No trip to the Bahamas is complete without swimming with sharks in Exuma. And while you can find several islands offering a swim with sharks Exuma experience, Compass Cay is the best location.
Located near the world-famous Pig Island, Compass Cay Marina has its own unique history, as well as its own unique animal residents.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the Compass Cay Bahamas sharks and the easiest way to see them. We’ll also introduce other nearby attractions worth checking out like the Swimming Pigs.
Read on to learn more!
Swimming With Sharks in Exuma: Meet the Compass Cay Sharks
Swim With Sharks Bahamas
Some experts consider The Bahamas to be the shark capital of the world because of the diversity of species found there. Some of the 40 different species include:
- Tiger sharks
- Oceanic whitetips
- Lemon sharks
- Caribbean reef sharks
- Bull sharks
- Great hammerheads
- Nurse sharks
While sharks have a bad reputation, even attacks by species like bull sharks and tiger sharks are rare. Today, we’re more of a threat to sharks than they are to us, so the Bahamian government has taken extensive measures to protect them.
When looking at swimming with sharks in Exuma, a district of The Bahamas, the best swim with sharks Bahamas experience involves getting in the water with nurse sharks at Compass Cay.
Nurse sharks are one of many species in the Bahamas.
Nurse sharks are one of the more docile shark types, and while they can grow large, they resemble large catfish as opposed to some of their more aggressive counterparts.
Compass Cay is around 75 miles (121 kilometers) southeast of Nassau, the capital.
Compass Cay Bahamas Sharks
As mentioned, the Compass Cay Bahamas sharks are nurse sharks. This species is ideal to go swimming with sharks in Exuma since they’re docile and rarely aggressive.
Compass Cay is home to a small marina, and the owner has always been a shark fanatic. After consistently feeding a group of nurse sharks, they decided to stick around the waters by the piers.
Compass Cay is one of the best places to swim with sharks Bahamas.
Since the nurse sharks are always by the marina, Compass Cay began to attract attention over the years. Today, the island is well regarded as one of the top places to go swimming with sharks in Exuma and the world.
Besides attracting travelers, Compass Cay has also attracted documentary crews. The island and its sharks have been on Animal Planet, Discovery, and other channels.
When you get to the island to swim with sharks Exuma, you’ll quickly understand why. Watching these massive animals calmly swim by you makes for an unforgettable experience!
Swim With Sharks Exuma: How to Do It
So if you want to go swimming with sharks in Exuma, how can you do it? Because the island is isolated from popular destinations like Nassau, the easiest way is by signing up for Bahamas day trips to Exuma.
On such a journey, you depart from Nassau, Miami, or another destination in the morning and fly to Staniel Cay. Known as the Gateway to Exuma, this nearby island is home to a regional airport.
Once at Staniel Cay, you switch over to a boat and make your way to numerous local attractions, including the swimming with sharks in Exuma experience.
Compass Cay is easy to visit on Bahamas day trips to Exuma.
You’ll spend a good chunk of time with the Compass Cay Sharks before making your way to the other nearby attractions. Later that afternoon, you then return to your original destination.
While you can find Bahamas day trips that travel by boat, we always recommend flying. Doing so saves you time, giving you more time with the sharks, and offers a more comfortable and scenic experience.
Consider one of our Exuma Day Trips with departure from:
Other Attractions Near the Compass Cay Sharks
While swimming with sharks in Exuma is the standout experience for many, Compass Cay isn’t the only site you visit on Bahamas day trips from Nassau or Miami.
On your swim with sharks Bahamas tour, you can also look forward to visiting:
- Staniel Cay: The Exuma island you arrive at and later eat lunch at
- Pig Island: Officially known as Big Major Cay, the famous home of the friendly and playful Swimming Pigs
- Pipe Creek: Home to beautiful sandbars you can visit and traverse at low tide
- Thunderball Grotto: A filming location for the James Bond film Thunderball, home to a system of underwater caves you can snorkel through
- Staniel Cay Plane Wreck: A vessel that crashed down decades ago that makes another excellent snorkeling site
- Bitter Guana Cay: A quiet and stunning island home to an endangered species of iguana, the northern Bahamian rock iguana
Given all that you get to see on a Swimming Pigs Island tour, it’s hard to say which stop will be your favorite!
Swimming With Sharks in Exuma on Bahamas Day Trips
Compass Cay is the best place to go swimming with sharks in Exuma and the Bahamas. Offering a safe but exhilarating experience, the island is a can’t-miss stop surrounded by other amazing sites, like the Swimming Pigs.
Contact us today to learn more about the swim with sharks Exuma experience!
