Exuma Cays Yacht Charter: Pigs, Grottos & 365 Islands (2026)
Charter the Exuma Cays by private crewed yacht: swim with the pigs, snorkel Thunderball Grotto, and reach anchorages no resort can. A broker’s 2026 guide.
Last Updated: October 22, 2026
The Exuma Cays string 365 islands across roughly 120 miles of the clearest water in the Bahamas, and a private crewed yacht charter is the only way to reach the best of them. Swimming pigs, a James Bond grotto, nurse sharks you can pet, and a 176-square-mile marine park where nothing is taken. Most sit on cays with no airport and no resort, and often no other boat in sight. A week aboard a crewed Bahamas charter turns that scattered chain into one well-run trip.
Why charter the Exuma Cays?
The Exuma Cays are a chain of 365 cays running about 120 miles from roughly 35 miles southeast of Nassau down to George Town on Great Exuma (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, 2026). Most of those cays are uninhabited, privately owned, or protected, which is exactly why a yacht beats a resort here. You are not driving to a beach; you are anchoring off your own.
The heart of the chain is the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, established by the Bahamas National Trust in 1958 as the first land-and-sea park in the world. It covers 112,640 acres and has been a no-take marine reserve since 1986, the first in the wider Caribbean, so its conch, grouper, and lobster populations stay visibly healthy (Bahamas National Trust, 2026).
That protection shows up underwater. Reefs are denser, fish are bigger and less skittish, and the water clarity over the white-sand banks is the kind people fly across the world to see. And our Bahamas charter destinations reach well beyond this one chain: but the Exuma Cays are where most charter weeks are won.
How to get to your Exuma charter: Nassau is the main gateway
Most Exuma Cays yacht charters start in Nassau, the main international gateway to the Bahamas, but it isn’t the only way in. American Airlines flies from Miami to George Town on Great Exuma, with three flights a day from December 17, 2026 to April 5, 2027 (Caribbean Journal, 2026). Makers Air flies daily from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport to Staniel Cay (Makers Air, 2026). All three ways to board below start in Nassau; a direct flight to George Town or Staniel Cay lets you skip it. Where your group boards is the most useful thing to settle before you book.
Of the 261 crewed yachts publishing a Bahamas rate for 2026-2027, only 4 name the Exumas as their winter base (Vital Charters rate analysis, October 2026). Another 56 name Nassau and 95 name South Florida. So almost every Exuma yacht charter uses a yacht based somewhere else, which repositions to meet you at one of the three boarding points below. The Bahamas yacht charter companies directory lists 39 companies that sell Bahamas charters, each checked on its own website.
The three ways to board
- Board in Nassau and cruise down. The simplest logistics: you step aboard in Nassau and the crew runs the yacht across the bank to the northern cays. Plan on a transit day, but you get the full passage and zero extra flights.
- Fly Nassau → Staniel Cay (about 40 minutes). Small regional carriers like Flamingo Air and Titan Air hop you to Staniel Cay, the most popular embarkation point because it sits right next to Pig Beach, Thunderball Grotto, and Compass Cay (Staniel Cay Adventures, 2026). You meet the yacht mid-chain and start the highlights on day one.
- Fly Nassau → George Town (GGT). Exuma International Airport on Great Exuma anchors the southern end of the chain, a good embarkation or disembarkation point if you want to run the Exumas one direction.
Expect to clear Bahamas customs and immigration on arrival, in Nassau if you connect there, so keep your passport in your carry-on. The common embarkation and disembarkation points are Nassau, Staniel Cay, and George Town, and many groups fly into one and out of another so they never backtrack.
Most guests overnight in Nassau on one end of the trip, and where to stay there depends on which airport and marina you’re using; our guide to the best hotels in Nassau before a yacht charter covers both.
Why power yachts rule the Exumas (and sailing rules the BVI)
Power catamarans and motor yachts dominate the Exuma charter fleet, while the British Virgin Islands lean heavily toward sailing yachts, and the reason is geography, not preference. The Exumas demand more boat speed and shallower draft than the compact, trade-wind BVI. Here’s what that changes about the trip you actually get.
The cays are spread out, not line-of-sight. In the BVI you island-hop in short, sheltered legs you can practically see from one anchorage to the next, under steady trades. Sailing is the point. The Exumas run 120 miles with real open-water crossings: the bank crossing out of Nassau, the coral-studded Yellow Bank, and Exuma Sound on the ocean side. Speed is what lets a one-week charter actually reach Staniel, Compass Cay, and Warderick Wells and still get back.
