Planning a Bahamas day trip can be a challenge. There are so many different touring companies, various modes of transportation to get there, a plethora of excursions to choose from, and dozens of beautiful islands you don’t want to miss.
Standing in the heart of the Exuma islands with a beautiful view of contrasting color combinations — vibrant shades of blues and earthy greens mixed with a concentration of white sandy beaches — it is hard to believe this oasis exists and you feel like the only person on the island.
This is the type of Bahamas day trip you need and it is only a matter of time before it is a reality. But you have to crawl before you run, so, first step is planning it out. Let’s see if we can’t help you with that.
An island paradise awaits on your Miami to Bahamas day trip.
Planning the Bahamas Day Trip of Your Dreams
Now that you have a better idea of the region, it is time we start breaking down the details of the locations and attractions you can find on you Bahamas day trip.
What to do on Staniel Cay Day Trips
Below are some of the most popular attractions of a Miami to Bahamas day trip.
Pig Beach (Big Major Cay)
About ten minutes boat ride from Staniel Cay, Pig Beach has become the most visited attraction in the Bahamas. In 2018 alone, 6.62 million visitors floated ashore on Pig Beach and for good reason.
We will take you to Pig Island before the hordes of tourists show up on mass tourism ferries so you get a quaint one day trip to Bahamas experience and a chance to be one of the first tourists to feed the pigs.
This Insta-famous destination has become one of the most sought-after travel destinations in the world in the past ten years. Find out why! Participate in one of our swimming pig tours to Pig Beach on Pig Island to play with the cute Exuma pigs in the Bahamas.
An Exuma pig waits for its daily feed.
Thunderball Grotto
Within swimming distance to Pig Beach is Thunderball Grotto. From the outside, it might not look like much; it looks like nothing more than a rock formation jutting from the sea. But swim through one of its hidden entrances and be amazed by lively marine life, brightly colored coral, sparkling water, and natural sunroofs to let in the light into this hollow rock formation.
Divers and adrenaline-junkies alike go crazy for its underwater cave system. Though, we advise only confident swimmers visit this place.
The 1963 film, “Thunderball” starring Sean Connery was filmed here so even James Bond fans can live out a dream of playing around on a 007 set during your day trip to Bahamas from Miami.
Staniel Cay Yacht Club
Built in 1956, Staniel Cay Yacht Club is one of the longest standing establishments in the Exuma Cays. It has a history of celebrity appearances and has become known as the “Gateway to the Exuma Cays”.
While filming “Thunderball”, Sean Connery and the rest of the James Bond cast would regularly stop in for a drink.
It is at a strategic point in the Exumas for sailors and fishermen on their way south or coming north to Nassau.
The impressive marina, the always-happening restaurant and bar, and the quaint boutique hotel make for a great stop for lunch on your Bahamas day trip.
Compass Cay
Swimming with sharks at Compass Cay is a crowd favorite of any one day trip to Bahamas.
Don’t worry — Reef and Nurse shark, which fill Compass Cay Marina’s shallow waters, are completely harmless unless threatened. They feed off marine life which dwells on the seafloor. And, although they may look scary at nearly ten feet in length and 300 pounds heavy, they are habituated to their environment and not threatened.
The crystal clear waters in the marina make for wonderful photos of you side-by-side dozens of sharks at one time. The sharks were originally brought into the marina as pets but as tourists continued showing interest in the attraction, it was later turned into a sanctuary.
Take a walk (swim) on the wild side and jump into the waters with these carnivorous fish on your next Bahamas day trip.
Dare you to swim with the sharks at Compass Cay!
Island Sandbars
There are a dozen or more great sandbars to see on your day trip Miami to Bahamas, but none more impressive than the Sandbar at Pipe Creek.
Make sure you show up at low tide for the most eye-popping experience you may ever see. If you have time, we would recommend Pipe Creek on all day trips to Bahamas.
Bitter Guana Cay
Bitter Guana Cay is off the radar to most tourists taking a day trip to Bahamas from Miami, but with Bahamas Air Tours, we will see to it that we make it all the way north to this tiny island where the only remaining Northern Bahamian Rock Iguanas still survive.
Due to human interference with their environment and hunting, Bitter Guana Cay is the last remaining island to spot these guys who can grow to be up to four feet in length.
See if you can spot one on your Miami/ Fort Lauderdale Bahamas day trip.
An endangered iguana takes in the warm sun.
Underwater Plane Wreckage
Back in the Eighties, Carlos Ledher used the private island of Norman’s Cay as a halfway point for Cartel drug smuggling from Colombia to the United States. One fateful night, a plane of his ran low on fuel and descended for an emergency crash landing.
That plane which sunk to the shallow seafloor ten feet underwater was full of marijuana just off the coast of Staniel Cay and is now one of the most accessible underwater plane wrecks in the world and a must-see on your day trips to Bahamas.
Bring your snorkel or dive gear and jump in to explore the carnage on your Miami to Bahamas day trip.
Why take a one day cruise to Bahamas via Bahamas Air Charter
There are several reasons you should choose to fly versus travel by sea on your Bahamas day trip. To start, our Bahamas day trips by plane are cultivated to get you the most out of your time and money. Instead of waiting in busy lines and crowded security checks, we want you to spend your day laying in the warm white sand of a Bahamas beach.
While ferries are often delayed or cancelled due to inclement sea conditions, our Bahamas air charters are hardly ever affected by weather. And even if your ferry does leave on time, those rough sea waves are sure to plague someone near you with sea sickness — then, you have to deal with it for the three to four hour ride.
Our flights to Bahamas take only one hour from Miami aboard a luxurious private air charter with the largest viewing windows of any aircraft on the planet. That is because we want to give you easy access to a view astronauts refer to as the best view of the Earth from space; the Exuma Cays.
We believe commercial flying has tainted the romantic part about soaring through the clouds at 20,000 feet in the air. We want to bring the wonder back to flying on our Florida to Bahamas trips.
That is why we have experienced pilots with years of knowledge about the Bahamas and their culture so they can answer any questions you may have or just spread knowledge when available.
Unlike ferry companies, our Miami to Bahamas day trip package price is the price you pay. There are no hidden fees or loopholes about it. We do everything we can to forge an experience that will make memories for a lifetime.
Book Your Day Trip Miami to Bahamas
Taking a day trip to the Bahamas in the near future? Need to plan a Fort Lauderdale Bahamas day trip for your family? Consider taking your Bahamas vacation with us so we can cater to your dream vacation.
Our Exuma day trips will blow you away and keep you busy from the early morning take off until returning back to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in the evening. Let us show you what a one day cruise to Bahamas is supposed to feel like.
Book one of our Staniel Cay day trips today and guarantee a whole slew of the greatest moments you could imagine.
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