Swimming Pigs, Sea Turtles & Secret Grottos

If you've seen one photo of the Bahamas online, there's a good chance it was a pig paddling through turquoise water off a place called Big Major's Cay. That photo is real, and it's just the beginning of what the Exumas have to offer. This 365-island chain — stretching roughly 130 miles southeast from Nassau — is the single most requested destination for our Island Hopper charters, and once you've sailed it, you'll understand why.

Here's what a first-timer should actually expect, island by island.

What to Actually Pack

• Reef-safe sunscreen (regular sunscreen isn't allowed in the Land and Sea Park, and it damages the coral you came to see)
• A rash guard for longer snorkel sessions — the Bahamian sun is stronger than it looks
• A dry bag for your phone during dinghy rides and grotto swims
• Water shoes for the rockier anchorages around Staniel Cay

One Thing We Wish More People Knew

The Exumas reward slowness. The itinerary that looks the most impressive on paper — five islands in five days — is rarely the one guests remember most fondly. Some of our favorite charters have spent an entire extra day at a single anchorage doing nothing but swimming, reading on the bow, and watching the color of the water change as the sun moves. Build in the slack. The pigs and the grotto will still be there; the version of you that actually unwinds might not show up unless you give it room to.