736One boat, one day, five islands. Book the island-hopping powerboat tour that takes you from Nassau to the swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, plus nurse sharks, iguanas, sandbars and a hot Bahamian lunch, all in a single eight-hour day.
pigs swim out to boats early morning, hungriest then
An Exuma island hopping and swimming pigs tour comes in two main shapes: a shared group powerboat that packs several cays into one day, or a private charter that sets its own pace. The deciding difference is pace and control, since group boats hit more stops and private charters linger longer at each one.
You want the most cay stops in one dayExuma Powerboat Tour from Nassau with Swimming PigsOne fast powerboat takes you from Allen's Cay iguanas to the sunken plane, nurse sharks, Pig Beach and a hot lunch stop.From $439 
You want iguanas and sharks plus lunchNassau: Exuma Cays Swimming Pigs and Iguanas TourYou cruise five cays, swim with the pigs and nurse sharks, and end with a hot Bahamian lunch at a local restaurant.From $378 
You want your own group to set the paceGreat Exuma: Private Island-Hopping Boat Tour with Swimming PigsA private charter from Great Exuma lets you adjust departure times, extend stops and skip crowded spots, with drinks and WiFi on board.From $6,000 /group 
You want a full day with sandbar timeExuma Full Day Swimming Pigs Group Boat TourAfter the pigs, sharks, iguanas and the sunken plane, you unwind on powder-white sandbars before the ride home.From $499 Pick a tour that matches your health and fitness level, and if you are pregnant, have a back condition or are traveling with an infant, contact the tour operator before booking to confirm whether you can join.
morning arrivals get the hungry pigs
A 4.8 rating from 538 reviews makes this the favorite of the three, with iguanas, sharks, the pigs and lunch in one 8-hour day.
At 378 it undercuts the other Nassau tours by 61, while still covering Allen's Cay, the sunken plane, Compass Cay and Pig Beach.
Departs from Great Exuma, so you skip the long open-water crossing from Nassau and set your own schedule with a 4.9 rating.
pigs swim out to boats early morning
The day opens at Allen's Cay, where wild Bahamian rock iguanas walk the sand and come up to see what you brought them.
From there the boat runs through the Cays, past the sunken drug plane near Norman's Cay, to Compass Cay Marina where nurse sharks glide up to the dock and you can swim alongside them.
Next comes the main event: Pig Beach on Big Major Cay, where the pigs swim out to the boat.
A hot lunch stop at a local cay restaurant follows, and the day ends with an hour on a sandbar or beach, tide dependent. Each stop gets a structured slot, brisk but enough to swim, shoot photos and get back on board.
pigs swim out eagerly in the morning
Green marks the lowest price. Each price says whether it is per person or per group.
crossing takes 2-3 hours of open water
Most reviewers call the trip worth the money, praising a crew that stays entertaining and accommodating all day.
Several reviewers did not expect unlimited food and drinks aboard, and they loved that plenty of island time came with it.
A few travelers wished for clearer early notice when weather cancels a departure, so they could rebook the same day.
powerboat days sell out months ahead
High-speed powerboat day trips to the Exuma Cays regularly book out months in advance, so lock in March and December dates as soon as your trip exists.
The group tours from Nassau run the same full-day route, Allen's Cay, the sunken plane, Compass Cay, Pig Beach and lunch, so the listed options are simply different boats. For a private island hopping charter from Great Exuma, pick the single option and plan your own pace.
Payment secures the seat and the voucher arrives by email with your tour title and start time. The cancellation terms come with it: cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Group powerboat tours from Nassau depart from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, with check-in desks at the entrance to the Margaritaville Restaurant. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before your boat, so check in at 8 am for an 8:30 am departure or at 8:45 am for a 9:00 to 9:30 am departure.
Pack a dry bag, a broad-brim hat, sunscreen, swimwear and a towel, since the open crossing brings ocean spray. The full day runs about 8 hours from the morning check-in to the late-afternoon return, with two to three hours of open water each way.
early morning pigs are hungriest
The crossing from Nassau to the northern Exuma Cays takes two to three hours of open water each way on a full-day 8-hour tour. The ride is bumpy and exposed to spray, so travelers who dread long hours on a powerboat can fly to Staniel Cay instead and board a local boat there.
