Nassau: Discover Exuma Island Hopping and Swimming Pigs Tour

Exuma packs a lot into one boat ride. From Paradise Island, you travel by high-speed power boat to five memorable stops: Allen’s Cay, Compass Cay, Big Major’s Cay, a local restaurant, and a beach or sandbar. I like the smart mix of wildlife, swimming, snorkeling, food, and free time.

I also like that the $489 price includes lunch, drinks, snacks, snorkel equipment, landing fees, and food for the pigs. The main drawback is the long day on open water, with up to 24 people aboard and roughly two hours of total return travel. The beach stop can also feel brief, especially if you want a quiet stretch of sand.

Key points to know before you book

• Allen’s Cay has rare Bahamian Rock Iguanas, a species found only on three small islands in Exuma.
• Compass Cay brings you close to nurse sharks beneath the marina docks.
• Big Major’s Cay is home to the famous swimming pigs, with time to feed and swim beside them.
• The sunken plane near Norman’s Cay adds a darker bit of Bahamian history to the day’s snorkeling.
• Lunch, local beer, sodas, water, snacks, snorkel gear, and landing fees are included in the $489 price.
• This shared trip suits active adults best, but it is not designed for children under two, pregnant women, wheelchair users, or people with back, heart, or mobility problems.

Leaving Paradise Island for Exuma

The day starts at the Born Free Charters desk at Carnivale Bahamas on Paradise Island. You need to arrange your own transportation to this meeting point, so allow time to find it and check in. Cruise ship visitors cannot take this tour, and transportation from a hotel or port is not included.

Once underway, the power boat heads southeast for just over an hour. That first ride is not a quick transfer. It is a real part of the experience, with a long stretch of open water before the first stop at Allen’s Cay.

You should bring a towel and sunscreen. The boat carries bottled water, sodas, local beer, and light snacks, but the sun and wind can make eight hours on the water feel longer than the clock suggests. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes and keep anything you want dry in a protective bag.

The boat can carry up to 24 people. That is a manageable group for a full-day outing, but it is not a private charter. Expect a social, shared experience, with the captain deciding the exact order of stops according to conditions and timing.

Allen’s Cay and Exuma’s unusual iguanas

The first stop is Allen’s Cay, where you see Bahamian Rock Iguanas. These reptiles are not common beach lizards. They are found nowhere else in the world except three small islands in Exuma, making this one of the most distinctive wildlife stops of the day.

You have about 25 minutes for wildlife viewing. That is enough time to see the iguanas and take photographs, but not enough for a long walk or a slow nature outing. The appeal here is rarity rather than extended activity.

I like this opening stop because it gives the day some local character right away. The pigs and sharks are the headline attractions, but the iguanas are a reminder that Exuma is more than bright water and photo stops. Keep your hands to yourself and follow the crew’s instructions around the animals.

Meeting nurse sharks at Compass Cay

After another 45-minute boat ride through the Exuma Cays, you reach Compass Cay. The main event is a nurse shark encounter beneath the docks of Compass Cay Marina.

You have about 35 minutes for marine life viewing. The nurse sharks are accustomed to people and are known for remaining close to the docks, which makes this one of the easier shark encounters for someone who feels nervous about open-water wildlife. You can get into the water and see them at close range, following the crew’s safety directions.

This stop is exciting, but it may not feel peaceful. The marina is a regular destination for thousands of people, and the shark encounter is a popular activity. You should expect a shared setting rather than a quiet, private meeting with wildlife.

Still, it is a strong use of time. The experience is close-up and memorable without requiring a long swim. If your main goal is to see marine life, Compass Cay gives you one of the clearest chances of the day.

Big Major’s Cay and the swimming pigs

The ride to Big Major’s Cay takes about 10 minutes. Here you meet the pigs that made this island famous around the world through television appearances and social media.

You have about 40 minutes for swimming, feeding, and photographs. Food for the pigs is included, so you do not need to bring anything for them. The setting gives you the chance to get into the water with the animals, though the exact experience can depend on sea conditions, animal activity, and the number of people at the beach.

This is likely to be the most playful stop of the day. You can expect plenty of movement, splashing, and photo taking. The pigs are the reason many people choose this tour, but it helps to keep expectations sensible. This is a popular attraction, not a quiet farm visit, and the stop lasts less than an hour.

I like the way the tour places the pigs after the iguanas and sharks. By this point, you have already seen two different kinds of wildlife, so Big Major’s Cay feels like part of a broader Exuma day rather than the only reason to leave Nassau.

A local lunch break after the animals

After Big Major’s Cay, the boat makes a short 10-minute ride to lunch. You have one hour at a local Exuma restaurant, with a buffet meal and a cold drink included.

The lunch break matters because the morning includes several boat rides and active water stops. You get a chance to sit down, eat, and recharge before the afternoon snorkeling. Local beer, sodas, and bottled water are also included, so you do not need to budget extra for the basic drinks provided during the day.

The meal is described as a buffet rather than a particular menu. That means you should see it as a practical island lunch, not a carefully planned restaurant meal. If you have dietary restrictions, confirm what is available before booking because no special menu details are provided.

The restaurant stop also gives the day a needed change of pace. Without it, the schedule would be one water activity after another. One hour is enough for a relaxed meal, though the fixed timing means you cannot linger if you would prefer a longer break.

Snorkeling the plane near Norman’s Cay

After lunch, you take about 35 minutes by boat to the sunken aircraft near Norman’s Cay. The plane is commonly linked to Pablo Escobar and the drug-running operation that used Norman’s Cay during the late 1970s.

