Swimming with the pigs is the thing everyone has seen on the internet, and it is the reason a lot of people book Exuma in the first place. Here is what actually happens on the day.
Where the pigs are
The pigs live at Big Major Cay, an uninhabited island next to Staniel Cay. That is around 40 to 50 miles north of George Town, which is where you will be if you are staying on Great Exuma. In a fast boat that is roughly two hours each way, depending on the water.
You cannot drive there. You cannot get there and back in an hour. Any tour that visits the pigs from Great Exuma is a full-day tour, and that is the correct way to do it.
What the day includes
A good Staniel Cay day usually runs like this:
- Swimming pigs at Big Major Cay
- Nurse sharks at Compass Cay
- Rock iguanas at Bitter Guana or Allen's Cay
- Thunderball Grotto snorkelling, the cave from the James Bond film
- A sandbar stop, water depending
- Lunch at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club
- Passing celebrity-owned private islands on the way
The pigs themselves take about fifteen minutes. That is the honest version. Everything else on that list is why the day is worth it.
What the pigs are actually like
They are large, they are strong swimmers and they are extremely food motivated. They will swim straight at the boat when they hear an engine. Feed them what the guide gives you, keep your fingers flat, and do not stand between a pig and a piece of bread.
Kids love it. Adults photograph it. Nobody regrets it. Just do not expect it to be a serene half hour with a gentle animal.
Booking and cost
Full-day Staniel Cay tours from George Town typically run in the region of a few hundred dollars per person on a shared boat, more for a private charter. Prices move with fuel and season, so confirm when you book.
We send our guests to Theo.
Tours R Us Exuma
Full-day Staniel Cay charters: pigs, sharks, iguanas, grotto and lunch.
Visit toursrusexuma.comPractical notes
- Tours leave early. Expect a 7 to 8 AM start.
- Weather cancels trips. Book it early in your stay so you have another day to fall back on.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, a dry bag and motion sickness tablets if you are prone.
- Bring cash for lunch and for tipping the crew.
- If you would rather skip the two hour crossing, stay on Staniel Cay itself. See the best small homes in Exuma.
Is it worth it?
Yes, if you treat it as the Staniel Cay day rather than the pig day. It is the single best use of a full day here, and it is the one thing I tell every guest to book. More on the rest of the island in things to do in Exuma.