As one of the busiest cruise ship ports in the world, Nassau is no stranger to accommodating day trippers. In fact, in 2022, 1,100 cruise ships visited throughout the year. Many of those ships were full of travelers looking to participate in different Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions.
If you fall into the same category of day-tripper searching for adventure, you don’t have to look far to find exciting excursions. And besides being thrilling, many of the best excursions in Nassau Bahamas let you explore other parts of the country outside of New Providence and Paradise Island.
In this article, we’ll examine some of the top sites around the country that serve as fantastic cruise excursions. We’ll also highlight the easiest (and most efficient way) to get to all of them.
Keep reading to find out more!
Nassau Bahamas Cruise Excursions: See the Best of the Bahamas
Look Beyond Nassau
Nassau has a lot to offer, and it’s worth exploring the many exciting parts of the city and surrounding areas. But when you only have a short amount of time in the country, you should make a point to visit the best places in the Bahamas. Many of those require you to leave the capital for a couple of hours.
Exuma is one part of the country that many Nassau day-trippers head to. Famous for its crystal-clear water, beautiful beaches, and fun local attractions, a visit to the 365-island chain is one of the top activities to do in Nassau Bahamas.
The best excursions in Nassau Bahamas let you see sites like sandbars at Pipe Creek in Exuma.
The Exuma Cays are also easy to reach from Nassau. Big Major Cay, home to the famous Swimming Pigs, is only 84 miles away from the capital. As the site is one of the most popular attractions in the archipelago, many tourists on shore leave choose to head there.
Day Trip Transportation
If you’re traveling to the capital by ship, you might think that the top Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions also require you to bop around the country by boat. However, while you can certainly find day trips that go by water, air travel is almost always the better choice.
For one thing, it’s faster, and when you’re in a time crunch, that’s something you’ll have to consider. If you’re looking to see the Exuma Pigs, traveling by power boat from Nassau will take at least three hours. In contrast, flying from Nassau to Exuma on a private-class plane will get you there in 30 minutes.
But besides saving you precious time, signing up for Exuma excursions from Nassau that travel by plane also offers other benefits. In general, as the boats are more popular, you get to enjoy a quieter, less crowded experience. Likewise, you also avoid bumpy and rough waters and are treated to picturesque views from the plane window.
Once you arrive, if you feel like you’re still craving a boat tour of the country, you’re in luck. When you sign up for many Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions, such as a Nassau to Staniel Cay day tour, you switch over to a boat once you arrive!
Exuma excursions from Nassau by plane let you switch over to a boat once you arrive.
Famous Sites Are Popular for a Reason
With 700 islands and visitors largely congregating in a few specific areas, there are many hidden gems in the Bahamas worth exploring. But when you only have an afternoon to spend in the country, remember that the famous sites are popular for a reason.
If you’re looking for the top Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions, Big Major Cay (also known as Pig Beach) is one such location. Home to the Swimming with Pigs Bahamas experience, the site has gained international recognition over the past couple of decades.
The Swimming Pigs are a highlight of Nassau Bahamas shore excursions.
What makes Big Major Cay so noteworthy is the combination of seemingly unrelated elements – pigs, a tropical island, and mysteries surrounding how they arrived at the island in the first place.
If you choose to sign up for tours to Pig Beach from Nassau, you can expect to spend some quality time with the island’s local residents. From watching them swim out to greet you to hanging out with them on their beach, many people find the Exuma Pigs to be the highlight of their Bahamas vacation.
Add Some Excitement to Your Vacation
While you can (and should) plan multiple trips to the Bahamas, it’s important to take advantage of the time you have when you’re there. When it comes to Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions, that sometimes means getting out of your comfort zone and adding some excitement to your vacation.
Exuma is home to many of the best excursions in Bahamas, but one you’ll want to make sure you enjoy is the swim with sharks experience at Compass Cay.
Visiting Compass Cay is one of the best activities to do in Nassau Bahamas.
The owner of the Compass Cay Marina is something of a shark fanatic, and because of that, has managed to “tame” a school of nurse sharks. They’ve stuck around the waters of the marina ever since, meaning that Compass Cay now offers some of the top Nassau Bahamas shore excursions.
If you’re unfamiliar with sharks, you don’t have to worry about nurse sharks being aggressive. They’re one of the most docile species, and in some ways, are almost more like catfish than sharks. On top of that, the local guides will give you some tips to ensure that the experience remains safe.
All of that makes Exuma excursions from Nassau to Compass Cay another one of the best excursions in Bahamas.
Look Beneath the Surface of the Water
While the Bahamas and the Exuma Cays, in particular, have spectacular beaches and attractions above the surface of the water, some of the best sites are found beneath the azure waves. When you’re looking for different Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions, make sure to look for some that allow you to explore the country’s rich marine life.
In the Exuma Cays, one such site is a submerged plane wreck. This small smuggling vessel crashed down decades ago when the Colombian drug cartels were at their height. In the years since its watery landing, the site has transformed into a home for all sorts of marine life, such as coral and tropical fish.
Exuma is full of underwater attractions, such as this plane wreck.
Likewise, another Exuma site you’ll want to dive into is Thunderball Grotto. Named after the James Bond film Thunderball (it was a filming location in the super-spy flick), the area features a system of underwater caves teeming with marine life. As you swim, snorkel, or dive around the caves, you can expect to see fish, lobster, coral, conch, and more.
When you sign up for Nassau Bahamas shore excursions to the Exumas, you’ll get to see both of these attractions on your day trip to the region.
Best Excursions in Nassau Bahamas: Explore the Exumas
Signing up for a day trip is the best way to see different sites in a short amount of time. That’s what makes Staniel Cay day trips one of the best options for anyone looking for Nassau Bahamas cruise excursions.
When you fly by plane, you’ll get to see the famous Swimming Pigs at Big Major Cay, as well as a host of other attractions in the region. You’ll then make it back to Nassau just a couple of hours later.
Wherever you’re looking to go in the Bahamas, Bahamas Air Tours can help you get there. Sign up for a day trip today!
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