The banks are shallow. The Great Bahama Bank averages only about 10–15 feet deep, and the sandbars and cuts are shallower still. A catamaran drawing 3–5 feet, or a power cat, tucks over sandbars and into bays that a deep-draft monohull simply can’t enter.
If you’re weighing hull types, our breakdown of a power catamaran versus a sailing catamaran goes deeper, and our BVI-versus-Bahamas comparison lays the two destinations side by side. The short version: pick the BVI to sail, pick the Exumas to explore.
Pig Beach, Thunderball Grotto and Staniel Cay: the signature stops you’re chartering for
The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park alone spans 176 square miles, but the chain’s signature stops cluster within a day’s cruise of Staniel Cay (Bahamas National Trust, 2026). The swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, the Thunderball Grotto off Staniel Cay and the nurse sharks at Compass Cay all sit inside that cluster, and a crewed itinerary threads them together in a way day-trippers never see. These are the anchorages your captain will build the week around.
Big Major Cay: the swimming pigs
Pig Beach on Big Major Cay is home to around 20 free-roaming pigs and piglets that swim out to greet boats (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, 2026). They are the most photographed residents of the Bahamas for good reason, but feed them only fruit and vegetables, and let them come to you. The crew handles the dinghy run and the etiquette.
Staniel Cay: Thunderball Grotto
Thunderball Grotto, a sunlit underwater cave off Staniel Cay, was the dive set for the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball and again for Never Say Never Again (Staniel Cay Adventures, 2026). Snorkel it at low or slack tide, when the currents ease and the submerged entrances are easiest to reach. In our experience the safe window is short, often just the half-hour around slack, so the crew plans the day’s route to drop you there at exactly the right time.
Compass Cay: swim with nurse sharks
At Compass Cay Marina, habituated nurse sharks glide around the dock pilings and let visitors wade among them (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism). Nurse sharks are harmless bottom-dwellers, and it’s one of the most memorable hours of any Exuma week, especially for kids.
Warderick Wells & Shroud Cay: the park
Warderick Wells is the headquarters of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, famous for the Boo Boo Hill driftwood-sign tradition and a beach displaying a pilot-whale skeleton (Lindblad Expeditions, 2023). Just north, Shroud Cay hides mangrove creeks and a natural current ride locals call “the Washing Machine.” This is the protected core of the chain, and your park fees go straight to keeping it that way.
Norman’s Cay & Highbourne Cay: the north
Norman’s Cay carries the Exumas’ strangest history: it was the Medellín Cartel’s Bahamian base around 1978–1982, and a Curtiss C-46 that crashed short of the runway in 1980 still sits in the shallows as a snorkel wreck (Out Island Life, 2025). Nearby Highbourne Cay makes an easy northern gateway, with snorkeling, fishing, and living stromatolites, among the oldest life forms on Earth.
A sample 7-day Exuma Cays itinerary
A classic Exuma Cays charter runs seven nights, threading the northern and central cays from Staniel Cay up to Warderick Wells and back. This is one realistic week aboard a crewed power catamaran, embarking at Staniel Cay to put the headliners first; your captain adjusts daily for weather, tide, and what your group loves.
Day 1: Staniel Cay, board and settle
Meet the yacht at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, get the safety and toy briefing, and ease into the first sunset with a swim off the swim platform.
Day 2: Big Major Cay & Thunderball Grotto
Morning at Pig Beach before the day boats arrive, then snorkel Thunderball Grotto at slack tide. Anchor overnight in the lee of Big Major.
Day 3: Compass Cay & Pipe Creek
Wade with the nurse sharks at Compass Cay, then gunkhole the sandbars of Pipe Creek, the kind of shallow maze only a shallow-draft boat reaches.
Day 4: Warderick Wells
Pick up a park mooring, hike to Boo Boo Hill, and snorkel the protected reefs. A quiet, no-take-reserve day.
Day 5: Shroud Cay
Run the mangrove creek by dinghy to the ocean-side beach and ride “the Washing Machine” on the incoming tide.
Day 6: Highbourne or Norman’s Cay
Snorkel the sunken plane at Norman’s Cay and toast the last full day at a northern anchorage.
Day 7: Cruise to Nassau or fly out
Disembark at Staniel Cay and fly home via Nassau or direct to Fort Lauderdale, or cruise north if you boarded in Nassau.