Multi-stop itineraries move at a brisk pace, with roughly 30 to 45 minutes at each cay. Time at Pig Beach runs about 20 to 45 minutes, which is enough to swim, feed, and photograph the pigs without feeling hurried, though loungers will notice the structure.
Lunch, drinks, and snacks are included on the group tours, and one of them covers landing and facility fees. Other tours may require a separate dock payment, so bring US dollars in cash for fees and tips in case the card machines lose connectivity.
Captains cancel or reschedule the open-water crossing when sustained winds climb above roughly 20 knots and build steep chop. Operators refund or reschedule when weather scrubs a trip, so book the tour for your first available day and leave a buffer.
High-speed powerboat day trips sell out months ahead in peak seasons like March and December. Book as soon as your dates are set, and let the crew know about any dietary needs when you reserve.
These tours do not permit or recommend pregnant travelers, and they are not suitable for people with spinal injuries or back problems. One tour is also unsuitable for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. Another rules out babies under 1, non-swimmers, and wheelchair users.
A crew member gives a safety briefing at Compass Cay before anyone enters the water: no stepping on, grabbing, or chasing the sharks, and children stay within arm's reach. The crew handles the feeding, so never hand-feed them yourself.
Ocean spray and reflected sun off white sand soak everything on an open powerboat. Pack a 20 to 30-liter roll-top dry bag, a floating waterproof pouch for your phone, SPF 50+ mineral sunscreen, a rash guard, a broad-brim hat, and polarized sunglasses.
Bring sturdy water shoes with grip. Bitter Guana Cay has exposed limestone and sharp coral beyond its sandy beach, and Thunderball Grotto's rocks are barnacle-covered with the occasional sea urchin, so thick soles protect your feet on landings and swims.
All group tours from Nassau depart from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, with check-in desks at the entrance to the Margaritaville Restaurant. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before departure, since the boats leave on time.
Follow the guide's feeding instructions and never hold food openly in shallow water, because pigs charge and nip. Do not pick up piglets, whose distress squeals bring protective mother sows. Raise empty hands in the air and let the pigs approach you.
Bahamian law protects the rock iguanas, and touching, chasing, or hand-feeding them is an offense. Watch them from a short distance and let them come to you for photos.
never pick up piglets, mother sows react
One full day, six hours of open water, and the original swimming pigs at the end of it. The day runs from the Nassau dock at dawn to the return by dark, and every hour of it is decided before you book.
Book the tour for the first available day of your trip, because winds above 20 knots cancel the crossing and a first-day booking leaves days to move to.
Check in at the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal 30 to 45 minutes before departure, usually 8 am for an 8:30 am boat.
Arrive at Big Major Cay before 11 am, when the pigs are still hungry and swim out to the boats.
Big Major Cay is an uninhabited island with no hotels, no docks and about twenty pigs that live wild on its beach and in the water.
The original Pig Beach sits in the northern Exuma Cays, roughly 55 to 90 miles from Nassau, and it is reachable only by boat. No amount of walking or driving gets you there, because the pigs do not exist on any mainland resort beach in Great Exuma.
That distance is the whole decision. Close to Nassau, Rose Island runs a smaller pig encounter you can reach in 20 to 25 minutes by boat on a calm half-day trip.
The pigs there are domestic, hand-fed animals wading in ankle-deep water inside a fenced beach area. The Exuma pigs are a feral colony on an empty island, and the price of meeting them is a full-day run across open ocean.
The full-day run to Big Major Cay is the price of meeting the original wild colony. Many travelers find the varied stops make the long transit pay for itself, because an island hopping day out of Nassau stacks the pigs with nurse sharks, iguanas and sandbars.
If you want two hours of pigs on dry sand, the half-day trip near Nassau is the honest choice.
Tour operators and local caretakers feed and water them daily; a Nassau vet treats sick pigs in pens built for the purpose.
