Nassau to Exuma: Flights, Day Trips and Boat Options

 

 

The Exumas sit south-east of Nassau in the Atlantic. The chain has hundreds of cays, with Great Exuma and Little Exuma at the southern end (connected by a small bridge) and a long string of smaller islands stretching north toward Nassau. Where you want to go in the Exumas determines how you get there, because there is no single "Exuma" destination and no single right answer. 

 

A beach at Exuma Cays 

 

 

Most visitors making the trip from Nassau fall into one of two groups. Some want to spend several days or a week at Great Exuma (George Town), the district capital. Others want a single-day excursion to see the famous swimming pigs at Pig Beach in the central Exumas. This guide covers both, plus everything in between. 

 

How far is Exuma from Nassau?

 

The Exumas spread out over a long distance, so "distance from Nassau" depends on which part. Rough one-way distances by air: 

Norman's Cay, the northern-most major cay of Exuma and the nearest to Nassau, is approximately 45 miles (72 km) south-east of Nassau. 

Big Major Cay, the location of the famous Pig Beach, sits about 82 miles (132 km) from Nassau. 

Staniel Cay, the closest airport to Pig Beach, is approximately the same distance. 

George Town, the capital of Exuma on Great Exuma Island, sits about 142 to 145 miles (229 km) from Nassau. 

Little Exuma, at the southern end of the chain, is around 155 miles (249 km) from Nassau. 

 

By air, the trip from Nassau to Great Exuma (George Town) is about 45 minutes nonstop. Nassau to Staniel Cay is roughly 40 minutes. By boat, the same trips take three hours or more depending on the destination and the speed of the vessel. 

 

Your options from Nassau to Exuma

 

Three categories of transport make this trip: 

Scheduled flights to Exuma International Airport (George Town) or to Staniel Cay Airport 

Day trip packages combining a short flight with a boat tour of the central Exuma cays 

Speedboat day trips all the way from Nassau 

 

 

Photo: Greg Grimes, flickr, cc by-sa 2.0 

 

The Mail Boat service still runs from Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau, but it is a working cargo vessel rather than a passenger ferry, and schedules are unpredictable. It is no longer a practical option for most visitors. Bahamas Ferries, which previously operated a passenger ferry service from Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau to George Town, no longer offers regular passenger service on this route. 

 

I will go through each option in detail. The right choice depends on where in Exuma you want to go, how much time you have, and what kind of experience you are after. 

 

Nassau to Exuma by flight

 

For most visitors travelling between Nassau and Exuma, a flight is the standard choice. Two destinations matter: Exuma International Airport (Moss Town, about 10 miles north-west of George Town) for trips to Great Exuma, and Staniel Cay Airport for access to Pig Beach and the central Exuma cays. 

 

Nassau to George Town (Great Exuma)

 

Bahamasair (www.bahamasair.com), the national carrier of the Bahamas, operates daily scheduled flights between Nassau (NAS) and Exuma International Airport (GGT). The nonstop flight is about 45 minutes. The carrier typically runs an early morning flight (often around 06:45) and an afternoon flight (around 16:00), though days of operation and exact times vary by season. As of 2026, the route has around 11 to 21 flights per week. 

 

 

Photo: Eric Salard, flickr, cc by-sa 2.0 

 

Western Air (www.westernairbahamas.com) also operates nonstop service on the Nassau to George Town route, which gives you a second scheduled option beyond Bahamasair. 

 

One-way fares typically start around 135 to 150 USD when booked in advance, with average return fares closer to 250 to 300 USD. Prices vary substantially by season and how far ahead you book. Check the Bahamasair and Western Air websites for current schedules and fares, since both adjust frequently. 

 

Some US carriers (American, Delta, Silver Airways) fly direct to Exuma International from US cities, useful to know if you have not yet booked your Bahamas-bound flight. 

 

If your goal is to stay in Great Exuma (George Town, the resorts on Great Exuma, Little Exuma), this is the route you want. 

