 365 cays and islands that stretch southeast from New Providence Island.
The Exuma island chain contains more than 365 cays and islands stretching southeast from New Providence Island.
This guide covers the key stops on a typical Exuma tour, how to get there, what to expect from the wildlife encounters, and the practical realities of a day on the water. I’ll also point out where the experience falls short — because not every stop delivers the same magic, and some require more patience than Instagram suggests.
The swimming pigs are real, they do swim, and the experience is as odd and delightful as it sounds. But the tour is a long day on a boat — expect 8–10 hours from Nassau — and the pigs are fed by visitors, so the encounter is less “wild” and more “eager regulars at a snack bar.” Go for the full Exuma Cays experience, not just the pigs.
Orientation to the Exuma Cays and the Tour Circuit
The Exuma Cays run in a long arc southeast of Nassau, and most pig tours follow a well-worn route through the central islands.
The chain contains more than 365 cays and islands, but the tour circuit concentrates on a handful of stops between Staniel Cay and Big Major Cay. Most full-day excursions depart from Nassau, Great Exuma, or Staniel Cay itself. From Nassau, the boat ride alone takes roughly two hours each way across open water — choppy in winter, calmer in summer. From Staniel Cay, Pig Beach is a short 10-minute ride.
The tradeoff is clear: departing from Nassau means a longer day but access to more stops; flying to Staniel Cay shortens the boat time but requires a separate 30-minute island-hopper flight via Flamingo Air or Titan Air. The tours themselves follow a predictable sequence: iguanas, a sunken plane, Thunderball Grotto, the pigs, nurse sharks, and a sandbar. Each stop has its own character — and its own limitations.
First-time Bahamas visitors
Families with older kids
Snorkelers wanting variety
Main Stops on the Exuma Tour Circuit
Each stop on the circuit offers something different — some are genuinely memorable, others feel like filler between the main event.
Guana Cay and the Rock Iguanas
Guana Cay is often the first stop, and it’s one of the most underrated. The Northern Bahamian Rock Iguanas here are endemic to the Exumas and look prehistoric — spiny, slow-moving, and surprisingly large. Dozens emerge from the shrubbery as boats approach, but unlike the pigs, they won’t enter the water. Visitors can observe them from the beach, but guides typically ask you not to feed them anything other than the approved fruit they bring. The encounter is quick — 15 to 20 minutes — and the iguanas are accustomed to people, so they’ll sit still for photos. The limitation: there’s no shade on the beach, and the sun is intense by mid-morning.
Thunderball Grotto — Snorkeling in a James Bond Cave
Thunderball Grotto is a sea cave featured in the James Bond film Thunderball. You swim through tunnels into a cavern where sunlight streams through holes in the rock ceiling, illuminating the water and the fish below. The marine life is dense — sergeant majors, grunts, and the occasional barracuda. Low tide is the best time to enter because the cave entrance is partially submerged at high tide. Most tour guides track the tides and time the stop accordingly. The cave is small, and if multiple tour boats arrive at once, it gets crowded fast. Snorkel gear is usually provided, but bringing your own snorkel set ensures a better fit.
Pig Beach at Big Major Cay
This is the main draw. As your boat approaches Big Major Cay, the pigs paddle out to meet you — some small and shy, others large and bold. They’ve learned to associate boats with food, so the swimming is purposeful, not playful. Visitors can enter the shallow water near the beach for photos, but the pigs are fed by guides using approved food, and they can be pushy around anyone holding a bag. Piglets stay close to the adults, and the guides ask visitors not to chase them. The beach itself is a narrow strip of sand with no facilities — no bathrooms, no shade, no fresh water. Plan for 30 to 45 minutes here, which is enough time for photos and a quick swim.