Rose Island is a managed herd in a fenced beach area; Big Major Cay is the original free-roaming colony on an uninhabited cay.
The island sits 55 to 90 miles from Nassau and only full-day boat runs or flight-and-boat combinations reach it.
A full-day island hopping swimming tour out of Nassau runs 8 to 8.5 hours, boarding at 8:30 am and back at the dock by 5 pm. The shape of the day rarely changes. The boat crosses open Atlantic water for two to three hours, then the cays begin.
Allen's Cay comes first, with the endangered Bahamian rock iguanas roaming free on their own island. From there the route runs through turquoise water past the sunken plane wreck near Norman's Cay, then to Compass Cay Marina, where nurse sharks gather at the dock.
Big Major Cay and the pigs follow, and a hot Bahamian lunch at a cay restaurant breaks the day before the sandbar stop on the way home.
The Nassau: Exuma Cays Swimming Pigs and Iguanas Tour covers exactly this sequence, with the iguanas, the sharks, the wreck and the pigs all in the fare.
Desks sit at the entrance to the Margaritaville Restaurant
Two to three hours of spray and wind each way
Roughly 40 minutes at each stop
15 to 40 minutes actually ashore, against a scheduled 45-minute stop
Back at the dock by late afternoon
The rhythm is the same on every group boat. Actual time ashore varies with sea conditions, and a tour operator may swap the order of stops when the weather does not cooperate.
Honest answer: yes, at the cays themselves. Shared island hopping swimming tours allocate roughly 30 to 45 minutes per stop, and the time actually ashore with the pigs runs 15 to 40 minutes against a scheduled 45.
A 40-minute stop at Compass Cay is enough to swim with the sharks, take pictures and reboard without feeling hurried, but the final beach stop can feel brief compared with a dedicated beach day.
What you get for that pace is variety. One day delivers iguanas, a wreck, nurse sharks, the pigs and a sandbar, with no single stop dominating. Many travelers find the balance holds provided weather does not disrupt the schedule.
If you want control over the clock, a private charter is the other door. A private boat lets your group adjust departure times, extend time at stops or skip crowded cays, and larger boats with padded seats and partial cover give a steadier ride.
The trade-off runs the other way: shared boats maximize the number of stops in a day and put you in a social setting.
One practical note. Pig Beach has no dock, so you step off the boat into the ocean and walk through shallow water and uneven sand, or down boat steps and a ladder. Anyone with limited mobility should ask the operator about boarding before booking.
Sea conditions decide the day before the itinerary does. From April through May the cold fronts subside and steady easterly trade winds deliver 98 to 100 percent calm-sea days. Summer through September brings the flattest, glassiest water, though humidity and rain showers build.
Winter from December through March runs on cold fronts, with stiff winds and choppy crossings between them, and up to 4.2 to 4.4 windy days a month in March and December.
March: traveler interest 9,749 readers a month. A busy month for boat tours with mostly dry days and great snorkeling clarity, though winds can kick up moderate chop.
Tap a month to read it.
August: highs around 29.6°C. Visitor numbers dip as late summer brings warm, calm water and high humidity alongside occasional tropical downpours.
Tap a month to read it.
December: 4.4 windy days. The busy winter holiday season starts with dry weather and excellent snorkeling visibility, accompanied by occasional cold fronts.
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May: calm sea on 100% of days. Travel crowds ease while seas turn exceptionally calm and warm, making it one of the smoothest months for boat excursions.
Tap a month to read it.
November: waves up to 1 m on an average day. Tour bookings begin picking up as trade winds return, bringing cooler air and moderately choppy ocean crossings.
Tap a month to read it.
March and December are the windiest months, and October and November are the quietest, which tells you why the same tour can feel like two different trips depending on the week. The settled days between winter fronts still deliver exceptional underwater visibility.
Pigs are hungry, active, and eager to swim out before midday heat.
Speedboat arrivals peak under intense sun, and pigs begin napping after meals.
Tour boat traffic drops off, but full bellies keep most pigs sleeping on the sand.
