Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach is one of the most famous sites in the country. From the azure water caressing the white sand beach to the friendly pigs themselves splashing around in the shallows, Pig Island is a sight to behold. However, getting there can be confusing, as many travelers are unsure of where the island is. There are also imitation beaches with pigs that have sprung up throughout the country.
In this post, we’re going to highlight how to travel from Nassau to Pig Island (which houses the original Swimming Pigs) on a day trip. We’ll examine what you can expect once you get to the island and also touch on why flights from Nassau to Staniel Cay are the best option for tours.
Read on to learn all about how to get from Nassau to Pig Beach.
Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach: Enjoy a Nassau to Exuma Day Trip
Big Major Cay: Home of the Exuma Pigs
While many people might know the famous attraction as “Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach,” the original pigs in the Bahamas aren’t in the capital. They inhabit an island that’s around 80 miles south of Nassau, in the Exuma Cays.
This island, Big Major Cay, is one of 365 islands in the Exumas. In addition to housing the Swimming Pigs, the Exuma Cays are also home to myriad other sites. From pristine beaches with soft, powdery-white sand to underwater caves and more, a Nassau to Exuma day trip lets you see some of the best of what the Bahamas has to offer.
Big Major Cay is one of 365 stunning islands in the Exumas.
If you’re planning a Bahamas vacation, make sure you give yourself time to visit the region to see the original Swimming Pigs. While other islands around the country have added pigs to their tourist-attracting arsenals, the authentic Pig Island experience still takes place in the Exumas.
Local Legends
When you visit the so-called “Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach,” you have the opportunity to learn more about their origins. In doing so, you realize that no one can say with certainty how they arrived on their island in the first place!
Some locals will tell you that farmers brought the pigs to Pig Island with the intention to return and eat them but never got around to doing so. Others will swear that nearby residents actually brought them to their island because they couldn’t stand the smells they were creating. Finally, some people believe that a tour company brought the Exuma Pigs to the island with the hopes that the island would one day become a popular tourist destination. If that last story has any merit, the company’s wish has certainly come true!
Since their mysterious arrival on their island, the Exuma Pigs have become celebrities.
Today, the Pigs have made quite a name for themselves, having been featured in documentaries, on social media, and even on The Bachelor. When you travel from Nassau to Pig Island, you’ll quickly discover why!
How to Get From Nassau to Exuma
When some travelers find out that Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach is in the Exumas, it dissuades them from visiting, given the distance between the islands. Thankfully, traveling between the two places is easier than ever before.
A Nassau to Exuma day trip is the simplest way to reach Pig Island. It allows you to tour the region in the morning and afternoon and then return back to Nassau that same evening. You don’t have to worry about logistics or local transportation, as the tour company helps you plan all of that.
In general, tours to Pig Beach leave the capital in one of two ways:
By Plane
If you’re wondering how to get from Nassau to Exuma in as little time as possible, your best bet is to travel by plane. While air travel isn’t as popular as some of the other tour options, it gets you to the Exumas in just 30 minutes. That means more time to spend with the Exuma Pigs!
But besides just saving you time, flying also offers a much more comfortable experience, in general. A Nassau to Exuma day trip lets you soar through the clouds in a luxurious private-class plane. You don’t have to stress about crowds of people or being jostled around as you smack against the rough waters beneath you. All you need to worry about doing is having your phone or a quality camera on hand.
Chances are you’ll want to snap quite a few pictures of the stunning views outside your window!
One of the best parts of flying on a Nassau to Exuma day trip is the views from above.
By Boat
Although traveling by plane is the best answer to the question of how to get from Nassau to Exuma, you can also find powerboat tours that can take you back and forth between the two destinations. Unfortunately, these come with many of the shortcomings that air travel avoids.
For example, while the actual Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach may only be around 80 miles away from the capital, crossing that distance takes around two hours by boat. When the waters are extra rough, tours often get canceled altogether – sometimes at the last minute. When you’re only in Nassau for a day or two, that can affect your whole travel schedule.
If the boats do leave, they have to cross through rough and turbulent open waters. Given the exposure to waves, the hot sun, and people all around you, traveling by boat is far from the most comfortable experience.
Compare Nassau to Exuma Tours: Boat vs Plane
- 3Ns Tour by Plane
- $850per person
- 30 minute Flight in Comfort
- Stunning Aerial Views
- Visits 7 Exuma Attractions
- Guaranteed Small Group Size
- Weather Cancellation Rare
- Inclusive Pricing: Transfers & Lunch
- Private Upgrades Available
- 5-Star Reviews
- Tour by Powerboat
- $550per person
- 3 hour Boat Ride one way
- No Aerial Views
- Visits 4 Exuma Attractions
- Large Groups
- Frequent Cancellations
- Surcharges & Fees
- No Private Upgrades
- Poor Reviews
Nassau to Exuma Day Trip: Meeting the Swimming Pigs
When you travel to Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach, you first fly into Staniel Cay. This small island is close to Big Major Cay but houses an airport and a small town. On your Nassau to Pig Island day tour, it serves as the gateway to the Exumas.
Flying to Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach has you first landing on Staniel Cay.
After landing on Staniel Cay, you then switch over to a powerboat to explore the region and visit the Exuma Pigs. As you pull up to their island, you’ll see them hop in the water to swim out and greet you. Years of islanders traveling to Pig Beach by boat to feed the pigs have conditioned them into being friendly and sociable to visitors.
Once they greet you, you’ll have time to hang out with the pigs and explore their tropical surroundings. Even if you’re not a barnyard animal fan, it’s hard not to fall in love with them and their island home!
Visit Other Can’t-Miss Attractions
While the Swimming Pigs are adorable, they’re not all you see on a Nassau to Exuma day trip.
The great thing about signing up for a Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach tour is that the Exuma Pigs aren’t the only attraction you get to see. When you fly by plane, you also visit some of the other famous sites in the Exumas.
From swimming with nurse sharks to walking around sandbars and snorkeling through underwater caves, the area around Pig Island has so much to offer travelers. If you want to take your Bahamas vacation to the next level, signing up for an Exuma day trip is the best way to do it!
Flights From Nassau to Staniel Cay: The Easiest Way to Visit Pig Island
If you’re wondering where Nassau Bahamas Pig Beach is, know that it’s not actually in the capital – it’s in the Exumas. The easiest way to get there and see the Swimming Pigs is on a Nassau to Exuma day trip.
When you fly by plane, you’re left with plenty of time to see some of the other amazing attractions in the area. From endangered iguanas and nurse sharks to sandbars and an underwater plane wreck, a Nassau to Pig Beach day tour is a can’t-miss excursion.
Sign up for a day trip today, or charter a private flight to anywhere in the Bahamas or South Florida region!
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