Nassau: Discover Exuma Island Hopping and Swimming Pigs Tour

The real draw here is the chance to pack several classic Exuma moments into one long day: swimming pigs, nurse sharks, and a sunken plane reached by high-speed boat from Nassau. You also visit Allen’s Cay for rare Bahamian Rock Iguanas, then finish on a beach or sandbar.

I like the smart variety of the route, since you are rarely doing the same thing twice. I also like that lunch, drinks, snacks, landing fees, snorkel equipment, and food for the pigs are covered. The tradeoff is the pace: with five stops and a long ride home, this is an active day, not a slow beach escape.

Key points at a glance

• Five Exuma-area stops: See Allen’s Cay, Compass Cay, Big Major’s Cay, a local restaurant, a plane wreck near Norman’s Cay, and a final beach or sandbar.
• Fast power boat ride: The trip takes just over an hour to reach the first stop and about 70 minutes to return to Paradise Island.
• Wildlife with a difference: Meet endemic Rock Iguanas, swim near nurse sharks, and feed the pigs at Big Major’s Cay.
• Lunch and drinks included: A buffet meal, local beer, sodas, bottled water, and light snacks are part of the day.
• Shared group setting: The boat can carry up to 24 people, so expect a social outing rather than a private charter.
• Best for active adults: The tour is not suitable for children under two, pregnant women, people with back, heart, or mobility problems, wheelchair users, or cruise ship passengers.

Why this Exuma day trip works so well

At $489 per person, this is an expensive day on paper. But the price covers an eight-hour outing by fast power boat, several landing fees, a buffet lunch, local beer, soft drinks, water, snacks, snorkel gear, and food for the pigs.

That matters because Exuma trips can become costly once transport, meals, boat access, and equipment are added separately. Here, most of your spending is settled in advance, aside from a gratuity for the crew. I see the value in the range of experiences: you are not paying nearly $500 for a single beach visit.

The strongest feature is the planning. The stops are short enough to keep the day moving, with about 25 minutes among the iguanas, 35 minutes at Compass Cay, 40 minutes with the pigs, 30 minutes snorkeling, and another 30 minutes at the final beach or sandbar. One recent rating specifically praised the well-planned activity changes and the amount seen in a short time.

The cost makes less sense if your main goal is to lounge beside calm water for hours. The beach stop can be brief, and one piece of feedback suggested replacing it with a more isolated sandbar. You should book this for variety and wildlife, not for a full day of uninterrupted sand and shade.

Leaving Paradise Island by power boat

You meet at the Carnivale Bahamas desk for Born Free Charters on Paradise Island. Transport to the meeting point is not included, so plan that part of your day yourself and allow enough time to check in.

The boat ride southeast takes just over an hour. A high-speed power boat gets you across open water far faster than a slower sightseeing vessel, but speed does not make the ride effortless. You should expect sun, wind, spray, and movement for much of the day.

Bring a towel and sunscreen. Bottled water and light snacks are supplied, but the open-air boat means you should protect yourself before departure rather than wait until your skin feels hot. Since this is a shared trip with up to 24 people, your comfort may depend on where you sit and how crowded the boat feels.

The captain can change the order of the stops. That is useful when sea conditions, timing, or local access make one sequence better than another, but it means you should not treat the schedule as fixed.

Allen’s Cay and the Rock Iguanas

The first stop is Allen’s Cay, reached after about an hour on the boat. The main reason to stop here is the Bahamian Rock Iguana, a species found only on three small islands in Exuma.

You spend about 25 minutes viewing the wildlife. This is a short introduction to the cays, but it gives the day something more than the usual beach-and-boat routine. The iguanas are a local species, not a staged attraction created for tourists, which gives this stop real character.

Do not expect a long nature walk or an extended wildlife session. The itinerary moves quickly, and the next boat ride takes about 45 minutes. I would think of Allen’s Cay as a focused wildlife visit, one that sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Compass Cay and the nurse sharks

At Compass Cay, the activity changes from land wildlife to marine life. Nurse sharks gather under the docks of Compass Cay Marina, where they are accustomed to people arriving by boat.

You have about 35 minutes here, enough time to see the sharks and enter the water if conditions and the crew’s instructions allow. This is one of the tour’s most unusual stops. A nurse shark has a different look and behavior from the fast, open-water sharks many people picture, yet it is still a large wild animal. You should follow the crew’s directions closely and avoid treating the water like a swimming pool.

The short stop keeps the day lively, though some people may wish they had more time. After Compass Cay, it is only about 10 minutes to Big Major’s Cay, so the route soon moves to its most famous animal encounter.

Big Major’s Cay and the swimming pigs

Big Major’s Cay is home to the swimming pigs that made this island one of the Bahamas’ best-known day-trip stops. Television appearances and social media have helped turn the pigs into a major attraction, but the appeal is easy to understand once you are standing at the shoreline with them.

You have around 40 minutes to feed and swim with the pigs. Food for the animals is included, so you do not need to arrive with your own supplies. This is also the stop where you will probably take the most photographs, especially if a pig wanders into the shallows.

The setting is fun, but it is still an animal encounter with a clear need for care. Listen to the crew, use only the approved food, and keep your hands and camera equipment under control around the animals. Do not expect every pig to perform on cue. The appeal comes from the unpredictable meeting, not a scheduled show.

For many people, this will be the day’s centerpiece. For others, it may feel crowded or too brief. The 40-minute window gives you enough time to take part, but not enough for a leisurely beach afternoon.

