Experience The Exumas and the World Famous Swimming Pigs

The Bahamas gets wilder beyond Nassau. This full-day speedboat trip takes you from New Providence to the Exumas for swimming pigs, nurse sharks, Rock Iguanas, a plane wreck, and a Bahamian lunch. I like the unusual mix of wildlife and sea time, plus the included buffet, beer, mojitos, snacks, water, and towels. The main drawback is the ride: reaching the Exumas in time means a fast, sometimes rough trip across open water.

You will spend about eight and a half hours away from the meeting point at Paradise Island, with several stops packed into one day. I especially like the small maximum group size of 22 and the chance to see several cays in one outing, but weather can cancel the trip, and the operator has had some communication problems around cancellations.

Key points to know before booking

• A long speedboat ride reaches the Exumas: The route covers about 78 miles, so you should be comfortable with a brisk, bumpy boat journey.
• Pig Beach is only one part of the day: You also visit nurse sharks, Norman’s Cay, Rock Iguanas, and an Exuma beach or sandbar.
• The wildlife stops are hands-on: You can interact with the pigs and iguanas and enter the water near friendly nurse sharks in their natural setting.
• Lunch is part of the price: A Bahamian buffet is served at Lorraine’s Cafe in Black Point, Exuma.
• Drinks and towels are included: Unlimited beer and mojitos, bottled water, snacks, fruit or chips, and complimentary towels are provided.
• The tour earns strong marks, with real caveats: It has a 4.8 rating from 168 reviews and a 94 percent recommendation rate, but wind, waves, and booking errors have caused problems for some customers.

Why the Exumas trip takes all day

The Exumas are not a quick hop from Nassau. This tour leaves from 1 Cove Blvd on Paradise Island at 7:30 a.m. and uses sleek speedboats to cover roughly 78 miles to the Exuma Cays.

That distance explains both the appeal and the physical demands. You get access to places that are far beyond the usual Nassau sightseeing circuit, but the boat must travel quickly to fit several stops into one day. The ride can be bumpy, especially when wind and waves pick up.

I would not book this as a relaxed cruise. Think of it as an active sea excursion with a generous list of stops. You will spend time on the boat, in the water, on beaches or sandbars, and around animals. A moderate level of fitness is required, and the operator does not recommend the trip for people over 275 pounds.

The group limit of 22 is helpful. It is small enough to keep the day more manageable than a large excursion boat, while still sharing the cost of a long run to the cays. The exact boat arrangement and stop order can vary, but the advertised plan includes five cays and six stops.

Pig Beach and the famous swimming pigs

Pig Beach is the headline stop, and for many people it is the reason to book. You get about 45 minutes to interact with the world-famous pigs in their natural environment.

This is not a quick photo stop from a distant boat. You are given time to enter the water and see the pigs up close. The setting is part of the attraction: clear Bahamian water, a small cay, and animals that have made this corner of the Exumas famous around the world.

The 45-minute visit is a sensible length. It gives you time for photographs and interaction without using so much of the day that the other stops disappear. Still, you should keep your expectations realistic. The pigs are living animals, not trained performers, so the experience will depend on their behavior at that moment.

Follow the crew’s instructions closely. Animal encounters are best when you give the pigs room and let the guides direct the interaction. Bring a waterproof phone pouch if you want pictures, since the most memorable views are likely to be from the water.

Nurse sharks at Compass Cay

At Compass Cay, you spend about 45 minutes learning about and interacting with friendly nurse sharks. This is one of the most unusual parts of the outing, and it often becomes a favorite because the animals are close enough to make the experience feel personal.

Nurse sharks are generally gentle, but they are still large wild animals. The value of this stop comes from seeing them in their own setting, not from treating the water like a petting pool. Listen to the crew before getting in and follow every instruction once you are near the sharks.