The hour matters as much as the month. Arrivals between 8 and 11 am find the pigs hungry and eager to swim out to the boats, because they associate engine noise with food.
Between 11 am and 2 pm the long-range speedboats from Nassau stack up and the pigs begin napping. By afternoon, bellies full from earlier tours, most of them sleep in the shade on the sand.
And book the first day of your trip. Veterans book the tour for the first available day, because a weather cancellation can then be rescheduled to later days of your stay instead of losing the trip altogether.
Three ways to run an island hopping swimming day, and the choice comes down to your budget, your stomach and your group.
A shared powerboat from Nassau is the affordable route and the most common one. It covers the most stops in a day, hands you a lunch and the crew, and puts you in a social setting.
The Exuma Powerboat Tour from Nassau with Swimming Pigs runs the full 8-hour circuit, with lunch, bottled water, snacks and beer included in the fare.
A private charter is the other end. The Great Exuma: Private Island-Hopping Boat Tour with Swimming Pigs runs 8 hours from Great Exuma with WiFi, a restroom on board and drinks included, but no lunch. It gives you complete control of the schedule, though it costs substantially more per group.
| Check | Why it matters | Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| Departure point | Nassau powerboats mean 2 to 3 hours of open water each way; flying to Staniel Cay cuts the transit to 30 to 45 minutes | The Nassau powerboat tours run the full crossing from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal. |
| Wildlife stops included | The best days bundle the pigs with nurse sharks at Compass Cay and iguanas at Allen's Cay, so the long transit pays for itself | The Nassau powerboat tours include Allen's Cay, Compass Cay and the sunken plane wreck alongside the pigs. |
| Lunch and fees | Some group tours include a hot Bahamian lunch and Compass Cay landing fees; private charters often leave lunch out | The Nassau group tours include lunch, and one full-day group tour covers the landing fees. |
| Group size and time per stop | Shared boats take 30 to 45 minutes per stop; private charters set their own pace | The Nassau group tours run the standard 30 to 45 minute stops. |
| Cancellation terms | Weather can cancel the crossing, so full refund or reschedule terms matter | The Nassau tours offer a full refund for cancellations at least 24 hours before departure. |
Travelers who dread continuous hours on an open powerboat should fly to Staniel Cay or Great Exuma and board a local boat for short hops, trading the long open-sea run for aerial views and more time at the stops.
The morning starts at the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, where the check-in desks sit at the entrance to the Margaritaville Restaurant. Operators call for check-in 30 to 45 minutes before departure, usually 8 am for an 8:30 am boat, or 8:45 am for departures between 9:00 and 9:30 am
The crossing itself is the hardest part of the day. The open-water speedboat run from Nassau takes 2 to 3 hours each way across open Atlantic, and it is frequently rough, bumpy and exposed to wind and spray.
When sustained winds climb above 20 knots, the route builds a steep 3- to 5-foot chop and captains routinely cancel or reschedule.
Two misconceptions worth clearing up. Day boats from Nassau reach the northern cays around Big Major Cay, and the southern hub of George Town sits more than 120 miles away, which no day boat can cover. And arrive early; miss the check-in and you forfeit the seat.
An open powerboat crossing to the Exumas is a spray machine. The run across the Exuma Sound throws continuous ocean spray and reflects intense UV off the shallow water and white sand, so a canvas bag and a loose pair of sunglasses both fail.
Seal everything first. A 20- to 30-liter roll-top dry bag in thick PVC tarpaulin holds cameras, phones, dry clothing and cash against the spray, and a floating waterproof pouch on a neck or wrist lanyard keeps electronics from sinking overboard.
The sun is the other opponent. Broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen at SPF 50 or above, a long-sleeve UPF 50+ rash guard, a broad-brim hat and polarized sunglasses with a neck strap cover the basics, and reapply through the day, because the water reflection off the sea during a full-day excursion is exceptional.
Feet come last. The rocky stops, Bitter Guana Cay and the beach outside Thunderball Grotto, are exposed limestone and sharp coral, with barnacles and the occasional sea urchin at the grotto.
