Guide to visiting the Swimming Pigs in the Bahamas (2024)

The famous Exuma Pig Beach is on a small island in the Bahamas called “Big Major Cay”. The Pig Island, which it is often called is in the Exuma Cays – a chain of 365 tropical islands that make up the Bahamas Out islands.

Visiting the Exuma Pig Beach is now the top rated thing to do in the Bahamas. Thousands of visitors flock here every month to visit the Bahamas Swimming Pigs, who were made famous after featuring in many TV programs. The Exuma Pigs are the original Swimming Pigs, and since their claim to fame a number of other Bahamas Out Islands have tried to copy their popularity and got their own Pigs on a Beach. But don’t be fooled, the Exuma Pig Beach is the real deal! Set amongst the spectacular Exuma Cays islands – where a number of Hollywood film stars have their own islands – these islands are the real star of the show and not to be missed.

Guide to Visiting Exuma Pig Beach and Surrounding Islands

Whilst for many visitors the Swimming Pigs at Exuma Pig Beach are the focus of their attention, but it’s the islands that surround Big Major Cay (Pig Island) that are the most spectacular and exciting places to visit. On nearby Compass Cay is the Swimming with Sharks experience at Compass Cay Marina with Nurse Sharks. Also there is the stunning Sand Bar at Pipe Creek which can be visited at low tide. With so many reasons to visit the Exuma Cays, what are you waiting for to book your next Exuma Excursions with Bahamas Air Tours.

Where is Exuma Pig Beach?

The Exuma Pig Beach is in the Exumas. It is on a small island called Big Major Cay often referred to as “Pig Island”.

Big Major Cay, despite having the word “Big” in it’s name, is actually a small, uninhabited tropical island in the Exuma Cays.

The Bahamas Swimming pigs live at Pig Beach which is on the western shore of Big Major Cay.

Enjoy the White Sands of Pig Beach Bahamas

Whilst the main attraction is of course, the Bahamas Swimming Pigs, the Pig Beach is a stunning stretch of Bahamian white sand. Together with the uninhabited nature of the island, makes it the perfect tropical getaway. Despite getting very busy with visitors around midday (the most popular time with visitors and tour boats), early mornings and late afternoons, you will find yourself the only visitors. Enjoy the tranquillity of this tropical paradise!

Staniel Cay, the island next door to Big Major Cay

It’s nearest inhabited island is Staniel Cay. Often referred to as the Jewel in the Crown of the Bahamas Islands, Staniel Cay is a stunning tropical oasis. It also has an airport, which is the nearest airstrip to Exuma Pig Beach and therefore the transportation hub for visitors wishing to fly to the Swimming Pigs Exuma.

A full service marina is at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is found on the western side of Staniel Cay island. This makes the island a popular stopping off point for sailing boats and super yachts. Some of which you will find anchored off Pig Beach in the natural harbour of Big Major Cay.

There are many interesting sights in and around Staniel Cay. The underwater plane wreck at Staniel Cay Exuma is one of the most accessible underwater wrecks in the whole of the Bahamas. Because of the shallow waters, it is easy for visitors to snorkel at the underwater plane wreck. This plane crashed here in the 1970’s during the Pablo Escobar drug running era and was most likely smuggling drugs.

Why are there Swimming Pigs at Pig Beach Bahamas?

There are many interesting stories of why there happened to be Pigs swimming on a small island in the Bahamas! Legend has it these pigs were shipwrecked during a hurricane, and they then swam ashore. Another frequented story is that Sailors left the pigs here in the open of returning to them later, but never did so they were left abandoned. These are all interesting stories, however since the island has no natural water source for the pigs to drink, there must be some human element to there story of becoming.

In fact the Swimming Pigs Exuma were brought to the Exuma Pig Beach by local farmers from Staniel Cay. The stench of these animals in the hot tropical; climate was too much to tolerate. However after moving the pigs to Big Major Cay, where the farmers provided drinking water (through collected rain water) and food, the pigs became accustomed to their weekly feeding rituals.