The plane reportedly went down in the water during that period, when Norman’s Cay served as a base and refueling point for aircraft moving cocaine from Mexico toward the United States. The wreck now provides an unusual snorkeling site, combining underwater viewing with a dramatic chapter of Bahamian history.

You have about 30 minutes to snorkel. Snorkel equipment is included, which keeps this stop simple. You should not expect a long guided archaeology session. The attraction is the chance to see a recognizable wreck in shallow water, with the story behind it adding extra interest.

This stop may be less appealing if you want only natural scenery. The wreck is tied to a grim period, and the famous name can create more drama than the site itself delivers. Still, it gives the day variety and is more distinctive than a standard reef stop.

Ending at a beach or Exuma sandbar

The final stop is a beach or sandbar selected by the captain. After roughly 25 minutes of travel from the plane wreck, you get about 30 minutes for swimming, sunbathing, and photographs.

This is the least fixed part of the day. The exact beach or sandbar can change, and the quality of the stop depends on the captain’s choice and current conditions. One recent experience with the tour suggested that this would be better as a more isolated sandbar, which is useful to keep in mind if a quiet beach is central to your plans.

Thirty minutes is enough for a swim and a few photos, but it is not a full beach afternoon. You should book this trip for variety, not for long stretches of uninterrupted sand. If you want to spend hours reading beside the water, a dedicated beach excursion will suit you better.

Even so, the final stop is a welcome quiet note after the pigs, sharks, lunch, and snorkeling. It gives you room to enjoy Exuma’s clear water without having to follow a structured activity every minute.

The long ride back to Nassau

The return journey takes about 70 minutes by speedboat. That is a substantial final stretch, especially after a full day outdoors. The boat ride is part of the cost of reaching the Exuma Cays, but it is also the biggest practical drawback.

The full schedule runs for about eight hours, with several transfers between stops. One attraction of this format is that you do not stay in one place for too long. You see a lot in a single day, which is useful if your Nassau stay is short.

The tradeoff is pace. You will board and leave the boat many times, and your time at each stop is limited. If you prefer slow mornings, long meals, or unplanned exploration, this outing may feel tightly packed.

The captain can change the order of the stops. That flexibility helps the crew respond to conditions, but it means the day may not follow the exact sequence described here. Pack with the whole day in mind rather than expecting a rigid timetable.

Is $489 a fair price?

At $489 per person, this is an expensive day trip. The price makes more sense when you count what is included: boat transportation between Nassau and Exuma, five main stops, buffet lunch, local beer, sodas, bottled water, light snacks, snorkel gear, landing fees, and food for the pigs.

You are paying for access to several widely separated places in one day. Arranging the same combination on your own would require finding transport to the Exuma Cays, organizing boat transfers, paying separate landing costs, arranging snorkeling equipment, and finding food along the way. The convenience is a major part of the value.

That value is strongest if you want the full sampler. You see rare iguanas, nurse sharks, swimming pigs, a plane wreck, and a beach or sandbar without committing to several separate excursions. If you care mainly about one stop, such as the pigs, the price will feel harder to justify.

The food and drinks also help. You are not left to buy lunch or carry enough refreshments for eight hours, though the included meal is best viewed as straightforward fuel rather than a major culinary event.

The tour has a 4.9 rating from 29 reviews, and transport received a perfect score from 93 percent of respondents. That fits the design of the experience: it is built around covering a lot of ground efficiently, not around a private or slow-paced day.

Who should book this Exuma day?

I would recommend this trip to active adults who want to see several famous Exuma sights in one outing. It is especially useful for a short Nassau stay, when you want more than a nearby beach but do not have time to arrange separate trips.

You should be comfortable with a fast-moving schedule, repeated boat rides, and water activities. The tour is not suitable for children under two, pregnant women, people with back or heart problems, people with mobility impairments, wheelchair users, or anyone who cannot manage a high-speed boat and active shoreline stops.

The trip is also not suitable for cruise ship passengers. Since transport to the meeting point is not included, you need to be staying in a position to reach Carnivale Bahamas on Paradise Island yourself.

English is the tour language. Crew gratuity is not included and is left to your discretion.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a big Exuma sampler and are happy to trade slow beach time for variety. The combination of rare iguanas, nurse sharks, swimming pigs, a historic plane wreck, lunch, and a final swim gives you a lot for one long day.

Skip it if your priority is a quiet sandbar, a private boat, or extended time at one beach. The $489 cost is easier to defend when you value the included food, drinks, equipment, and access to several distant stops. For the right person, this is a memorable use of a Nassau day. For a relaxed beach seeker, it may feel too busy.

FAQ

How long does the Exuma island-hopping tour last?

The tour lasts about eight hours, including the boat rides between Nassau, the Exuma stops, and the return to Paradise Island.

Where does the tour start?

It starts at the Born Free Charters desk at Carnivale Bahamas on Paradise Island.

Is transportation to the meeting point included?

No. You must arrange your own transportation to Carnivale Bahamas.

What is included in the price?

The price includes a buffet lunch, local beer, sodas, bottled water, light snacks, snorkel gear, landing fees, and food for the pigs.

Are the pigs included in the tour?

Yes. The tour stops at Big Major’s Cay, where you can feed and swim with the famous swimming pigs. Food for the pigs is included.

Is lunch included?

Yes. You have a buffet lunch and a cold drink at a local Exuma restaurant.

Can children take this tour?

Children under two years old cannot take the tour. The experience is also not suitable for pregnant women, people with back or heart problems, people with mobility impairments, or wheelchair users.

Can I cancel the tour?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.