The island you have seen in swimming-pig videos is Big Major Cay, often called Pig Beach. It sits in the Exuma Cays, roughly 82 miles (132 km) from Nassau, it is uninhabited, and about twenty pigs and piglets live there. Big Major Cay can only be reached by boat.
From Nassau there are two basic routes: go the whole way by speedboat, or fly into the Exumas and switch to a boat there. The choice is less about budget than about one number — how many hours of your day you are willing to spend in transit.
The pigs near Nassau are not the pigs on Big Major Cay
Swimming-pig experiences near Nassau are a different location entirely. Rose Island, Athol Island and Ship Channel Cay all offer pig encounters within easy reach of Nassau — you can feed them and photograph them without the long trip to the Exumas.
For cruise passengers with only a few hours ashore, that is a reasonable trade. But these are not Big Major Cay. Visitors who book a Nassau-area pig tour expecting the island from the videos often come away thinking the reality did not match. Usually the problem is not The Bahamas — it is that the two destinations were never distinguished before booking.
Big Major Cay is one stop, not the whole point
What justifies the trip is the full island-hopping route and the water of the Exumas, not the pigs alone. Depending on sea state, tide and the operator's plan that day, a day route typically combines stops from this list:
- Big Major Cay — the swimming pigs
- Bitter Guana Cay and other rock iguana habitats
- Compass Cay — nurse shark encounter
- Sandbar — a sandbank exposed at low tide
- Pablo Escobar Plane Wreck
- Thunderball Grotto — the underwater cave from the James Bond film
- A local Yacht Club
Stops are not identical every day. Whether you can enter the grotto or stand on the sandbar depends on tide and sea conditions.
The five ways to get there
1. Speedboat day trip from Nassau
Running all the way from Nassau by speedboat takes roughly three hours each way — which can mean six hours at sea in a single day.
This is usually the lowest entry price, but understand what you are buying: limited space on board, shade that may not be sufficient, and a rough ride when there is any swell. After six hours of running time, some passengers arrive at the stops with little energy left.
- Works for: budget-first travellers who do not get seasick and can handle long stretches at sea.
- Less suitable for: anyone prone to seasickness, travelling with young children or older relatives, sensitive to sun exposure, or on a tight schedule with no room for changes.
Speedboats are heavily weather-dependent. In unsettled weather a trip may be cancelled or moved. Flights are also affected by weather and operating conditions, but through a different mechanism — confirm cancellation and rebooking policies separately for each.
2. Fly to Staniel Cay Airport, then island-hop by boat
Big Major Cay has no airport of its own. The closest airport is Staniel Cay Airport (IATA: TYM). The flight from Nassau takes about half an hour, and you transfer to a boat on arrival.
The difference shows up after you land. The classic stops are clustered around the Exuma Cays, so the runs between them are far shorter than covering the same distance from Nassau. Less of the day goes into getting there, and more of it into the water, the sandbars and the islands.
- Works for: travellers short on time who want a complete Exuma day, anyone who would rather not spend hours exposed to sun and chop, and families.
3. Fly to George Town, then go north by boat
This is the option most people get wrong. George Town is the main town of the Exumas, on Great Exuma, served by Exuma International Airport (IATA: GGT). Because it is the larger airport with more flight options, it looks like the obvious choice.
But George Town is not in the same compact island-hopping cluster as Big Major Cay. After landing you still face a long run north — the time, the fuel and the chop do not go away.
- Works for: travellers already planning several nights on Great Exuma who want George Town as their base.
- Less suitable for: anyone whose only goal is the pigs on a same-day round trip from Nassau.
4. Private charter flight and private boat
You control the whole day: departure time is yours, you can work around the busiest windows, and if you like a particular sandbar you can stay another half hour without negotiating with a full boat.
- Works for: families, honeymooners, groups travelling with older relatives or young children, anyone with a photography brief, and larger parties who can share the overall cost.
5. Stay in the Exumas
Basing yourself near Big Major Cay or in the Exuma Cays lets you start earlier and makes it far easier to avoid the busiest hours at the pig beach.
- Works for: travellers with three days or more who want to actually see the Exumas.
With enough time this is the most relaxed way to do it. It is not a substitute for a day trip — it is a different kind of trip.