The timing gives you more than a rushed glimpse. You should have enough opportunity to watch the sharks, enter the water if directed, and take in the clear surroundings. If you are nervous around large sea animals, this may be the stop that tests your comfort most. If you enjoy wildlife encounters, it is likely to be one of the day’s strongest moments.

Norman’s Cay and the shallow plane wreck

The Norman’s Cay stop lasts about 30 minutes and centers on a sunken plane wreck in shallow, turquoise water. The aircraft dates to the Second World War and later became linked to a major smuggling operation in the 1970s.

You snorkel around the wreck rather than simply viewing it from the boat. That adds a small piece of history to an otherwise nature-focused day. The plane is not just an underwater object, it also connects the scenery to the complicated past of Norman’s Cay.

Thirty minutes is enough for a focused snorkel, but it is not a long water session. If snorkeling is your main goal, you may find this stop brief. If you like a day with variety, the short visit works well because it leaves room for the pigs, sharks, iguanas, lunch, and a beach or sandbar.

Water conditions affect visibility and comfort. The trip requires good weather, and wind and waves have caused cancellations in the past. On a calm day, the shallow setting makes the wreck accessible and memorable.

Rock Iguanas and the quieter cays

The tour also includes a stop to see ancient Rock Iguanas. The supplied schedule gives less detail about the exact location and timing than it does for Pig Beach, Compass Cay, and Norman’s Cay, so you should expect this part of the day to be guided by conditions and the captain’s route.

The iguanas provide a useful change of pace. After swimming with pigs and sharks, you are back on land looking at a distinctive Bahamian animal in its own environment. I like this kind of variety because it prevents the day from becoming one long sequence of similar water stops.

You may also visit an Exuma beach or sandbar. This is where the natural beauty gets room to speak for itself. The water is described as exceptionally clear, and the beach or sandbar gives you time to enjoy the setting rather than focus on an activity.

Do not expect a quiet, slow beach day from start to finish. The full excursion is built around several stops, so beach time may be shorter than on a dedicated sandbar cruise. The benefit is that you get a much broader look at the Exumas in one outing.

A Bahamian lunch at Black Point

Lunch is served at Lorraine’s Cafe in Black Point, Exuma. The Bahamian buffet is included, which makes the $439 price easier to assess.

A local meal matters here because the day is not only about checking off famous animal encounters. Eating in Black Point gives you a taste of the islands through Bahamian food and a stop in a local settlement. The supplied details do not list the exact buffet dishes, so you should not book based on a particular menu item.

Food also helps break up the schedule. After a morning of boat travel and water activities, a proper meal is more useful than another packaged snack. Fruit or chips are included as snacks, along with bottled water.

Unlimited beer and mojitos are included too. That can be a real value for adults who plan to relax after the active parts of the day, though you should pace yourself. You still have a boat ride back to Paradise Island, and alcohol does not mix well with sun, wind, motion, and dehydration.

What the $439 price really covers

At $439 per person, this is an expensive day trip. The price makes more sense when you consider the distance, boat transport, multiple cays, crew, wildlife stops, lunch, drinks, snacks, bottled water, and towels.

You are not paying for one short visit to Pig Beach. You are paying for an ambitious full-day route that combines several experiences that would be difficult to arrange independently in one day. The nurse sharks, plane wreck, iguanas, sandbar or beach, and Black Point lunch all add to the value.

The strongest value comes if you want variety and have limited time in the Bahamas. You can see several signature Exuma sights without organizing separate transfers, meals, and boat trips. The small group limit also helps justify the cost.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a calm beach day or a long snorkeling session. You could spend a lot of the day moving between stops, and the speedboat ride may feel like work rather than part of the fun. I would also compare the cost with your total vacation budget. For a special occasion, it may feel worth the splurge. For a family watching every dollar, it requires more thought.

Boat comfort, group size, and physical demands

The boat is described as luxurious and sleek, but that does not mean the ride will be gentle. The route is long, and the captain needs to travel fast to reach the Exumas and complete the schedule. Several people have specifically praised the crew for handling rough weather, while also acknowledging that the speedboat was bumpy.