Best time to charter the Exuma Cays
The best time to visit the Exumas is mid-December to mid-April, when the weather is driest, the seas are calmest, and air temperatures sit around 75–85°F (DiscoverBahamas, 2025). That’s high season, so the best yachts book months out. Searches for the best time to visit Exuma have climbed sharply year over year, and the honest answer rewards a little flexibility.
March and April are the sweet spot: peak conditions with thinning crowds, especially after Easter. May, June, and November are strong shoulder months: warm water, fewer boats, and softer pricing. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the real storm risk concentrated in August through October. For a region-wide view, see our month-by-month guide to the best time to charter in the Caribbean.
What an Exuma Cays yacht charter costs
A crewed catamaran under 60 feet lists at a median of $26,000 per week in the Bahamas, middle half $22,500 to $32,000 across 30 yachts. Motor yachts run a median of $45,000 at 60 to 79 feet, $65,000 at 80 to 99, and $80,500 at 100 to 129 (Vital Charters rate analysis, September 2026). The fleet moves freely between Nassau, the Exumas and the Abacos, so the yacht does not change price by island. What changes with the Exumas is the park charges below.
| Vessel | Yachts | Median week | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran, under 60 ft | 30 | $26,000 | $22,500 to $32,000 |
| Catamaran, 60 to 79 ft | 13 | $49,500 | $45,500 to $80,500 |
| Motor yacht, 60 to 79 ft | 18 | $45,000 | $41,000 to $55,000 |
| Motor yacht, 80 to 99 ft | 39 | $65,000 | $50,000 to $90,000 |
| Motor yacht, 100 to 129 ft | 55 | $80,500 | $65,000 to $105,000 |
Source: Vital Charters rate analysis, September 2026. Listed base rates, one 2026-2027 high-season rate per yacht. Excludes 10 percent VAT, the 4 percent charter tax and a customary 15 to 20 percent crew gratuity.
Most Exuma Cays crewed catamaran charters are quoted all-inclusive: the base fee already covers food, drinks, fuel, water toys, and dockage, with no separate provisioning or APA added on. You pay the base plus 10% VAT, a 4% charter tax, and a customary 15–20% crew gratuity at the end. A $26,000 all-inclusive week lands near $33,500 to $34,800 all in, and a $35,000 one near $45,200 to $47,000 (Vital Charters rate analysis, September 2026).
Motor yachts work the other way: 96 percent of those publishing a 2026-2027 Bahamas rate charge plus expenses (Vital Charters rate analysis, October 2026). On those you pay an Advance Provisioning Allowance for fuel, food and dockage on top of the base, and it runs 30 to 40 percent of the base rate, averaging 35 (Vital Charters rate analysis, September 2026). For how each model is billed, see our explainers on how APA works and all-inclusive charters.
One Exuma-specific line item is the Land and Sea Park’s fees, which the crew handles for you along with the boat’s Bahamas cruising permit. Inside the reserve the yacht pays its mooring plus $12.73 per guest per day, the $14 a head you’ll see quoted once the 10 percent VAT is added (Bahamas National Trust). On an eight-guest week with three nights in the park, these fees come to a few hundred dollars, absorbed by the rate or the allowance in the vast majority of cases. For how the Bahamas compares on price to other regions, see our Caribbean charter cost breakdown by destination.
What lands on an Exuma charter invoice?
Everything below applies anywhere in the Bahamas; only the park line is specific to the Exumas. Full bands by hull and length, and a worked week with every line, are in our Bahamas yacht charter prices guide.
A Bahamas charter invoice adds 14 percent to the charter fee, 10 percent VAT plus a 4 percent charter tax, and no charter rate includes it. Cruising permits and Exuma park fees come out of the rate or the APA in the vast majority of cases. Budget a customary 15 to 20 percent crew gratuity on top.
