Region
Exuma
Base on Great Exuma for 4–5 nights; see the cays on one boat day, not by hopping islands.
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- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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Key facts · The Bahamas
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Currency
- Bahamian dollar
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- A · B · 120 V
- Time zone
- UTC−5
Rules in force · 7Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…
- Caribbean ↗Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bahamas and Jamaica) jail visitors for a single stray bullet or cartridge in their luggage; empty every bag and pocket before you pack.
- Caribbean ↗From August to October keep a free last day before your flight home and check the national hurricane centre daily; airports close when a named storm approaches.
- Caribbean ↗Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several islands, including Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; leave it at home, children's clothes included.
- The Bahamas ↗Check entry rules for your passport on the official Bahamas government sources before you fly; requirements differ by nationality.
- The Bahamas ↗Respect marine protected areas: fishing, collecting shells or coral and anchoring rules are enforced in national parks such as the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
- The Bahamas ↗Do not bring firearms or ammunition; even a single forgotten round in a bag can lead to arrest.
- The Bahamas ↗Water-sports operators on Nassau and Paradise Island beaches are poorly regulated: use tour companies booked through your hotel and wear a life jacket.
Exuma is 360-plus cays strung over 209 km, and only Great Exuma has an airport, a town and rental cars. Sleep there, drive the island, and take one or two boat days north to the cays. Trying to sleep on three cays in a week means packing a boat every morning.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- Great ExumaGuide: planned
Airport, George Town, rental cars, most beds and restaurants.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- Staniel CayGuide: planned
Small airstrip and yacht club; the base for Thunderball Grotto and the northern cays.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 4 nights
- Great Exuma 4: one island drive day, one Stocking Island day, one boat day north
- 6 nights
- Great Exuma 4 + Staniel Cay 2 (fly or boat between; book the airstrip seat early)
- Currents at the cuts between cays are strong as the tide moves over the Exuma Bank — swim off the beach, not the cut, and keep someone watching from outside the water.
- Bull sharks are attracted to marinas where fish are cleaned; nurse sharks at Compass Cay and Staniel Cay are the ones you swim with.
- The Nassau–Exuma crossing is only about 64 km (40 mi) but open water; it chops up in wind. Sit mid-boat and bring a waterproof layer.The Nassau–Exuma crossing is only about 40 mi (64 km) but open water; it chops up in wind. Sit mid-boat and bring a waterproof layer.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocking Island | George Town | 15 min | check | Water taxi from the Peace and Plenty dock in George Town harbour; runs a few times a day, not a turn-up-and-go service. |
| Staniel Cay and Thunderball Grotto | George Town | 120 min | check | Boat day north; the grotto is swim-in only — snorkel at low tide, dive at high tide. |
| Exuma National Land and Sea Park | George Town | 180 min | check | Shroud Cay mangroves, Hawksbill Cay beaches, headquarters at Warderick Wells. Boat access only; no cell coverage. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding here; you carry bags onto the boat or the small plane. Pack for a wet landing.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bahamas (country-wide) | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok | go | go |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exuma caysGreat Exuma and the chain | best | best | best | best | ok | wet | wet | wet | storm | wet | best | best |
- Exuma cays
- December to April is the dry, breezy window; June–October is hot, humid and the hurricane season, with September the peak risk. Water stays swimmable year-round.
Boat days are the thing that gets cancelled — wind, not rain, is what scrubs a cays trip.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau (NAS) | Exuma International (GGT) | Short domestic flight | ~40 min air | Several flights a day; the airport is about 16 km (9.9 mi) north of George Town.Several flights a day; the airport is about 9.9 mi (16 km) north of George Town. |
| US East Coast (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Charlotte) | Exuma International (GGT) | Nonstop seasonal and year-round flights | 1 h 30–2 h 30 air | Routes and days change by season — check the schedule for your dates before booking the whole trip around it. |
| Nassau (NAS) | Northern Exumas | Speedboat day trip or charter | under 1 h to the northern cays | Day trips run from Nassau to the cays; they do not drop you on Great Exuma. |
Regional passes
Rental car (George Town or the airport)
buyThe only practical way to see Great Exuma and Little Exuma; book ahead in high season, left-hand drive.
Boat day from George Town
buyOne cays day is the reason most people come; pick the itinerary by what you want to see, not by price.
Water taxi to Stocking Island
buyCheap, short, and the trails and beach there are the easiest half-day from George Town.
Island-hop charter between cays
skipUnless you have your own boat, moving between cays costs a charter or a small-plane seat each time.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Conch chowder and cracked conch | George Town and the marinas | Marina yacht clubs are open to the public; outside George Town and Black Point, restaurants are scarce. |
| Beach bar lunch | Stocking Island | The island's one restaurant is a lunch-and-beer stop; bring cash and check the water-taxi times back. |
| Yacht club dinner | Farmer's Cay and Staniel Cay | Small kitchens, set hours — eat when they are open or you eat on the boat. |
Go next
Nassau
~40 min flight from GGT
The usual pairing: cays first, then the city, or the reverse.
New Providence
Same flights as Nassau
Nassau and Paradise Island beaches and history.
Eleuthera
plannedBack through Nassau, then a flight or ferry
Pink sand and quiet coves; no direct Exuma link.
Grand Bahama
plannedVia Nassau
Closest Out Island to Florida; national parks.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 1 base
- Day trips
- 3, 15 min to 3 h
- Nights suggested
- 4–6 nights
- Ways in
- 3 listed
- Best months
- Jan–Apr, Nov, Dec
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source