Pig Beach, Exuma: Where to See the Swimming Pigs

Big Major Cay — better known as Pig Beach — is a boat-only wildlife stop in the Exuma Cays. A good visit starts with realistic expectations: the pigs may approach, conditions can change, and your guide's safety and wildlife instructions come first.

Where is Pig Beach in Exuma?

Pig Beach is on Big Major Cay, an uninhabited island in the central Exuma chain near Staniel Cay. There are no roads to the cay, so visitors need a boat-based plan and should confirm the departure point, travel time, weather policy, and return arrangements. The official Bahamas swimming-pigs guide is a useful starting point, but the operator's current instructions control the day.

How to get there

Options depend on where you are staying and what operators are running when you visit. Compare the complete route, not just the advertised stop:

Option 1: Day tour from George Town (Great Exuma)

Operators may run full-day boat tours from Great Exuma that combine Pig Beach with other central-cay stops. Confirm the current itinerary, departure time, boat capacity, food, shade, swim access, total price, and cancellation policy. Bring motion-sickness medication if you already know you need it.

Option 2: Fly to Staniel Cay

Some travelers base themselves near Staniel Cay and arrange a local boat trip. Confirm current flight availability, accommodation transfers, boat timing, and whether the operator can accommodate your luggage and weather contingency.

Option 3: Day trip from Nassau

Some operators may offer Nassau-based air-and-boat excursions, but routes, prices, baggage rules, and operating dates change. Ask for the complete itinerary and the plan if weather interrupts either flight or boat leg.

The best time of day to go

There is no guaranteed quiet time. Ask the operator when it expects to arrive, how it manages visitor numbers, and what it does if the cay is busy. Give the animals space and do not chase them for a photo.

What NOT to do

The pigs are wild animals living on a protected cay. A few rules that help protect the animals and other visitors:

• Do not feed them unless your guide explicitly provides an approved method. Never bring alcohol, junk food, or other unsuitable food for wildlife.
• Do not ride them, sit on them, or pick up piglets. Keep a safe distance and follow the guide's instructions.
• Don't chase them into the water for a photo. They swim out when they want to. Be patient.
• Take all your trash with you. Do not assume bins or other visitor services are available.

What to bring

• Reef-safe sunscreen (regular sunscreen damages the coral around Thunderball Grotto)
• A waterproof phone case or GoPro
• Payment and tip method confirmed with the operator before departure
• A light long-sleeve rash guard — the sun on the open boat is brutal
• Motion sickness medication, especially for the ride back when the wind picks up

Other stops on the typical tour

Most full-day tours combine Pig Beach with several other showstoppers in the central Exumas:

• Thunderball Grotto — the underwater cave from the James Bond film. Snorkel-through, best at slack tide.
• Compass Cay — a possible nurse-shark stop; follow the operator's wildlife rules and do not assume an encounter is guaranteed.
• Allen's Cay — a possible Bahamian rock-iguana stop; follow protected-area and guide instructions.
• Other cays and snorkel sites — the route depends on weather, tide, time, and the operator's current itinerary.

Is it worth it?

It can be a memorable day if the route, conditions, and wildlife expectations fit your trip. It is still a boat excursion: sea state, crowding, animal behavior, and the order of stops can vary. Choose an operator that explains those tradeoffs clearly.

Pair this with a longer beach trip

Coming from George Town? Plan a beach day on either side of your Pig Beach tour. Our guide to the best beaches in Exuma covers the spots locals actually go to.

Plan Pig Beach inside a flexible Exuma itinerary

Use the Exuma weather and marine forecast before committing to a boat day, read where Exuma is and how to reach the right island, and keep a road-access backup in your Exuma itinerary. Travelers basing themselves on Great Exuma can compare the Great Exuma planning hub; travelers staying near the cays can start with the Staniel Cay hub. Save the plan in the trip planner and verify the operator's current departure and return arrangements.

Plan it in the app

The Exuma Secrets app has tour operators rated by real users, a full trip planner, sunrise/sunset and tide tables, and offline maps so you don't lose service mid-Cays. Free download on iOS and Android.