 

Nassau to Staniel Cay (central Exuma cays)

 

If your goal is Pig Beach, Thunderball Grotto, the swimming pigs and the iconic central Exuma cays, you want Staniel Cay, not George Town. There is no airstrip on Big Major Cay where Pig Beach is. The nearest airport is Staniel Cay, and from there you take a short boat ride to Pig Beach and the surrounding cays. 

 

Flamingo Air operates scheduled flights between Nassau and Staniel Cay. The one-way flight is about 40 to 45 minutes on a small aircraft. Check the Flamingo Air website (flamingoairbah.com) for current schedule, fares and bookings, since this is a small operation with limited daily flights and schedules can change. Their fleet of small aircraft means seats are limited and worth booking ahead. 

 

A handful of charter operators also serve Staniel Cay from Nassau. Charter flights are expensive but worth considering for groups, custom timings, or if scheduled flights do not match your day. 

 

Charter flights

 

Bahamas Air Tours (bahamasairtours.com) offers private charter flights from Nassau to Staniel Cay, Great Exuma or other Exuma destinations, with customized itineraries and aircraft seating up to about 9 passengers. 

 

Typical private charter pricing is around 1,000 USD or more depending on aircraft and destination. Useful if you want a flexible itinerary, are travelling with a small group, or want to land somewhere outside the scheduled-flight routes. 

 

Nassau to Exuma day trip packages (fly-and-boat)

 

This is the most popular way for short-stay visitors to see the swimming pigs and the central Exuma cays in a single day from Nassau. The package combines a morning flight to Staniel Cay, a local boat tour visiting the main attractions (Pig Beach, iguanas at Bitter Guana Cay, nurse sharks at Compass Cay, Thunderball Grotto, sand bars), lunch, and an afternoon flight back to Nassau. 

 

Pig Beach, Exuma 

 

 

Bahamas Air Tours (bahamasairtours.com) is the established operator of these fly-in day trips from Nassau, with daily departures, hotel pickup in Nassau, return flights to Staniel Cay, and a guided boat tour covering the main central Exuma sites. 

 

Current per-person pricing for the standard group day trip starts around 500 to 600 USD per person, depending on the season and tour configuration; private boat upgrades and private flight options cost more. Lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club is typically extra unless explicitly bundled. Check their site for the current price. 

 

Swimming with Pigs (swimmingwithpigs.com) offers a similar fly-and-boat day trip from Nassau to Staniel Cay covering Pig Beach, the iguanas, sharks, Thunderball Grotto, sand bars, and the underwater plane wreck. Group day trips and private day trips are both available. 

 

The fly-and-boat package is the comfortable, time-efficient way to do the Exuma day trip. You get there in 40 minutes by air rather than three hours by speedboat, you spend more time at each location, the ride is air-conditioned and smooth (not bumpy across open ocean), and the trip is rarely cancelled by weather since flights operate in conditions that ground speedboats. 

 

Nassau to Exuma by speedboat (full-day boat tour)

 

If you would rather stay on the water, several operators run speedboat day trips from Nassau into the Exuma cays. These are long days (typically 8 to 9 hours total), require an hour or more each way on a fast boat across open ocean, and visit a more limited set of stops than the fly-in day trips. They are also significantly cheaper. 

 

 

Photo: Lauren_vdM Pixabay 

 

Powerboat Adventures (powerboatadventures.com) is the longest-established operator. Their day trip leaves from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal in the morning, runs about an hour by powerboat to Allen's Cay at the northern end of the Exuma chain to feed the rock iguanas, then continues to their own private island at Ship Channel Cay where their guests interact with their own swimming pigs, see stingrays and a shark feeding show, and have lunch with an open bar. 

 

Per-person pricing typically runs around 260 to 320 USD, with hotel transfers included. Worth being clear: Powerboat Adventures' "swimming pigs" experience is at their private island in the northern Exumas, not the famous original Pig Beach at Big Major Cay further south. Most guests do not mind, but if seeing the original pigs at Big Major Cay specifically matters to you, this is not the right operator. 