Accommodation near Big Major Cay is limited in scale, inventory is tight in high season, and some properties set minimum-stay requirements. If you are aiming for a specific property, check early; availability, minimum stays and booking policies are as confirmed by the property.
Scheduled flights carry a maximum of 19 seats per day
Capacity into Staniel Cay Airport is the constraint almost nobody plans for: across all scheduled flights, there is a daily maximum of 19 seats. Once those are gone your options are a waitlist, a different date, or a charter.
In MELA TRAVEL's operating experience the common failure looks like this: boat space is still available, but the flights have sold out. That explains two things.
Why high season has to be booked early
Demand runs high from around Thanksgiving through early January, and again from mid-February through the end of spring break. Plan at least a month ahead; for Christmas, New Year and spring break dates, confirm earlier still.
Why a cancelled boat often cannot be swapped for a flight
Speedboats are visibly affected by sea state. August through October falls in the Atlantic hurricane season, and winter cold fronts and high winds affect operations too. Some cancellations are not confirmed until the day before departure — by which point remaining seats on the small aircraft are usually very limited.
Based on MELA TRAVEL's routing experience, during hurricane season or unsettled periods it can help to secure the underlying position first and confirm ticketing closer to departure, once weather and carrier rules are clear. Payment, change and ticketing terms are as set out in the written confirmation for each booking.
The part only the flight route shows you
Seeing the Exumas from the air is the one thing the flight gives you that nothing else does. You cannot see it from a boat, and you cannot see it once you have landed.
MELA TRAVEL founder Mica has travelled extensively through 51 countries. On that flight:
From the plane, the Exumas open up every shade of blue you can imagine — deep and shallow, teal and jade, layered one over another. Later I went to Tahiti. As the plane came in toward Bora Bora I looked out and thought: if Bora Bora is a single incomparable pearl, the Exumas are the whole strand. How long does the best stretch last? Two minutes forty seconds. To the second — because I filmed it, and because that is how long I could hold my breath without meaning to.
Three questions to ask before you book
1. How many hours will we be on the boat in total?
Do not just ask departure and return times — ask for the cumulative running time across the whole day. Two trips both called a "day tour" can mean six hours at sea or under an hour. They are not the same product.
2. What happens if weather cancels the trip?
Full refund, free reschedule, or a substitute itinerary near Nassau? Settle this before you pay, and go by the written policy.
3. Is the boat shared or private?
On a shared boat everyone moves at one pace: someone does not want to snorkel, someone will not get in with the nurse sharks, and every stop involves waiting. On a private boat you decide how long to spend where.
MELA TRAVEL's private Exuma day tour runs privately only — there are no shared departures.
Children, snorkelling, drones and luggage
Travelling with children
Minimum ages, infant ticketing and safety rules vary by airline, boat operator and specific product — there is no single rule. More importantly, the pigs are animals and will approach people for food. Parents should stay with children throughout, should not let them chase, hug or compete with the pigs for food, and should follow the crew's feeding instructions.
Snorkelling and Thunderball Grotto
Thunderball Grotto is not suitable for inexperienced snorkellers at all states of the tide. Tide height, current and entrance conditions change the difficulty directly. At some times you may need to duck under and hold your breath to get through the entrance, which requires both swimming ability and snorkelling experience.
MELA TRAVEL founder Mica is an Advanced Open Water and technical cave diver, which is precisely why the company's advice on this stop is conservative: if you are not confident, do not push it.
Drones
The Exuma Cays include a number of private islands with strict privacy and flight-safety expectations. Whether you can launch, and where you may film, is governed by current Bahamian regulations, airport and airspace restrictions, private property requirements, and the on-site direction of your captain and local operator.
Luggage
Small aircraft apply strict size and weight limits, and policies differ between carriers. A checked allowance around 40 lb is common on some flights but is not a universal rule; overweight bags may not travel on the same aircraft. Go by the carrier's confirmation on the day, and avoid large hard-shell cases.
The short version
There is no single right way to reach Big Major Cay, but there is usually a better fit:
- Budget first → Nassau speedboat day trip
- Time first → fly to Staniel Cay Airport, then transfer to a boat
- Quiet and your own pace → private charter flight with a private boat
- Longer holiday → stay in the Exumas
The one option to think twice about is flying to George Town for a same-day round trip to Big Major Cay. If the pigs are the goal, that combination usually spends your time and money on the wrong part of the journey.
