Embark your yacht in Nassau and head towards the first stop of your magical trip. Harbor Island is home to the world-famous pink sand beaches and Valentines Resort and Marina. Harbor Island is also one the best islands in the Bahamas for activities ashore as well as out on the water. There is a thriving local scene with a few dining restaurants ashore, and a couple of small boutiques. The sound splits Harbor Island from the mainland of Eleuthera Island is perfect for water sports on most days due to the surrounding protection from the islands that encircle the bay. On the north end of the sound there is great snorkeling to be found, and some great smaller islands to explore. On the eastern shores of Harbor Island are the pink sand beaches. A must-see when visiting Harbor Island! Golf carts are the most common form of transportation around the island.
Eleuthera is the poster child of the Bahamas with its glassy blue waters, swimming sea turtles, and drifting manta rays. The shoreline is etched with pink and white sand beaches and an endless roster of scuba diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, and other wild watersports to entertain you. Charter guests can explore coral reefs, jagged cliffs, and lush jungle-clad interiors. Bucket list bliss in Eleuthera includes diving into the sapphire blue hole, seeing the Queen's Bath, the Glass Window Bridge, and, of course, taking trips to the nearby Habor Island and Spanish Wells.
The Staniel Cay Yacht Club invites you to immerse all your senses in the beauty of the Bahamas. Sitting in the sweet south of the Bahamas where blue skies meld with blue seas, it’s no surprise that this corner of the world tempts sailors and beach lovers. Boasting a full service marina, a ton of watersport opportunities, and all the modern entertainment and dining amenities you need, life on Staniel Cay works a charm. Littered with white sands, you can sprawl in turquoise surroundings or for more active adventurers, there’s snorkelling, scuba diving, and plenty of opportunity to fish and kayak around the coast. Here is the Thunderball Grotto, made famous in the James Bond movie Thunderball. This is a snorkeler’s heaven. You can actually swim inside the island as the entire island is hollow within. You can even take a tour to visit the famous swimming pigs nearby. After all that fun in the sun, the island's restaurant and bar scene entices with chilled wines or frosty beers and beautiful cuisine to accompany that dramatic Caribbean sunset.
Big Major Cay is a major attraction in the Bahamas and is home to a wild pig colony. Despite being wild, the pigs are known to be friendly, and splashing and swimming with them is possible. Nothing will spark a smile more than swimming alongside a group of squealing pink pigs against the blissful warm backdrop of azure hues and sparkling white sands. It's not just pigs on offer from Big Major Cay; the island is also home to nurse sharks, iguanas, tropical sand bars, and the nearby Staniel Cay, which is where you can find Thunderball Grotto - made famous by the filming of two of the James Bond Movies. Divers and snorkelers will surely delight in a day at Big Major Cay as the waters teem with life.
Bright and blue Sampson Cay captures everything to love about the blissful Bahamas. Close to Staniel Cay and an important calling card on the Exumas charter route for those who love lofty islands, sport fishing, and beautiful green trails, Sampson Cay is every inch a tropical paradise. A couple of cottages, an airstrip, deep water docks, and the only marina in the Exuma mark this Caribbean outpost on the map. Sampson Cay enjoys being in a hurricane hole, meaning it sits in a beautifully protected spot surrounded by gauzy green land. Fishing, swimming, and picnicking on the pretty silver sand beaches are a must.
Compass Cay Marina in the Bahamas offers superyacht guests an unparalleled experience of luxury, beauty, and tranquility. Situated within the Exumas, the marina is surrounded by creamy white sand, sparkling clear waters, and lush tropical foliage, making it the perfect spot for an idyllic escape from the rest of the world. Guests can take advantage of the marina’s full-service laundry and showers, water toys, electric charging stations, and full-service repair shops. There’s no better way to explore the crystal-clear waters and reefs teeming with wildlife than on the marina’s chartered boats. Guests can even feed the nurse sharks or take a leisurely stroll around the cay, admiring views of the many islands and private cays in the area. Discover and explore the great life Compass Cay Marina has to offer.
Cambridge Cay is a tranquil private island in the Bahamas ideal for a luxurious superyacht experience. This stunning island is surrounded by powdery white sand beaches meeting crystal clear waters, creating the perfect backdrop for a getaway. The shallow waters nearby provide some of the region's best snorkeling and water activities. Several private coves offer placid lagoons perfect for experiencing the abundant marine wildlife. Cambridge Cay is a superyacht paradise with a well-equipped marina and facilities tailored to large luxury yachts. Whether looking for the perfect place for an elegant dinner or a secluded beach for a romantic dinner, Cambridge Cay has something for everyone.
