The island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas has become one of the most well-known tourist sites in the Bahamas, and it’s no wonder why. With gorgeous scenery, friendly pigs, and other incredible sites in the area, who wouldn’t want to sign up for Pig Island tours and go swimming with the pigs?
That said, not everyone knows how to get to the island of Swimming Pigs, causing many travelers in the country to miss out on visiting it. However, air travel makes getting to Pig Beach easy – so easy that you can even sign up for day trips to the island from Nassau and other destinations.
Read on to learn how to embark on a Swimming Pigs Exuma experience!
The island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas is home to the friendly, beach-loving Exuma Pigs.
Island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas: How to Get There
Pig Island Tours to the Island
Big Major Cay is one of 365 islands in the Exumas, a region of the Bahamas famous for its scenery. While the chain of islands stretches out for many miles, you can expect beautiful beaches and turquoise water regardless of where in the region you choose to visit.
Given that the Bahamas is an archipelago, you can reach Big Major Cay (and the Exumas, in general) in one of two ways.
By Boat
Getting to the island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas by boat is a popular choice. Nassau is full of Pig Island tours that cruise across the water to visit the Swimming Pigs Exuma. However, just because traveling by boat is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best option.
While many tourists envision romantic Caribbean cruises, the reality can be a bit jarring. Even in clear weather conditions, you can expect the ride to be bumpy and uncomfortable since the boats have to cross through rough, open waters. When the weather turns, Pig Island tours by boat often have no choice but to cancel at the last minute.
On top of being uncomfortable, these tours also end up wasting a lot of time. Travel time eats up between two to three hours each way, limiting the time you can spend swimming with the pigs. Lengthy transit times also mean that you won’t have the opportunity to explore as many sites in the area.
By Plane
The second way to get to the island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas is by plane. Regardless of whether you’re looking to reach Big Major Cay (the official name of Pig Island) from Nassau, Georgetown, or even Miami, flying is a much better option.
When you cruise through the air, you don’t have to worry about choppy waters causing motion or seasickness. Likewise, you also don’t have to feel bummed out at how little time you get to spend with the Swimming Pigs Bahamas. Air travel is much more efficient than going by boat. How long can you expect the journey to take, exactly?
- From Miami: 2 hours (including a stop at Andros Island to clear customs)
- From Nassau: 30 minutes
- From Georgetown: 30 minutes
Air travel sidesteps many, if not all, of the issues that plague Pig Island tours that travel by boat. Do yourself a favor and choose to reach the island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas by air! See all of the Exuma Pig Island Tours
While the plane ride to the Exumas goes by quickly, you might not want it to.
Swimming With the Pigs: What to Expect
Once you arrive at the island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas, you can expect it to live up to or even exceed the images you had in your mind beforehand.
The pigs are friendly and eager to greet all the visitors who come to their island home. They’ll hop in the water to come out and greet you, then happily hang out on the beach as you explore the rest of their island.
While you’re there, you can also learn about the different theories surrounding how the pigs arrived at Big Major Cay. See which story you think is the most probable!
Staniel Cay is an island near Big Major Cay with an airport.
Other Exuma Sites
The great thing about Pig Island tours to the island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas is that you don’t just see the pigs themselves. While they’re certainly a highlight, day trips by plane also give you time to see some of the other sites in the area. These include:
- Staniel Cay, the beautiful island you fly into
- Compass Cay, home to a school of nurse sharks
- Bitter Guana Cay, home to iguanas
- Thunderball Grotto, a system of underwater caves
- An underwater plane wreck
- Pipe Creek, the site of stunning sandbars
Swimming Pigs Bahamas: Don’t Miss Out
The island of Swimming Pigs Bahamas might be the top attraction in the country. Because of all that it and the surrounding sites in the area have to offer, you’re going to want to ensure you give yourself time to visit it.
The easiest way to reach Big Major Cay is by flying by plane. Doing so lets you enjoy day trips from Nassau, Miami, and other destinations, taking you to the Swimming Pigs Exuma in the morning and then transporting you back home that same evening.
Contact us for Pig Island tours today!