| Line item | Typical amount | Who sets it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) | None mandatory on all-inclusive catamarans, except a small allowance, usually 5 percent, on about 1 rate in 50. Plus-expenses charters add an APA, typically 30 to 35 percent of the base rate, intended to cover every running fee except government taxes, refunded where unspent | Each yacht’s own charter terms; MYBA publishes the mechanics, not a percentage | Vital Charters APA listings analysis |
| Charter taxes (VAT + charter tax) | 14 percent of the charter fee: 10 percent VAT plus a 4 percent charter tax, billed on top of any rate | Government of The Bahamas | S.I. No. 57 of 2025 |
| Cruising permit and arrival tax | Paid by the yacht from the rate or the APA in the vast majority of cases: its cruising permit, and the per-guest arrival tax if you board in Florida. Bring your passport; the crew handles clearance | Bahamas Customs | Bahamas Customs, Pleasure Vessel Clearance |
| Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park fees | Inside the rate or the APA in the vast majority of cases: $12.73 per guest per day | Bahamas National Trust | BNT, Exuma Park fees |
| Crew gratuity | Customarily 15 to 20 percent of the charter fee in the Caribbean crewed fleet, the band CYBA’s Inclusive Agreement (Clause 2.B) calls the customary rate; MYBA’s 2026 guidelines publish no percentage, and both leave it at your discretion | Custom, written into the CYBA form | CYBA Inclusive Agreement, Clause 2.B (2020) |
Fees verified September 2026.
Start planning your Exuma Cays week
The Exuma Cays reward the travelers who arrive by sea, and the difference between a good week and a perfect one usually comes down to the right boat and the right embarkation plan. Tell us your dates and group size and we’ll match you to a power catamaran or motor yacht that fits, then handle the travel logistics end to end. Start a yacht search at Vital Charters, or read our full guide to planning a Caribbean charter first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim with the pigs in Exuma?
Yes. The swimming pigs live on Big Major Cay, often called Pig Beach, where around 20 pigs and piglets roam free and paddle out to boats (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, 2026). Feed them only fruit or vegetables and let them approach you. A crewed charter reaches Pig Beach by dinghy, ideally early before the day boats arrive.
How do you get to the Exumas?
Most guests fly into Nassau. From there you either board your yacht and cruise down or take a short hop to Staniel Cay or George Town. You can also skip Nassau: George Town has flights from Miami (Caribbean Journal, 2026), and Staniel Cay has daily flights from Fort Lauderdale. Either way, bring your passport, because you clear into the Bahamas on arrival.
Do you need a yacht to see the Exuma Cays?
Not strictly, but a crewed yacht is by far the best way. The 365 cays spread across 120 miles (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, 2026), and the iconic stops (Pig Beach, Thunderball Grotto, Compass Cay, and the marine park) are only reachable by boat. Day-trippers see a sliver; a charter opens up the whole chain on your own schedule.
Is Exuma better than the BVI?
They’re different. The British Virgin Islands suit travelers who want short, sheltered, line-of-sight sailing hops under steady trades. The Exumas suit those who want swimming pigs, sandbars, and protected marine-park water, reached by faster power yachts over longer open-water passages.
Why are most Exuma charter yachts power instead of sail?
Longer passages, open crossings, and shallow banks reward fast, shallow-draft power catamarans and motor yachts that can cover ground and tuck over sandbars. The compact, trade-wind BVI is where sailing thrives; the spread-out Exumas favor power.
Can you charter a crewed catamaran in the Exumas?
Yes, and it will most likely be a sailing catamaran. Motor yachts make up most of the Bahamas charter fleet, which is why the Exumas lean toward power, but about three in four crewed catamarans with a 2026-2027 Bahamas rate are sailing cats and the rest power cats (Vital Charters rate analysis, October 2026). Both draw little enough water for the Exuma banks. A sailing cat is slower on the long run down from Nassau, so you’ll get more of the week in the cays by meeting it at Staniel Cay; ask whether moving the yacht there changes the quote. Our Bahamas price guide breaks catamaran rates down by length and cabin count.
When is the best time to visit Exuma?
December through April delivers the best weather and calmest seas, with March and April the sweet spot for fewer crowds (DiscoverBahamas, 2025). May, June, and November are good-value shoulder months. Hurricane season runs June through November, peaking August to October.
How much does an Exuma Cays charter cost?
It depends on the yacht’s type and length far more than on where in the Bahamas you cruise. Compare totals rather than base rates: sailing catamarans mostly quote all-inclusive, but power catamarans are split, with 8 of the 14 that publish a 2026-2027 Bahamas rate charging plus expenses (Vital Charters rate analysis, October 2026). Bahamas VAT, the charter tax and the crew gratuity come on top of any rate, and the cost and invoice tables in this guide give the median week by size and every line item.
Sail the Exuma Cays Your Way
Tell us your dates and group size and we’ll match you to the right power catamaran or motor yacht, then handle the travel logistics end to end.
