Most people arrive in Exuma expecting a standard paradise island with crystal-clear water and a full activity menu. Honestly, Exuma is behind other destinations on some of that. What it has instead is beauty, because there is very little construction and things still run the old way. That is the good part.
Here is what you should know before you come. It will not take long, I promise.
1. We drive on the left
Yes, really. Like the UK. It caught me out too.
You will also see plenty of cars with the steering wheel on the right, because a lot of locals import from Japan. Nissan Cubes are everywhere here, which surprises people.
Be extremely careful with this. We had a guest crash in the George Town area in a Nissan Altima because nobody told him people drive on the left. He was fine, thankfully, but he ended up buying a new car after it. I would rather that did not happen to you. Drive on the left.
2. Most places close early
If you arrive on a Sunday, talk to your host or hotel concierge and have food delivered and stocked before you land.
Grocery stores close at 3 PM. They know people arrive after that and they close anyway. Monday to Friday, most places shut at 5 PM. A few restaurants closer to the airport stay open until 8 PM.
We are not fighting it. That is simply how the island runs.
3. There is no nightlife
Young guests in their twenties ask me about nightlife all the time, and I am always honest with them. If you want beach plus nightlife, go to Miami or Ibiza. Exuma is nature, beach, chill and disconnection.
That could change if someone opens a club here one day. Right now, everything closes before 6 PM, so a full night out is not on the menu.
4. The roads and power are not perfect, and that is fine
The roads on the main island are decent. Head further into Little Exuma and they get rougher. There is also a one-lane bridge you have to cross to reach Little Exuma, where you wait at one end for oncoming cars to clear before you go.
Power outages are common, whether from rain, poles going down or something else entirely. That is exactly why most vacation homes run their own generators. Nobody wants a guest without air conditioning in this heat.
This is a small island with a small population, still developing, with plenty of vacant land. Everything has to be imported from the US, which is expensive and slow. These people are doing a lot with very little, and the place is so beautiful that you stop caring about the rest.
5. Bring cash as well as cards
Larger businesses take cards. Smaller ones, roadside food stalls and some tour operators prefer cash, and card machines depend on a connection that is not always there. Carry some cash and you will never be stuck.
Is Exuma worth it?
Exuma is great, and it is expensive, and it is worth every penny. I used to think I did not like the beach. Then I visited Exuma and realised I just did not like ugly beaches.
Ready to plan the days? Here are the four things worth doing in Exuma and how to get here in the first place.