Exuma Cays: Powerboat Day Trip with Swimming Pigs & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.81 (533 reviews) 91% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/51

Duration8h

GroupUp to 19

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Swim with Exuma pigs nurse sharks & relax on sandbars from Nassau

You’ll zip across bright blue waters by powerboat from Nassau to the Exuma Cays, spotting iguanas on Allen’s Cay and swimming with those famous pigs at Big Major Cay. Watch nurse sharks glide past your feet at Compass Cay Marina, then share lunch with new friends before relaxing on a hidden sandbar. There’s something about those colors that sticks with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Exuma Cays and Swimming Pigs

View Bahamian Rock Iguanas at Allen's Cay
Take scenic tour through Exuma Cays islands
View nurse sharks at Compass Cay Marina
Visit Swimming Pigs at Big Major Cay
Enjoy lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club
Relax on sandbar or white sandy beach

The Experience

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect the water to look like that — it’s almost fake, the way the Exuma Cays glow under the sun. We left Nassau early (I was half-awake), but as soon as our guide started joking about Bahamian time and passed out cold bottled water, I woke up for real. The boat ride felt like flying — salt spray in your face, wind everywhere, and then suddenly Allen’s Cay. Iguanas everywhere. They’re bigger than I thought. One stared at me like he owned the place (he probably does).

The next part was kind of wild — Compass Cay Marina is where you see nurse sharks just gliding around under the dock. Some folks leaned in for photos; I mostly watched a kid squeal when a shark brushed his toes. Our guide, Marcus, told us how locals grew up swimming here — he said nurse sharks are “all chill,” which made me laugh because they look anything but chill up close. And then came Big Major Cay: Pig Beach. The pigs actually swim out to meet you (well, some waddle). I tried feeding one a carrot and got splashed instead — fair enough.

Lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club was loud and full of chatter — conch fritters and grilled fish that tasted smoky-sweet (still crave that). Afterward we drifted over to a sandbar that only pops up at low tide; standing there felt like being marooned in turquoise glass. Someone pointed out a sunken plane near Norman’s Cay on the way back — eerie and quiet under the waves. I keep thinking about those colors, honestly. It’s not just hype.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip powerboat transport from Nassau through the Exuma Cays, all entry fees to islands like Allen’s Cay and Big Major Cay, bottled water and beer throughout the journey, snacks for between stops, plus a hot lunch served at Staniel Cay Yacht Club before heading back across those unreal waters.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for back problems

Operated by Aqua Shores - Luxury Powerboat Tours