Staniel Cay

Staniel Cay is the Bahamas best kept secret. This small island, hidden in the Exuma Cays is your gateway to many amazing adventures including the famous Swimming Pigs. With exquisite beaches and luxurious hotels, Staniel Cay alone is a destination that will fulfil any vacation.

Staniel Cay Exuma: the Jewel in the Crown of the Bahamas

Staniel Cay Exuma is the gem of a beautiful oasis known as the Exuma Cays. It is the most well-known of all islands and cays in the area and home to a blend of small local village culture and high-end tourism. It is in the center of all the action including nearby the world-renowned Bahamas swimming pigs and Hollywood’s Thunderball Grotto.

Where is Staniel Cay island?

Staniel Cay is a tourism hub in the Exuma Cays about 75 miles south of Nassau and 250 miles southeast of Miami in the United States.

Its location between Bitter Guana Cay and Big Major Cay (Pig Beach) puts it right in the middle of an integral portion of Bahamas tourism. It is on of the larger islands in all of the Exumas.

The landing strip at Staniel Cay Airport is central to all other parts of the island and is only minutes away from anything you could need to reach – including the historic Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Though it is a large island for the Exumas, it is still only 2 miles squared with only 100 local residents. However, millions of tourists visit this tiny island year after year.

Information about Staniel Cay Bahamas

Staniel Cay Exuma has one of the only airport landing strips in the region which has made it a center of tourism and a gateway to the Exumas. Staniel Cay Airport has two hangars and one runway. Visitors from Nassau and Fort Lauderdale, Florida arrive everyday.

A flight to Staniel Cay Exuma from the country’s capital takes only half an hour via private plane and you will be afforded the opportunity to see the 365 islands of the Exuma Cays from a bird’s eye view which astronauts have said is the most beautiful view from the sky.

Alternatively, the trip via ferry takes less than 2.5 hours which is another popular option for those with more time on their hands.

The local History of Staniel Cay

In 1783, the Exuma Cays were settled and Staniel Cay was named and put on the world map. However, it wasn’t until the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and marina was built in 1956 that it became a more routinely visited part of the Bahamas. Before that, the Exumas were thought of as remote and a challenge to get to. Staniel Cay Yacht Club changed the destiny of the entire region.

What to do at Staniel Cay

Besides stopping in for a deliciously fresh seafood lunch or dinner at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, there are a plethora of water activities you can choose to do at Staniel Cay Village like boating rentals, eco-tours, snorkeling, swimming, paddle boarding, kayacking, or deep sea fishing with a local expert.

The beaches on Staniel Cay are often overlooked because of other areas around the Exumas, however, there are still a handful of good ones to spend an afternoon at including Town Beach, Ho Tai Cay Beach, South Beach, Ocean Beach, and Pirate Trap Beach. From the airport, all of these beaches are less than 5 minutes by automobile or 20 minutes on foot. Please note, Ocean Beach is not suitable for swimming, only its stunning views.

Other Useful Information about Staniel Cay Exuma

It is important that you withdraw whatever money you need with you during your stay at Staniel Cay before coming to the island. This is because there are no ATMs in Staniel Cay. However, because of this, dollars (USD) are widely used for trade and credit cards are also accepted at Staniel Cay Yacht Club (with a 5% processing fee).

Staniel Cay Yacht Club provides all of its guests with a bicycle included in the accommodation price, but you can also rent a golf cart to get around the island if a bicycle is not suitable for you.

It is also highly recommended to take a walk around the entirety of Staniel Cay Exuma if you have enough time.

Attractions around Staniel Cay Exuma

• • • Have lunch at the historic Staniel Cay Yacht Club
    • See what the swimming pigs craze is all about
    • Adventure as James Bond did at Thunderball Grotto
    • Explore the underwater sunken plane wreck of the cartel
    • Swim with reef sharks at the Compass Cay Marina
    • Test your luck at spotting rare iguanas at Bitter Guana Cay
    • Enjoy great white sand beaches at Great Guana Cay

Share this tour