A local lunch and a cold drink

After the pigs, the boat makes a quick run to a local Exuma restaurant. Lunch lasts about an hour, and a buffet meal is included along with a cold drink.

This pause is practical as much as enjoyable. A full day in the sun, with several swims and long boat rides, calls for a proper meal. Having lunch arranged also means you are not searching for food between stops or paying an extra restaurant bill.

Local beer, sodas, bottled water, and light snacks are included during the outing. The information provided does not specify the buffet menu, so you should not book this expecting a particular dish or special dietary arrangement unless you confirm it before going.

The lunch break also gives you a chance to dry off and reset. Since the schedule is active, use this hour wisely. Reapply sunscreen, drink water, and prepare for more time on the boat.

Snorkeling the plane wreck near Norman’s Cay

After lunch, you ride for about 35 minutes to the wreck known as Pablo Escobar’s sunken plane. The aircraft went down near Norman’s Cay in the late 1970s. The story tied to the wreck connects it to the period when Pablo Escobar controlled Norman’s Cay and used its runway as a base and refueling point for cocaine flights between Mexico and the United States.

You spend about 30 minutes snorkeling at the site. Snorkel gear is included, so you do not need to pack your own equipment. The attraction is both underwater and historical: you are looking at a wreck linked to one of the Bahamas’ most notorious chapters.

Keep the expectations sensible. The tour calls this a plane wreck, not a large underwater museum or a long snorkel session. Visibility and water conditions can affect what you see, and the captain decides the final order of stops. Still, this is a more distinctive snorkel site than a generic patch of reef.

The wreck adds a little story to the day. You are not simply moving from one pretty water stop to another. The connection to Norman’s Cay helps explain why this small part of the Exuma Cays became known far beyond the islands.

The final beach or sandbar stop

The last stop is chosen from a beautiful Exuma beach or sandbar. You have about 30 minutes for swimming, sunbathing, and photographs before the long ride back.

This is the most flexible stop, but also the one with the least detail provided in advance. You are not promised one specific beach, and the captain has discretion over the final location. The choice may depend on water conditions, local access, and the day’s timing.

I like having a quiet pause at the end of such a busy route. Still, half an hour is not much time for a proper beach stay, especially once you account for getting in and out of the water. A recent rating suggested that a more isolated sandbar would make this part stronger.

If your priority is beautiful water and a chance to stretch out, treat this as a bonus rather than the main reason to book. The wildlife and boat route are the heart of the tour.

The long ride back to Nassau

After the final swim, the return trip to Carnivale Bahamas takes about 70 minutes. By this point, you will have spent a full day outside, so the ride can feel either pleasantly restful or rather long.

The total schedule adds up to roughly eight hours, including boat travel, wildlife stops, lunch, snorkeling, and swimming. That is a lot of Exuma in one day, but it also explains why the tour feels full. You cover a wide area rather than staying near Nassau.

The high-speed boat is a major part of the value, yet it is also the main physical demand. This is not a gentle harbor cruise. People with back problems, heart problems, mobility impairments, or pregnancy-related concerns should not book it. Wheelchair users and children under two are also excluded, and the tour is not designed for cruise ship passengers.

What the shared format means

The boat can carry up to 24 people. That group size is large enough to create a lively mood and help spread the cost of a long-distance boat trip, but it also limits personal space.

You should expect the crew to manage timing closely. Each stop has a purpose and a set time, so the day works best when everyone returns to the boat promptly. If you prefer to linger, choose your own swimming area, or change plans freely, a private charter may suit you better, though this tour’s price already includes many services that a private outing might charge separately.

The live guide speaks English. Individual crew names are not provided, so you should not book expecting a particular guide. The crew handles the route, activities, equipment, food, and safety directions throughout the day.

Who should book this tour

I would recommend it to an active adult or family group with older children who wants to see as much of Exuma as possible in one day. It suits people who enjoy wildlife, swimming, short boat rides between stops, and a full schedule with little dead time.

It is especially good for a first visit to the Exuma Cays. You get a taste of several distinct places: endemic wildlife at Allen’s Cay, nurse sharks at Compass Cay, pigs at Big Major’s Cay, a wreck near Norman’s Cay, and a final beach or sandbar.

I would hesitate if you want a quiet luxury day, a long snorkeling session, or a relaxed beach holiday. The price is high, the boat ride is substantial, and the stop lengths are fixed by the day’s schedule.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Nassau plans are still shifting, but transportation to Paradise Island is your responsibility.

Should you book the Exuma island-hopping tour?

Book it if you want a big, active day with several signature Exuma sights and appreciate having lunch, drinks, equipment, and fees bundled together. The well-planned sequence is the tour’s greatest strength, and the combination of iguanas, sharks, pigs, a plane wreck, and a beach gives you plenty to remember.

Skip it if the thought of long power boat rides, a group of up to 24 people, or short beach time sounds tiring. At $489, this is best viewed as a high-cost sightseeing day with strong variety, not as a simple beach excursion.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is the Born Free Charters desk at Carnivale Bahamas on Paradise Island.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts eight hours, including boat travel, island stops, lunch, snorkeling, and the return to Paradise Island.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A buffet lunch at a local Exuma restaurant is included.

Are drinks provided?

Yes. Local beer, sodas, bottled water, and light snacks are included.

Is snorkeling equipment included?

Yes. Snorkel gear is included for the plane wreck stop near Norman’s Cay.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Who should not take this tour?

The tour is not suitable for children under two, pregnant women, people with back or heart problems, people with mobility impairments, wheelchair users, or cruise ship passengers.