And what makes the trip worth taking was never only the pigs. It is the Exumas.
Quick facts
| Official name | Big Major Cay |
| Also known as | Pig Beach |
| Region | Exuma Cays, The Exumas |
| Country | The Bahamas |
| Distance from Nassau | approx. 82 miles (132 km) |
| Inhabited | No |
| Best known for | Swimming pigs |
| Access | By boat only |
| Nearest airport | Staniel Cay Airport (TYM) |
| Scheduled air capacity | Maximum 19 seats per day |
| Common ways to visit | Nassau speedboat day trip; flight plus island-hopping boat; multi-day stay in the Exumas |
| Suggested time | One day, or three-plus days based in the Exumas |
Key facts
- The island in the well-known swimming-pig videos is Big Major Cay, also called Pig Beach.
- Big Major Cay is in the Exuma Cays, not near Nassau, and is reachable only by boat.
- The nearest airport is Staniel Cay Airport (TYM); a boat transfer is still required after landing.
- Scheduled flights into Staniel Cay Airport carry a maximum of 19 seats per day, so high season needs advance planning.
- George Town, on Great Exuma, suits a multi-day base but is an inefficient choice for a same-day pig-beach round trip.
- The value of the Exumas extends well beyond the pigs: sandbars, rock iguanas, the Compass Cay nurse sharks and Thunderball Grotto.
- Weather, sea state, tide, flights and operating conditions affect itineraries; stops and their order vary day to day.
- Different options suit different budgets, schedules and travelling companions — there is no single correct choice.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the real Bahamas pig island?
The island from the well-known videos is Big Major Cay in the Exuma Cays, also called Pig Beach. It is uninhabited, reachable only by boat, and lies about 82 miles from Nassau.
There are swimming pigs near Nassau — why go to the Exumas?
Nassau-area pig experiences are real and suit cruise passengers with limited time, but they are not Big Major Cay. Going to the Exumas is about the full island-hopping route and the water itself, not only the pigs.
What are the ways to get to Pig Beach from Nassau?
Five: a speedboat day trip from Nassau; a flight to Staniel Cay Airport followed by an island-hopping boat; a flight to George Town followed by a long run north; a private charter flight with a private boat; or staying in the Exumas and arranging a local boat.
What is the fastest way to reach Pig Beach from Nassau?
Usually a short flight to Staniel Cay Airport followed by a boat transfer. Compared with running the whole way from Nassau by speedboat, this substantially reduces long-distance time at sea. Total duration still depends on flight timing, transfers and sea conditions on the day.
Why is flying to George Town for a same-day pig-beach trip not recommended?
George Town is on Great Exuma, a considerable distance from Big Major Cay. You still face a long boat run north after landing, so the time, running time and cost do not necessarily compare well with flying to Staniel Cay Airport. George Town suits travellers already staying on Great Exuma.
Is the pig beach trip suitable for young children?
That depends on the child's age, stamina and the day's itinerary. Parents should stay with children throughout and take animal-interaction safety seriously. Whether infants can fly or join boat activities, and whether they are charged, is set by the individual carrier and operator.
Can I enter Thunderball Grotto if I cannot swim?
Thunderball Grotto should not be treated as ordinary shallow-water snorkelling. Entrance difficulty changes with tide and current, and at some times requires ducking under and holding your breath. Non-swimmers and those without snorkelling experience should follow the captain's judgement and not force it.
Can the trip be cancelled because of weather?
Yes. Speedboats, flights and island activities are all affected by weather and operating conditions, though in different ways. Confirm refund, reschedule and alternative arrangements before booking, and build flexibility into important dates.
Related
Sources
- MELA TRAVEL destination operations and route planning experience in The Bahamas
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: Official Home of the Swimming Pigs
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: The Exumas
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: Island Hopping in the Exumas
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: Flying to The Bahamas
Transport, flights, baggage, accommodation, stops and product arrangements change with weather, tide, season and operating conditions. The written confirmation issued at the time of booking governs.
MELA TRAVEL — founded 2015, headquartered in Nassau, The Bahamas. Private departures only; no shared groups.
Last updated: 2026-08-06 ｜ Scheduled review: 2027-02-15
MELA Travel Bahamas works on the ground in The Bahamas year-round and maintains this knowledge base so travellers and partners can plan with accurate local information.