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Exuma Islands

The Exumas are some of the prettiest islands in The Bahamas. Shades of jade, aquamarine, and amethyst in deeper waters turn to transparent opal near sandy shores: The water and the land appear almost inseparable. Sailors and their crews like to stake out their own private beaches and tropical hideaways, and several vacation retreats have been built by wealthy Europeans, Canadians, and Americans.

A spiny, sandy chain of islands, the Exumas begin just 35 miles southeast of Nassau and stretch more than 100 miles from Beacon Cay in the north to Hog Cay and Sandy Cay in the south. These islands have not been developed like the Abacos and Eleuthera, so they are relatively inexpensive. But they still have much to offer, with crystal-clear waters on the west around the Great Bahama Bank, the 4,920-ft drop. Exuma Sound on the east, uninhabited cays ideal for picnics, rolling hills, ruins of once-great plantations, and coral formations of great beauty. Although they're crossed by the Tropic of Cancer, the islands have average temperatures ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-80s.

Most of our resort recommendations are in and around George Town, the pretty pink capital of the Exumas, on Great Exuma. A community of some 900 residents, it was once considered a possible site for the capital of The Bahamas because of its excellent Elizabeth Harbour.

Nearly all the other cays are uninhabited or sparsely populated. Over the years, remote accommodations have come and gone on these islands.

The cruising grounds around the Exumas, which are scattered over an ocean area of 91 sq. miles, are among the finest to be found in the Western Hemisphere, if not in the world, for both sail- and powerboats. The sailing rivals both those of the Grenadines in the Caribbean and the Abacos in The Bahamas. Which yachters prefer depends on personal taste; each is paradise if you're a boater. If you don't come in your own craft, you can rent one here, from a simple little Daysailer to a fishing runabout, with or without a guide. The annual regatta in April in Elizabeth Harbour has attracted such notables as Prince Philip and the ex-king of Greece, Constantine. The Exumas are often referred to by yachting people as "where you go when you die if you've been good."

Snorkeling and scuba-diving opportunities draw aficionados from around the world to the vast underwater preserve of Exuma Cays National Land and Sea Park and to the island group's other exotic limestone and coral reefs, blue holes, drop-offs, caves, and night dives. Dive centers in George Town and Staniel Cay provide air fills and diving equipment.

Fishing is superb here, and the "flats" on the west side of Great Exuma are famous for bonefishing. You can find (if you're lucky) blue marlin on both sides of Exuma Sound, as well as sailfish, wahoo, and white marlin, plus others.

The Exumas are among the friendliest islands in The Bahamas; the people are warmhearted and not (yet) spoiled by tourism. They seem genuinely delighted to receive and welcome visitors to their shores. They grow a lot of their own food, including cassava, onions, cabbages, and pigeon peas, on the acres their ancestors worked as slaves. Many fruits grow on the cays, including guavas, mangoes, and avocados. At Government Wharf in George Town, you can watch these fruits being loaded for shipment to Nassau. The sponge industry is being revived locally; this product of the sea is found in shallow waters and creeks to the south side of the Exumas.

Please call us toll free 866-394-2848 to plan your Exuma vacation

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