Booking choice: The Exuma Pig Beach day, from $439 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Big Major Cay sits in the Exuma Cays near Staniel Cay, roughly 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Nassau. The pigs that made the Bahamas famous live here, and every way of reaching them involves a boat, a plane, or both.
Below: every route from Nassau and from inside the Exumas, what the visit is like, and how to pick the right trip.
The quick answer
Pig Beach is Big Major Cay in the Exumas, about 80 miles from Nassau. From Nassau you go by powerboat (about two hours each way, from $329) or fly to Staniel Cay (about 40 minutes, from $850). From Great Exuma, local cays tours start from $308. There is no public ferry.
Where is Pig Beach?
Pig Beach is Big Major Cay, an uninhabited cay in the Exuma Cays near Staniel Cay, roughly 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Nassau.
It is not the same place as the pig beaches near Nassau: most "swimming pigs" tours sold in Nassau visit colonies kept on Rose Island, Athol Island or Pearl Island instead. Both are real pigs in real water; the difference is the setting and the journey.
How do you get to Pig Beach from Nassau by boat?
By powerboat day tour from Paradise Island: about two hours of open water each way, 8 to 9 hours in total.
Stops usually include the Allen's Cay rock iguanas, the Compass Cay nurse sharks, a sandbar and lunch, with 15 to 30 minutes at each. The Exuma island-hopping tour and the Aqua Shores all-inclusive run both sell from $439; Exuma Powerboat Adventures goes to a private cay with an open bar from $329.
Have a free day in Nassau? The powerboat day covers Pig Beach, nurse sharks and a sandbar.
Check dates for the Exuma Pig Beach dayCan you fly to Pig Beach?
Yes: fly-in tours from Nassau take about 40 minutes to Staniel Cay, then a small boat of around eight guests goes to Pig Beach.
The fly-in tour ($850) adds the Compass Cay nurse sharks, a sandbar and the Thunderball Grotto, with lunch before the flight back. It costs about twice a powerboat day and spares you four hours of bumpy water.
Short on time or sea legs? The fly-in tour halves the travel time.
Explore the Exuma fly-in tourWhat if you are already staying in the Exumas?
From Great Exuma you are about an hour by boat from Big Major Cay, and local cays tours start from $308.
The Exuma Island and Cays Tour leaves from Barraterre with hotel pickup and rates 4.9. On Staniel Cay itself the pigs are about 10 minutes away by boat.
What happens when you arrive at Pig Beach?
Boats anchor a few yards out, the pigs swim over, and you wade in knee- to waist-deep water to feed and photograph them.
Most stops last 15 to 30 minutes. It is more wading than swimming: you stand in clear water while the pigs paddle round you. The crew hands out the food.
Want the original island? Check dates for the Exuma Pig Beach day.
Check dates for the Exuma Pig Beach dayWhat are the rules at Pig Beach?
Feed only in the water and only what the crew hands out: sand swallowed with food thrown on the beach killed several pigs in 2017.
Never give the pigs alcohol or processed food, and do not ride or chase them. Read the full rules and welfare guide before you go.
When is the best time to visit Pig Beach?
Mornings, when the pigs are hungriest, and the calmer months from roughly November to May.
By mid-afternoon many pigs are asleep under the trees. Hurricane season runs June to November, when trips can be cancelled for weather. More in the best time to see the swimming pigs.
Is the Exuma day trip worth it?
Yes, if the original island, the Exuma water and the nurse sharks are the point; if you mainly want pig time, a Nassau beach club gives you more for a third of the price.
Treat it as a boat day with pigs in it. Compare the options in Nassau or Exuma.
Ready for the long day out? Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the Exuma Pig Beach dayFrequently asked questions
Is there a ferry to Pig Beach?
No. Big Major Cay is reached only by tour boat, charter or a small plane to Staniel Cay followed by a short boat ride.
How long do you get with the pigs in Exuma?
Usually 15 to 30 minutes, as one stop among several on a full-day tour.
How many pigs live on Big Major Cay?
A few dozen pigs and piglets. How they got there is not known for certain; sailors, a shipwreck and Staniel Cay residents are the common accounts.
Ready to book
Choose your pig day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Exuma Island Hopping & Pig Beach by Powerboat
- Powerboat from Carnivale Bahamas, Paradise Island (check in 30 min early)
- Swimming pigs of Big Major Cay
- Snorkel gear, snacks, local beer and soft drinks
Exuma Fly-In Swimming Pigs Tour from Nassau
