Adventures in Exuma, Bahamas

The official expression might be, “When Pigs Fly,” but in Exuma, Bahamas, it’s actually, “When Pigs Swim!” A bucket list item of mine was always to swim with the pigs … which to some might not sound like the adventure of a lifetime, but once I heard about indigenous swimming pigs, I had to check it out for myself. I knew that the only place to swim with the pigs was in Exuma, Bahamas, and when Delta Airlines opened direct flights from Atlanta, I hopped on board!

Having gotten married more than a decade ago at Paradise Island, Bahamas, and having been back and forth to the different islands almost a dozen times, I thought I “knew” the Bahamas. Clearly, I had no idea that a beach lovers’ paradise was just a 90-minute flight away.

Exuma, The Real Bahamas

Exuma, Bahamas are what the Bahamians call “The Real Bahamas.” In Exuma there are no straw markets, no cruise ships, and no high-rise hotels. Instead, the Exumas are composed of 365 islands (also known as Cays), and as the locals say, there is a new Cay to be explored for every day of the year. The entire population of the Exumas is no more than 3,500 people, and on Great Exuma, the largest of the Cays, it’s only about 1,500 people. It’s a tight community where it seems all the locals know each other, and every tourist becomes part of the family. There’s a reason that movies like Pirates of The Caribbean and various James Bond films were made on this island … it truly is a turquoise nirvana. As a local once put it, “It’s Tranquility Wrapped in Blue.” For tropical travelers it is a hidden gem and still one of the few best kept secrets.

Luxury Lodging at Grand Isle Resort

There are only a handful of hotels in Exuma, with more on the horizon as it continues to be developed, but in terms of a property that offers premium amenities combined with AAA Award Winning Four Diamond luxury, Grand Isle Resort hits the mark. Located on the white sandy beaches of Emerald Bay, it comprises 78 villas available with one to four bedrooms. The resort is perfect for both romantic and family vacations (and every type of traveler in-between). Each villa has its own private balcony, some with sweeping views of the turquoise sea (HINT: yes, it’s worth springing for an ocean front!)

From check in to check out, you’re treated like royalty. Prior to arriving, the hotel will make arrangements to have your villa’s state of the art chef’s kitchen fully stocked (highly recommended). And upon arrival you’re given keys to your personal golf cart, which is perfect for exploring the property as well as making short drives to fill up on local libations. Golf lovers will love the adjacent 18-hole course, designed by PGA legend Greg Norman and the longest in the Caribbean. Even non-golfers will appreciate the breathtaking sunsets viewed while driving along the course each evening.

Choose from a bounty of adventures

The hotel definitively becomes a home away from home, an escape that welcomes you after a day exploring all the islands have to offer. While there is a stunning infinity pool and an outstanding kids program, guests are usually not found poolside until later in the afternoon when they gather around with a fresh cut coconut in hand, swapping tales of the day’s adventures. Even a short stay at Great Exuma can include one of more of the following activities: swimming with the pigs, feeding iguanas on Iguana Island, searching for sand dollars at endless sand bars, snorkeling for starfish, scuba diving, shark swimming, sport fishing, kite surfing, island hopping, and eating fresh conch right out of the shell at famous The Chat N Chill.

For those who love to fish, the day’s catch can be prepared alongside a private chef in their villa. Otherwise, evenings are spent dining at The Palapa Grill, the in-house restaurant offering authentic Caribbean fare. Once a week the hotel presents an Island BBQ and Junkanoo Beach Bonfire, both not to be missed.

And for a break from the sea and sun, the SeaStar Spa offers salt-water infused treatments, complete with Elemis branded therapies.
What, swimming with the pigs not on your bucket list? Time to change that!