Sturdy water shoes with thick soles and grip protect against slips and cuts on rocky landings, and fins or swim shoes shield feet if you swim through the cave entrances.
The ticket covers the boat, but the outer cays run on cash. Pig Beach itself charges no entrance fee, and Thunderball Grotto is free, but the Compass Cay dock collects a landing and facility fee that some group tours include in the fare and others leave to you.
Carry US dollars in cash, because card machines at the dock can lose connectivity. Credit cards are accepted at Compass Cay, but connectivity is the reason regulars bring cash on par with the Bahamian dollar, which the US dollar matches at par across the Bahamas.
Beyond the dock, budget for the crew. Tips for the crew are not covered by the ticket, and drinks or souvenirs at the stops may not be either.
Food and drinks anywhere in the Bahamas carry a value-added tax and an automatic gratuity that add roughly 25% to your base bill, so a conch salad at a cay restaurant costs more than the menu price suggests.
One practical note: day tours from Nassau typically include landing fees in the ticket price, though it varies by operator, so check the inclusions list before you book.
The animals are the part of the day with the most rules. The pigs at Big Major Cay are docile, but adult pigs are bigger than children and can be pushy around food.
Never stand in shallow water holding food openly in your hand, because hungry pigs will charge, knock people over or bite.
Feed in the water or from an open flat hand, raise empty hands high if you have none, and never pick up piglets, since their distress squeals trigger protective mother sows. Keep children close; younger kids stay in the shallows or on the boat.
At Compass Cay, the crew gives a safety briefing before anyone enters the water: no stepping on, grabbing, chasing or making sudden movements around the sharks, and let the sharks approach you. Crews handle the feeding themselves, and children stay within arm's reach.
The iguanas carry the strictest rule. Touching, chasing or hand-feeding the rock iguanas is an offense under Bahamian law, and human food and bacteria can harm them, so look and photograph only.
Minimum ages vary by operator, since no Bahamas-wide rule sets one: at least one Exuma Cays tour excludes babies under 1 year old, and another operator requires children to be at least 2 years old. Check with the tour operator before booking if you are traveling with a young child.
The shallows at Pig Beach are shared with the pigs. They defecate and urinate directly into the shallow shorebreak, leaving droppings on the sand and in the water.
Avoid swallowing water or submerging your face, mouth or eyes in the murky spots near the shore, and never enter the ocean with open cuts, scrapes or fresh wounds, because warm saltwater and animal waste carry serious infection risks.
The colony is looked after. Local caretakers and visiting tour operators feed and water the pigs daily, volunteers keep three 150-gallon drums of fresh water stored in the center of the island, and a Nassau veterinarian treats sick animals in separate pens built for that purpose.
Medical help is real but thin. St Luke's Clinic on Staniel Cay provides basic services, and its emergency care is limited.
Anything beyond minor treatment requires a 30-minute flight to Nassau, and securing an emergency medical flight from Staniel Cay can take up to five hours.
The clinics on Staniel Cay, Black Point and Farmer's Cay run weekday hours only, so a serious injury on the water is a long problem. The practical takeaway: pack out any cuts, follow the crew's instructions, and let the crew handle anything that looks wrong.
Open-water crossings live and die by the wind. When sustained winds exceed 20 knots, the route builds a steep 3- to 5-foot chop and captains routinely cancel or reschedule.
Book the tour for the first available day of your trip, and a weather cancellation becomes a reschedule to later days of your stay instead of a lost trip.
| If this happens | What happens then |
|---|---|
| Sustained winds above 20 knots build a rough open-water crossing | The operator cancels and typically reschedules the excursion or provides a refund. |
| An operator cancels the tour due to inclement weather | Passengers are automatically given a 100 percent refund. |
| You cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure | The tours offer a full refund for cancellations made at least 24 hours ahead. |
| You miss the check-in window | The seat is forfeited, so arrive at the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal 30 to 45 minutes early. |
Refund and reschedule terms differ by tour, so read the cancellation terms before you book. The 24-hour cancellation window is the one that catches people, because a change of plans the day before costs you the full fare.