You should be ready for spray, motion, and a long period seated on a moving boat. If you are prone to seasickness, plan carefully. The supplied information does not state that medication is provided, so bring anything you normally use, if appropriate for you.

Towels are included, which is convenient after swimming. Bottled water and snacks are also supplied, but the details do not say that personal belongings are protected from spray. A small waterproof bag is a sensible choice for phones, wallets, and cameras.

The moderate fitness requirement matters because the day includes boarding a speedboat, entering and leaving the water, snorkeling, walking around stops, and spending time outdoors. The operator says the tour is not recommended for people over 275 pounds. If that applies to you, contact the provider before paying.

Crew, timing, and communication

The crew has received strong praise for being friendly and helpful. Captain T and Keyshawn are specifically named in one especially positive account, with both credited for making the day enjoyable. The captain’s handling of rough conditions has also been appreciated.

Good crew support matters on a trip like this. You rely on the team for boat safety, timing, wildlife instructions, and moving between several stops. A friendly crew can make the fast pace feel organized rather than rushed.

Communication deserves more caution. Some bookings were canceled because of weather, wind, or waves, and some customers said they learned about the cancellation only after arriving at the meeting point. The operator has also acknowledged a calendar syncing issue that caused an overbooking and delayed one refund.

That does not mean your trip will be canceled, but it does mean you should check your messages and confirm the departure details before leaving for the meeting point. The official policy says you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the 7:30 a.m. start time. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund.

If poor weather cancels the experience, you should be offered another date or a full refund. If the minimum number of participants is not met, the stated options are another date, another experience, or a full refund. The trip ends back at 1 Cove Blvd.

Who should book this Exuma adventure?

I would recommend this for you if you want a packed day with several memorable experiences rather than one simple activity. It suits adults, couples, families with older children, and active visitors who are comfortable with a fast boat and time in the water.

It is especially appealing if you want the famous pigs but also care about seeing more of the Exumas. The sharks, plane wreck, iguanas, beach or sandbar, and Bahamian lunch give the day much more substance than a single animal encounter.

I would think twice if you dislike bumpy boat rides, have limited mobility, are uncomfortable around wild animals, or want a slow and quiet outing. The 8.5-hour duration is a full commitment, and the weather policy is important because sea conditions can change the plan.

Should you book the swimming pigs tour?

Book this tour if the Exumas are high on your list and you want the most variety from one long day. The combination of Pig Beach, nurse sharks, Norman’s Cay, Rock Iguanas, a sandbar or beach, local lunch, and included drinks gives the price real value for the right person.

I would not book it solely for a guaranteed, calm day at the beach. The trip depends on good weather, the ride can be rough, and communication around cancellations has not always been perfect. Confirm the departure before you set out, bring sun protection and waterproof storage, and accept that the boat journey is part of the deal.

With a 4.8 rating from 168 reviews and a 94 percent recommendation rate, the experience has a strong record. Its best features are the friendly crew, the range of stops, the clear water, and the chance to see wild animals in memorable settings. If you can handle the price and the pace, this is one of the more eventful ways to reach the Exumas from New Providence.

FAQ

Where does the Exumas tour start?

The tour starts at 1 Cove Blvd on Paradise Island, New Providence Island, Bahamas.

What time does the tour begin?

The stated start time is 7:30 a.m.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes and ends back at the meeting point.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $439 per person.

What wildlife can I see?

The experience includes world-famous swimming pigs at Pig Beach, friendly nurse sharks at Compass Cay, and ancient Rock Iguanas.

Is snorkeling included?

Yes. You snorkel at the Norman’s Cay Plane Wreck, a sunken plane in shallow water.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A Bahamian buffet lunch at Lorraine’s Cafe in Black Point, Exuma, is included.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather cancels the tour, you will be offered a different date or a full refund.