Compass Cay — Swimming with Nurse Sharks
Compass Cay has a protected marina where nurse sharks gather in shallow water. These sharks are accustomed to visitors and are harmless despite their size — they’re bottom-feeders that eat crustaceans and small fish. Visitors can kneel in the water while the sharks swim past, and guides often hand out small pieces of fish for those who want to feed them. The water is clear and only waist-deep, making it accessible for weaker swimmers. The limitation: the sharks are fed regularly, so this is a managed encounter, not a natural one. Still, feeling a three-foot shark brush past your leg is memorable.
The sunken plane wreck off Staniel Cay is a quick snorkel stop that most tours include. The plane belonged to a drug smuggling ring in the 1980s and now sits in shallow, clear water — beginner-friendly and good for underwater photos. It’s a 10-minute stop, not a deep dive.
Sandbar at Little Pipe Cay
The final stop is a sandbar near Little Pipe Cay that appears at low tide. It’s a long stretch of white sand surrounded by shallow turquoise water — the kind of scene that dominates Bahamas tourism ads. Boats pull up directly onto the sand, and visitors can wade, swim, or just sit in the water. The sandbar is exposed for a few hours around low tide, so timing depends on the day’s tide schedule. It’s a relaxing way to end the tour, but there’s no shade and no facilities. Bring a reef-safe mineral sunscreen — the sun reflects off the sand and water, and burns happen fast here.
Practical Planning for Your Exuma Tour
The logistics of getting to the pigs and timing your visit matter more than most guides admit.
Getting There: Nassau vs. Staniel Cay vs. Great Exuma
Most visitors depart from Nassau on a full-day speedboat tour. These tours leave early — typically 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. — and return around 5:00 p.m. The boat ride is two hours each way across the Exuma Sound, which can be rough in winter (November to February). If you’re prone to seasickness, consider flying to Staniel Cay instead. Flights from Nassau take 30 to 45 minutes with Flamingo Air or Titan Air, and from Staniel Cay, Pig Beach is a 10-minute boat ride. From Great Exuma (George Town), half-day tours are available and cut the boat time significantly.
| Departure Point | Travel Time to Pigs | Tour Length | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau | 2 hours by boat | 8–10 hours | Visitors staying in Nassau |
| Staniel Cay | 10 minutes by boat | 4–6 hours | Those who fly to Staniel Cay |
| Great Exuma | 45 minutes by boat | 4–6 hours | Visitors staying on Great Exuma |
Best Time to Visit
Tours operate year-round, but conditions vary significantly. Winter and spring (December through April) offer calmer seas and lower humidity, but this is also peak tourist season — expect more boats at each stop. Summer and fall (May through November) have warmer water and fewer crowds, but this overlaps with hurricane season (June through November), and afternoon thunderstorms are common. The pigs are present year-round, so the main variable is weather and crowd size.
The boat ride from Nassau crosses open ocean. If the forecast shows winds above 15 knots, the ride gets rough. Motion sickness medication is worth taking before departure — the motion sickness medication aisle at any pharmacy has options that work for most people.
Costs and Booking
Full-day tours from Nassau range from roughly $250 to $400 per person, depending on the operator and inclusions (lunch, drinks, snorkel gear). Tours from Staniel Cay or Great Exuma are typically cheaper — around $150 to $250 per person — because the boat time is shorter. Private charters cost more but allow you to adjust the itinerary and spend more time at stops you like. Popular tour companies include Exuma Adventure Tours, Four C’s Adventures, and Coastline Adventures Exuma. Book at least a few days in advance during peak season.
On the Ground: What to Know Before You Go
A day on the water in the Exumas requires preparation — the sun, salt, and lack of facilities catch many visitors off guard.
Packing for a Day on the Water
There are no facilities at Pig Beach, the sandbar, or most of the other stops. Bring everything you need for the day: water (at least one liter per person), snacks, a towel, and a change of clothes. A dry bag is essential for keeping electronics and valuables dry during the boat ride and while swimming. Most tours provide lunch, but the quality varies — some operators serve sandwiches and fruit, others offer a full spread. Ask when booking.