 

Other speedboat day-trip operators run longer southern routes from Nassau down to the actual Pig Beach at Big Major Cay, typically with stops at Allen's Cay (iguanas), Compass Cay (nurse sharks), Pig Beach itself, and a sandbar. The ride down takes about 3 hours each way across open ocean, which is the trade-off. Several operators run this trip, bookable through platforms like Viator and GetYourGuide. 

 

Pricing is typically 350 to 450 USD per person including lunch, drinks, and hotel transfers. Read recent reviews and check the boat type before booking, since open speedboats in choppy water are uncomfortable, and some operators handle weather and customer service better than others. 

 

Speedboat day trips are weather-sensitive. The ocean between Nassau and the central Exumas can be rough, and operators cancel trips, sometimes at short notice. If you book a speedboat trip, build it into your itinerary with a backup day, and consider travel insurance. 

 

What is the best way to get from Nassau to Exuma?

 

The right option depends on what you want. 

 

For a stay of several days in Great Exuma: Take a scheduled flight to George Town on Bahamasair or Western Air. The 45-minute flight is fast, reasonably priced, and gets you to the part of Exuma with hotels, resorts, restaurants, and easy access to Great Exuma's beaches. 

 

For a single-day excursion to see the original Pig Beach at Big Major Cay: The fly-and-boat day trip (Bahamas Air Tours, Swimming with Pigs, or similar) is the most comfortable and time-efficient choice. You see more sites, spend more time at each, and avoid the rough three-hour speedboat ride each way. The cost is higher but the experience is better. 

 

For a single-day excursion on a smaller budget, willing to spend the day on the water: A speedboat day trip to Big Major Cay is the cheaper alternative. Expect a long, sometimes-rough boat ride each way, fewer stops, and a real possibility of weather cancellation. Some travellers love the day-on-the-water vibe; others find the ride uncomfortable. 

 

For Allen's Cay iguanas specifically: The northern Exuma cays (Allen's Cay, Ship Channel Cay) are too close to Nassau to make a fly-in trip practical and there is no airport on them anyway. Powerboat Adventures and similar operators that visit the northern cays are your only realistic option. 

 

For independent travel deep into the cays with your own schedule: Charter a flight (or a private boat) from Nassau. Expensive, but you set the itinerary. 

 

Practical things to know

 

A few additional points that come up regularly: 

 

The seas between Nassau and Exuma can get rough quickly, especially in winter (December to March) when northerly winds pick up. If you are prone to seasickness, consider a fly-in option rather than a speedboat. 

 

All flights and tours are weather-sensitive, but flights cancel less often than boats. If your trip has limited dates and you cannot afford a cancellation, fly. 

 

The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, a protected area covering much of the central Exumas, has rules about what you can and cannot do (no fishing inside the park boundaries, no taking shells). If you are visiting on a tour, the operator handles this; if you are travelling independently, learn the rules first. 

 

Pig Beach is a real beach with real wild pigs, not a manicured attraction. The pigs are friendly but can bite. Most tour operators give a briefing before letting guests interact with them. Keep small children at a sensible distance. 

 

The Bahamas uses the Bahamian Dollar (BSD), which is pegged 1 to 1 with the US Dollar. US dollars are accepted everywhere on the islands. Cash matters in the smaller cays; ATMs are limited outside George Town. 

 

Cell coverage is reasonable on Great Exuma and in the major settled cays but patchy in the more remote cays. WiFi is available at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and other resorts. 

 

A final note

 

The trip from Nassau to Exuma is genuinely worth making. The water is as turquoise as the photos suggest, the pigs are as charming as everyone says, and the cays are quieter and more authentic than the busy Nassau and Paradise Island scenes. 

 

Choose the option that fits your time and budget, book the flights and tours ahead in high season (December through April), and check the operator's current website close to your travel date for schedules, fares, and any weather-related changes. 

 

Tourists feeding iguanas at Allen's Cay, Exuma 

 

Photo: Giongi63, Shutterstock 

 

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