The swimming pigs of the Exumas are the most photographed animals in The Bahamas, and seeing them is the trip people talk about for years. The Exuma Cays lie well south of Nassau across the shallow, startlingly blue Exuma Bank, and a full-day powerboat tour is the only practical way to reach them and return the same day. The tour we link, run by Hidden Beaches and sold on Viator with a 4.8 rating from almost 400 reviews, packs in the greatest hits: rock iguanas on Allen Cay, the nurse sharks that gather at Compass Cay marina, lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, the pigs paddling out to meet the boat at Pig Beach, and an hour on a powder-white sandbar. Landing fees, food for the animals, lunch, and beer, soft drinks and water are all included. It is a long, bumpy and expensive day, but nothing else in the region compares, and for many visitors it is the highlight of their whole holiday.
How it works: check in at the window at the back of the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal building, at its western corner, and be there early, because the boat leaves at 8:30 sharp and returns to the same spot after eight or nine hours. Hotel transfers are not included, so arrange a taxi. Groups are capped at 22, the minimum age is two, and a child rate applies up to six. The tour needs at least ten guests to run; if it falls short you are offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for free up to 24 hours ahead, but a missed boat is not refunded.
What to expect: the ride across open water takes a while and can be choppy, so it is not recommended for anyone pregnant or with back problems. At Allen Cay you feed the endangered rock iguanas on the beach, at Compass Cay you can stand in the shallows while docile nurse sharks glide past, and at Pig Beach the pigs swim out for food. Lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club is followed by the sandbar, where the water turns every shade of turquoise.
Making the most of it: wear swimwear under your clothes, bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a dry bag, and take motion-sickness tablets if you need them. Follow the crew’s rules on feeding the pigs, keep fingers flat, and do not lift the piglets. Cruise passengers with an early all-aboard time should not book this tour.
What to expect
The experience
A full-day small-group powerboat tour to the Exuma Cays with iguanas, nurse sharks, the swimming pigs, lunch and a sandbar stop.
Best time
A calm-weather day in the dry season from December to April, though the tour runs year round when seas allow.
How long
About eight to nine hours from check-in at the ferry terminal to your return.
Tips
Bring a dry bag and motion-sickness tablets, and do not book it on a cruise day with an early all-aboard time.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who has come to The Bahamas specifically to swim with the pigs and see the Exumas.
- Families
- Possible from age two with a child rate, but the long, bumpy ride suits older children best.
- Couples
- A spectacular shared adventure, with lunch at a yacht club and a sandbar that feels like the end of the world.
- Pair with
- A slow next morning at Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island to recover from the sun and spray.
- Time needed
- A full day, with an early start.
Good questions
Where are the swimming pigs?+
The famous pigs live at Pig Beach in the Exuma Cays, south of Nassau near Staniel Cay. A full-day powerboat trip is the usual way to visit from Nassau and return the same day.
What else does the tour include?+
It includes stops for rock iguanas at Allen Cay, nurse sharks at Compass Cay and a sandbar, plus lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Landing fees, animal food and drinks are included too.
Where does the boat leave from?+
You check in at the back of the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal building, and the boat departs at 8:30 sharp. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan a taxi.
Is the boat ride rough?+
It can be, because the crossing covers open water at speed. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travellers or anyone with back problems.
Is it suitable for cruise passengers?+
Only if your ship stays late, because the boat returns after eight or nine hours. The operator advises against it for ships leaving around 5 or 6 pm.