As the farmers approached the Exuma Pig Beach by boat with their rations, the pigs could smell this and associated the sounds of the boat with food! And then the miracle of the Swimming Pigs was born; the Exuma Pigs began swimming out in the waters to intercept the farmer’s boat! Greedy little pigs!!

How do you see the pigs in Exuma?

To reach Exuma Pig Beach there are only 2 ways; you either fly or take a boat.

Flights are available to Pig Beach from Nassau and Florida, that land at the airport on nearby Staniel Cay Exuma island. From Staniel Cay to Exuma Pig beach is only 10 minutes by boat. Bahamas Air Tours offers flights and private air charters from Nassau to Exuma and from Miami to Exuma also.

The other option to visit the Pigs in Exuma is take a boat ride. Go-fast speedboats operate from Nassau and Georgetown Exuma to Swimming Pig Island. From Nassau to Pig Beach Bahamas is around 3 hours and from Georgetown (Great Exuma) to Exuma Pig Beach is around 2 hours. These are not public ferry services. These are private tour operators that use 10 to 30 seater go-fast speed boats.

There is no public transport option to Exuma Pig Beach. All these options are from private tour operators, since you have to take a boat to reach Pig Beach and Big Major Cay. For this reason there are a number of tour operators that offer Day Trips and Day Excursions to visit the Bahamas Swimming Pigs.

Day Trips and Exuma Excursions to the Bahamas Swimming Pigs

With such large demand from visitors to travel to the famous Exuma Pig Beach, there are a number of Day Trips, Tours and Day Exuma Excursions from a range of tour operators. Bahamas Air Tours has daily departure of Exuma Day Tours from both Nassau and Miami Florida.

These full day tour excursions are all-inclusive day trips that include your hotel pickup, transportation, flights and boat tour with an experience local tour guide to take you to Exuma Pig Beach. There are different types of day packages available, some have VIP services with small group sizes and lunch included. It can be overwhelming for guests looking for the best Exuma Day Trip options.

How to get to Exuma

Flying from Nassau to Exuma Pig Beach is really the best way to travel for several reasons:

• More Comfortable: 3 hour speed boat ride can be uncomfortable when crossing rough sea conditions. The speed boats also tend to offer little protection to the elements.
• Faster: 40 minute flight vs 3 hour speed boat ride
• More picturesque: Outstanding views of the Exuma Cays can only be enjoyed form the window seats of a plane!
• Guaranteed Travel: the aircraft on the Nassau to Exuma routes fly almost all year round except for major hurricanes. Speed boat travel is frequently cancelled at last minute due to poor sea conditions.

Pig Beach Bahamas Travel Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I get from Exuma to Pig Beach?

From Georgetown Great Exuma island you can fly or take the boat to Exuma Pig Beach.
A flight is 20 minutes.
The boat is around 2 hours.

How much is it to swim with the pigs in Exuma?

Visitors to Pig Beach will need to purchase a Day Tour excursion from a tour operator like Bahamas Air Tours. Exuma Excursions with Bahamas Air Tours start from $499 per adult and include flights from Nassau to Exuma.

How long is a boat ride from Nassau to Exuma?

Nassau to Exuma Pig Beach is 3 hours by go-fast speed boat.
Nassau to Georgetown Great Exuma is 14 hours by public ferry (Bahamas Fast Ferries)

Nassau to Exuma Day Trip

Bahamas Air Tours is the premier tour operator of Day Trips and Excursions to the Bahamas Swimming Pigs. With packaged day excursions that take guests on VIP tours to the Exuma Pig Beach, there is no better way to visit the stunning Exuma Cays. With amazing window seat views of the tropical islands below, Bahamas Air Tours flights to Exuma are one of a kind and forge memories of a lifetime. Book now a Nassau to Exuma Day Trip and visit the famous Bahamas Swimming Pigs.

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