A private enclave in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Bell Cay sprawls out for around 350 acres and has been designed specifically so yachts can land and charter guests or visitors can enjoy the finest luxuries surrounded by the wealth and wonder of the beautiful blue and white Bahamas.
The beating heart of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, Warderick Wells is a protected area with few facilities but many incredible anchorage spots. For charter guests, this glorious stretch that sits between Hog Cay and West Stroud Cay captures the true essence of what sailing in the Caribbean is all about. You will know you have arrived thanks to the 50ft skeleton of a sperm whale marking the entrance.
After this it’s all intricate exploration with many incredible walks leading through the decadent flora and fauna, and the chance to see Stromatolites (one of the rarest life forms on earth). For guests who love to snorkel and dive, Warderick Wells takes you on an underwater journey where you can admire flourishing coral gardens and the brightest shoals of fish. Fishing or removing anything from these protected grounds is forbidden, but Warderick Wells is an inspiring lesson in how to sit with nature.
At the northern end of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, Hawksbill Cay is a gorgeous uninhabited island boasting some of the best loyalist ruins in the whole of the Bahamas. A vision of limestone cliffs, shallow silver sandbars, azure waters, and towering palms, Hawksbill Cay is a magnificent spot for yacht charters. Captains love to drop anchor here thanks to the pleasant trade winds, the warm air and water temperatures, and the consistency of conditions. For history lovers, it is well worth exploring the nature-tangled walls of the former loyalist settlement that date back to the 18th century when loyalists to the English crown came and settled on the island. Water lovers will be in their element as Hawksbill Cay boasts endless scope for swimming, snorkeling, and walking the length of the silver starlit sands. Hawksbill Cay offers one of the finest and longest beaches to be found in the Bahamas. This is great place to set up a lunch on the beach!
In the Exuma National Park, you will find the pink sands and velvet green mangroves that make up Shroud Cay. Part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, Shroud Cay is all about putting mother nature on a pedestal and for good reason. Gone are the crowds and the whirr of motorized boats and in its place is simply the silence of water lapping against the shore, the scuttle of lizards, sleeping turtles, and the cry of wild birds. This wetland delight offers a labyrinth of creeks to explore on the kayak, not to mention sublime snorkelling in the clear blue shallows. Whether a nature lover, fantasy island escapist, or charter guest wanting to delve deeper into the wilder delights of the Bahamas, Shroud Cay offers you the chance to see the land and sea completely untouched by human hands.
Even If you've never heard of the Exuma Islands, you’ve probably heard of (or about) Normans Cay. Normans Cay was taken over by the Colombian drug cartel in the late 70’s for the use of one of the longest airplane runways in the Bahamas. The whole affair was made into a movie starring Johnny Depp. Ashore on Normans today, you will find a few structures still-standing that are riddled with bullet holes on the southern end of the island. There are also the remnants of a DC-9 airplane lying in about four feet of water in the back basin lagoon that didn’t quite make the runway…There is a great little beach club on the western shore known as MacDuff’s. Great place to sit and soak up the sunset with a cold beverage from the club.
Highborne Cay is a privately owned cay and is known as the gateway to the Exuma Cays. The cay is home to luxury cottages, eight beaches, dining restaurant and a small boutique ashore at the marina. Beach activity is the order of the day, but those with diving experience can explore the nearby shipwreck of an unknown ship thought to have been built about five hundred years ago. There is also a heart shaped “Lovers” beach on the most northern end of the island, and great snorkeling on the north end as well. Great anchorage to watch an evening movie on the sun deck under the stars!
Allan Cay is strictly for nature lovers and conservationists. It is the home to some endangered species like the Audubon Shearwater and the gentle but fearsome looking iguanas. Access is limited to boat with no wheelchair access. Activity on the cay is limited to walking, swimming and diving. A walk to the signing tree, where a plethora of items hanging from it naming cruise ships, sporting teams, visitors’ names and even blog web addresses have been left by visitors to the cay. The iguanas are partial to fruit and vegetables, particularly lettuce, which you can feed to them. They are a protected species and care should be taken during any interaction with them. There is nowhere to buy food on the cay and you should take your own food with you, remembering to take away with you any packaging or bottles.
Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas and is located on the island of New Providence. This yacht charter playground has something for everyone (especially when you consider the nearby Paradise Island, too): gorgeous gold courses, endless beaches, cosmopolitan restaurants, lavish luxury resorts, and a full schedule of activities, from swimming with turtles to scuba excursions, shopping, fishing, and so much more. Charter guests can snorkel on Pearl Island, play at the world-famous Atlantis Resort, explore the historic Fort Charlotte, wander the National Art Gallery, climb the Queen's Staircase, roll dice at the casino, and buy beautiful souvenirs at the Straw Market.