Snorkeling Exuma Cays from Nassau: Swimming Pigs & Plane Wreck

Nurse sharks at Compass Cay are not shy. They swim straight toward swimmers in the clear water.

An eight-hour island hopping tour from Nassau takes you to four stops across the Exuma Cays for snorkeling, swimming and lunch at a local restaurant. You'll interact with Bahamian rock iguanas found nowhere else on earth, swim with nurse sharks at Compass Cay, feed and photograph the world-famous swimming pigs at Big Major's Cay, snorkel a sunken plane wreck off Norman's Cay, and finish at a sandbar for beach time. The boat is equipped with an onboard bathroom and carries snorkeling gear, bottled water, light snacks and local beer.

Step-by-step itinerary

Exuma Island Hopping and Swimming Pigs

• Visit Bahamian Rock Iguanas island
• Swim with nurse sharks at Compass Cay
• Enjoy Bahamian buffet lunch
• Feed and swim with pigs at Big Major’s Cay
• Snorkel at Pablo Escobar’s sunken plane
• Relax at sandbar or beach

The experience

Eight hours on the water means you hit multiple islands in a single day without the logistics of renting a boat or finding your own way between stops. The powerboats are customized for speed and comfort, so the travel time between sites stays short and the day holds together. You leave Nassau in the morning and return by late afternoon, which works for visitors staying on Paradise Island or nearby resorts.

The snorkeling happens at two named spots: a plane wreck off Norman's Cay that sank in the late 1970s and sits in shallow water where you can see the fuselage clearly, and Compass Cay, where nurse sharks congregate in the marina and swim openly among visitors. The swimming pigs at Big Major's Cay are the centerpiece. You get in the water to feed them and take photos while they move around you. Between the water time, you stop at an island where Bahamian rock iguanas live (a species found only on three small islands in Exuma), and you have lunch at a local restaurant before heading to a sandbar for more swimming and sunbathing.

A local, experienced guide leads the tour and handles the boat. Snorkeling equipment, bottled water, light snacks and local beer are included. Lunch is a Bahamian-style buffet at the restaurant stop. The boat has an onboard bathroom, which matters on a full day in the sun and water. Children from age 2 are welcome, though the tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers or anyone with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or less than moderate fitness.

What’s included

• Snorkeling equipment.
• bottled water and light snacks onboard.
• lunch at a local Exuma restaurant with a cold drink.
• local beer (age 18 or older).
• onboard bathroom.
• landing and facility fees at each island stop.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (7 to 80 years) · Child (2 to 6 years)

GroupUp to 25

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Born Free Charters

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Nassau and want four snorkeling stops across the Exuma Cays in one day. The boat departs from Nassau, so no separate island-hopping logistics to coordinate.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 6 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the swimming pigs experience like at Big Major's Cay?

At Big Major's Cay, you enter the water and feed the pigs while they swim around you and pose for photos. The pigs have become famous through social media and TV appearances, and they're accustomed to visitors. The stop is designed around getting in the water with them rather than watching from the boat.

Can I snorkel at both the plane wreck and Compass Cay on the same tour?

Yes. You snorkel at the plane wreck off Norman's Cay, where the fuselage is visible in shallow water, and you also swim at Compass Cay with the nurse sharks. Both are included in the four snorkeling and swimming stops across the day.

What are the Bahamian rock iguanas, and where do I see them?

Bahamian rock iguanas are a species found nowhere else in the world except three small islands in Exuma. One of your island stops is dedicated to interacting with them in their natural habitat on the island where they live.

Is snorkeling equipment provided, or do I need to bring my own?

Snorkeling equipment is included with the tour. The boat carries gear for all passengers, so you don't need to bring or rent your own.

What's included in the lunch, and where do we eat?

Lunch is a Bahamian-style buffet served at a local Exuma restaurant as part of the tour stop. A cold drink is included with the meal, and the restaurant visit breaks up the water time in the middle of the day.

How much time do we spend on the boat versus in the water?

The eight-hour tour includes multiple island stops with swimming and snorkeling at each one, plus travel time between sites. The powerboats are customized for speed, so transit between islands is quick and most of your time is spent at the stops in the water or on the islands.