After a full day on the water, Nassau rewards the evening. The return dock sits close to downtown, and the whole area is walkable: historic side streets, galleries, local shops and cafes off Bay Street.
Marina Village on Paradise Island has colorful buildings, shopping and a marina backdrop, with McKenzie's Conch Shack for dinner and the Dilly Club turning from a specialty coffeehouse into a craft cocktail lounge after dark.
For a proper Bahamian evening, Arawak Cay, locally known as the Fish Fry, is a stretch of brightly painted shacks serving Bahamian cooking and seafood after dark.
Graycliff Restaurant in downtown Nassau serves dinner from 6 pm to 10 pm in a historic mansion, and the Green Parrot on East Bay Street runs DJs and live music on weekends.
If you base on Great Exuma instead, the days either side of the boat trip fill themselves. Stocking Island offers hiking trails mapped by the George Town tourist office, coves and snorkeling around a mystery cave, and Chat 'N Chill on Stocking Island runs a Sunday afternoon pig roast and stingray feeding.
The sandbars of Elizabeth Harbour and the Moriah Harbour Cay National Park coastline are easy half-days, and George Town has a waterfront and the Exuma Straw Market for a stroll between boat days.
Worth every penny! Unlimited food and drinks, lots of island time, and the crew was.
The full-day island hopping swimming run to Big Major Cay is the price of meeting the original wild colony, and the stops along the way, iguanas, nurse sharks, a wreck and a sandbar, are what make the long transit pay for itself.
Book the first day of your trip, check in early, and arrive at the pigs before 11 am.
Skip it if you hate continuous hours on an open powerboat or want long stretches of beach time; the half-day pig encounters near Nassau or a flight to Staniel Cay suit you better.
bring cash for the dock fees
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask before booking a day of cay stops.
New Providence Island2026The full-day group tours from Nassau follow a similar arc: wild iguanas on Allen's Cay, the sunken plane wreck, nurse sharks at Compass Cay Marina, the pigs on Big Major Cay, a hot lunch stop, and a sandbar or beach when conditions allow.
Groups typically get 20 to 45 minutes on Big Major Cay during an all-day excursion. It is enough time to feed, photograph, and swim with the pigs before the boat moves on to the next stop.
It moves at a brisk pace, and a final beach stop can feel brief compared with a dedicated beach day. Most travelers find the balance works, since a stop like Compass Cay gives about 40 minutes to swim, photograph, and reboard without hurry.
It depends on the tour. Some group tours include landing and facility fees in the ticket, while others collect them separately. Cards are accepted at the dock, but bring US dollars in cash in case the machines fail.
It takes two to three hours each way across open Atlantic water, and it is frequently bumpy with spray. Seas are calmest from May through September. If you are prone to motion sickness, this is the part of the day to plan for.
Captains cancel or reschedule when winds build rough seas on the open crossing. When weather forces a cancellation, operators refund or reschedule your trip, some with a full automatic refund.
Yes, with care. Some operators set a minimum age, and the open-water crossing suits confident swimmers best.
Morning arrivals between 8 and 11 am find them hungry and eager to swim out to boats. By afternoon, pigs fed all day lounge in the shade, and midday brings the biggest boat crowds.
No. Bahamian law protects the rock iguanas, and touching, chasing, or hand-feeding them is an offense. Watch them from a short distance and let them come to you for photos.
Sandbars stand out of the water only near low tide, or during the hour or two around it. Tour operators time their routes around this, so the itinerary shifts with the day's conditions.
Yes. Big Major Cay is an uninhabited island with the original free-roaming wild colony, about 20 pigs and piglets, reachable only by boat. Closer spots like Rose Island are managed herds in fenced areas, half-day trips.
Local caretakers and tour operators feed and supply them fresh water daily, and a Nassau veterinarian treats sick pigs in separate pens on the island.
pigs swim out to boats early morning
book the first day of your trip, weather can cancel
Eight hours, one boat, iguanas, nurse sharks, sandbars and the original swimming pigs, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