Wildlife Interaction Guidelines
The pigs, iguanas, and nurse sharks are living animals, not props. Guides enforce rules about feeding — only approved food, no chasing piglets, no grabbing the iguanas. The pigs can be pushy, especially the larger adults, and they’ve been known to nip at bags or fingers if they smell food. Keep a respectful distance and follow the guide’s instructions. The nurse sharks at Compass Cay are docile, but they’re still wild animals with teeth — avoid sudden movements and don’t grab them.
Local Tour Operators and Responsible Tourism
Several tour companies operate in the Exumas, and not all are equal in how they treat the animals or the environment. 3N’s Exuma Vacations is a family-owned, women-led business that emphasizes responsible wildlife interaction. Other operators like Island Boy Adventures and Fifty Shades Excursions have good reputations for safety and animal handling. Ask your operator whether they use reef-safe sunscreen, avoid single-use plastics, and follow wildlife guidelines. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is a protected area, and responsible operators respect its boundaries.
- Book a tour departing from Staniel Cay or Great Exuma if you want shorter boat rides — the Nassau departure adds 4 hours of travel time.
- Bring a dry bag, reef-safe sunscreen, and motion sickness medication. There are no facilities at any of the stops.
- Visit during winter or spring for calmer seas, but expect more boats at each stop. Summer has fewer crowds but higher storm risk.
Exuma Cays Visitor Questions
Do the pigs really swim out to the boats?
Yes. The pigs have learned to associate arriving boats with food, so they paddle out from the beach as soon as they hear an engine. Some swim faster than others, and the piglets tend to hang back near the shore.
The swimming is purposeful, not playful — they’re heading toward the source of food. If no one feeds them, they’ll lose interest and return to the beach within a few minutes.
Can I feed the pigs, and what do they eat?
Yes, but only with food provided by your tour guide. Most guides bring cut-up fruit or pig feed. Feeding them anything else — bread, chips, or human food — can make them sick.
The tradeoff is that the pigs are fed by every tour group, sometimes multiple times a day. They’re not starving, and overfeeding is a real concern. Follow your guide’s portion limits.
Is the tour worth it if I’m not interested in the pigs?
Probably not for the full-day Nassau departure — the boat ride is long, and the pigs are the headline. But if you’re staying on Great Exuma or Staniel Cay, the shorter tours still offer strong snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto and the plane wreck.
The sandbar stop alone is worth the trip for many visitors. Just know that the pigs are the main event, and the other stops are supporting acts.
How crowded are the stops during peak season?
Very. From December through April, multiple tour boats arrive at Pig Beach within the same hour. You’ll share the water with 30 to 50 other visitors at peak times.
The crowding is worst between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., when most Nassau tours arrive. Tours departing from Staniel Cay can time their visit earlier or later to avoid the rush.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Tours are often cancelled or rescheduled if winds exceed 20 knots or if there’s a storm warning. The boat ride from Nassau crosses open ocean, and operators won’t go out in unsafe conditions.
If your tour is cancelled, most operators offer a full refund or reschedule. Build a buffer day into your itinerary if the pigs are a priority.
One Last Thing
The swimming pigs are the draw, but the real takeaway from an Exuma tour is the landscape itself — the way the water shifts from deep blue to pale turquoise over the sandbars, the sudden quiet when the boat engine cuts out at Thunderball Grotto, and the iguanas that watch you from the rocks as if they’ve been there longer than anyone. For a different angle on the Bahamas, quieter islands in the Bahamas offer a slower pace without the tour-boat schedule.
Sources and further reading
Swimming Pigs Exuma Tour Guide. Discover Bahamas, 2024.
The 6 Must-See Stops on the Staniel Cay Swimming Pigs Tour. The Five Foot Traveler, 2024.
Swimming with Pigs in the Bahamas: Ultimate Guide to Pig Beach. Must See Spots, 2024.
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