Island Hopping, Restaurant Lunch

Exuma Island Hopping Swimming Pigs Tour with Lunch from Nassau

★ 4.8 689 reviews

8 hours, free cancellation.

from $438.90 per person

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Duration: 8 hours
Group: max 25 travellers
Meeting point: Carnivale Bahamas / Sterling Marina, Paradise Island, Nassau
Cancellation: Free cancellation
Meal: Meal included

Overview

Born Free Charters runs this full-day powerboat trip out of Nassau, and it packs most of the Exuma icons into one long, fast day on the water. You check in at the Sterling Marina booth on Paradise Island, then set off across open water toward a string of stops: an iguana-inhabited cay, Compass Cay, the swimming pigs at Pig Beach, a sand bar, and a wrecked plane that reviewers connect to Pablo Escobar. Somewhere in the middle comes lunch at a Bahamian restaurant, which one reviewer identified as Lorraine's Cafe in Blackpoint.

The boat itself is part of the experience. Reviewers describe it as fast, bouncy in spots, and sometimes choppy on the ride out, so this suits travellers with moderate fitness who are happy spending much of the day on the water moving between stops. Time at each island runs roughly 20 minutes to an hour, which some found quick and others found just right.

Drinks and snacks flow for most of the day. Local beer, soda, bottled water, and light snacks are included, along with snorkel gear, landing fees, and the restroom on board. Gratuities are the main exclusion. The crew gets consistent praise across reviews for keeping drinks cold, playing music, and helping guests photograph the animals. Groups run up to 25 travellers.

What's Included

Included

Snacks (Light snacks onboard)
Alcoholic beverages (Local beer (must be 18 or older))
Lunch (lunch at a restaurant)
Soda/Pop
Bottled water
Use of snorkelling equipment
Toilets on board (Restroom on board)
Landing and facility fees

Not Included

Gratuities

Itinerary

Check in at Sterling MarinaMeet at 1 Marina Way, Paradise Island, at the Hurricane Hole Sterling Marina on the Carnivale Bahamas property. Look for the Born Free Charters booth and check in 30 minutes before departure.
Allen Cay, 20 minutesFirst stop is the iguana-inhabited cay, free to enter, where reviewers fed the iguanas.
Compass Cay, 40 minutesFree entry. Reviewers describe swimming with and petting nurse sharks at some point on this tour.
Great Exuma, 1 hourA one-hour stop. Reviewers describe lunch at a Bahamian restaurant as a highlight of the day.
Pig Beach, 45 minutesAdmission is included with the tour. This is the swimming pigs stop reviewers highlight most.
Norman's Cay, 30 minutesFree entry, 30 minutes at the stop, before the boat continues.
Exuma, 35 minutesFinal island stop, 35 minutes, before the boat returns to Paradise Island.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape how this day goes, drawn from the listing and from what travellers repeatedly report.

The ride is rough. The powerboat is fast and frequently bumpy, especially in the front seats and on the ride to the first stop. Several travellers recommend holding onto your seat if you sit at the front. Anyone with back problems should note the listing advises against the trip for them.
Lots of boat time. Reviewers are consistent that much of the day is spent travelling between islands, with stretches of open water between stops. Some loved the scenery and music on board; others wished for longer at each island. It helps to go in expecting a full boat day rather than extended beach time.
Sun protection. One reviewer advises bringing plenty of sunscreen for the long boat ride.
Food and drink. Lunch at a Bahamian restaurant, light snacks, local beer for those 18 and older, soda, and bottled water are all included. Reviewers praised the food repeatedly. Gratuities are not included.
Snorkelling may vary. Snorkel gear is included, and reviewers describe snorkelling at a crashed plane wreck on the tour. At least one group could not snorkel because the current was too strong, so treat it as weather dependent.
Group size and crew. The tour caps at 25 travellers. Reviews again and again credit the crew with attentive service, cold drinks, music, and help photographing the sharks, iguanas, and pigs.

Common issues. The honest trade-off is pace and motion: stops run 20 minutes to an hour, and several reviewers wished they had more time at each island, while the boat ride itself is long and bumpy at speed. Snorkelling depends on conditions, and one group missed it because of a strong current. The operator can cancel for weather or if a minimum number of travellers is not met, offering a different date or a full refund in those cases. Gratuities are extra.

Common Questions

What Is Included In The Price?

The tour includes light snacks, local beer for travellers 18 and older, soda, bottled water, lunch at a restaurant, snorkel equipment, a restroom on board, and landing and facility fees. Gratuities are the stated exclusion.

Where Does The Tour Start?

Check in at the Born Free Charters booth at Sterling Marina, 1 Marina Way, Paradise Island, inside the Carnivale Bahamas property at Hurricane Hole. All guests must check in 30 minutes before departure. The tour ends back at the same point.

Is Lunch Or Entry To The Islands Extra?

No. Lunch at a restaurant is included, and landing and facility fees are covered, including admission at Pig Beach. The other stops carry no entry fee. Only gratuities are listed as not included.

Is This Tour Suitable For Kids Or People With Limited Mobility?

It is not wheelchair accessible, and the listing advises against it for travellers with back problems, serious heart conditions, or pregnancy. A moderate level of physical fitness is expected. One reviewer also flagged that the currents and speed boat make it unsuitable for those with physical limitations or small kids, though the listing itself sets no age rule.

What Is The Cancellation Policy?

Cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Within 24 hours there is no refund and changes are not accepted. If the operator cancels for poor weather or because the minimum number of travellers is not met, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

What Should I Bring?

Bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen. Reviewers single out sunscreen as the must-pack for a full day on the water. The listing leaves the rest up to you.