Over 365 islands and cays. Pristine beaches and sandbars. Gin-clear water. Fishing, diving, and snorkeling experiences of a lifetime. Warm smiles, cozy anchorages, and vibrant beach bars. Welcome to Great Exuma and Cays, a true boater's paradise.Situated in the central Bahamas and stretching nearly from Nassau to Long Island, The Exumas span some 125 nautical miles. To their west lie the calm, shallow gin-clear waters of the Great Bahama Bank, and to the east, the deep blue waters of the Exuma Sound. Many cuts pass between the islands, allowing you to pop back and forth between the Sound and the Banks as the weather dictates.

Situated in the central Bahamas and stretching nearly from Nassau to Long Island, The Exumas span some 125 nautical miles. To their west lie the calm, shallow gin-clear waters of the Great Bahama Bank, and to the east, the deep blue waters of the Exuma Sound. Many cuts pass between the islands, allowing you to pop back and forth between the Sound and the Banks as the weather dictates.

Join us as we cruise our way south through the fabulous Exuma Cays. With so much to see and do, it's probably not possible to see it all in one cruising season—much less one lifetime. Here are our best bets and highlights of the trip south.

Highbourne Cay Marina makes a great first landfall after crossing from Nassau. With fuels, dockage, landside accommodations, a ship's store, and a restaurant, this island resort is as perfect as it gets. Nearby Allans Cay offers several anchorage options, along with a beachside welcome from the endangered rock iguanas that live on the island. 

Your next hop takes you to Normans Cay, which has expansive beaches, a somewhat sordid history, and a peaceful lagoon where you can snorkel over a wrecked DC-3 airplane. The newly opened Normans Cay Marina makes staying on the island easier than ever before.

Heading south, Wax Cay Cut marks the beginning of the 22-mile-long Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The park was established in 1958 as the world's first "land and sea park" designed to preserve this slice of paradise for future generations. Shroud Cay, Warderick Wells, and Cambridge Cays are must-see spots, but there's no way to go wrong in this beautiful park. You should plan to spend a few days exploring this paradise every time you pass through.

After the park, head to Compass Cay Marina and Resort. The entire island is an oasis, and docile nurse sharks visit the docks to swim with visitors. Staniel Cay, home of the world-famous Staniel Cay Yacht Club, and colorful Embrace Resort lies just another ten miles or so as the crow flies. Here you can swim in the famous cave from the James Bond movie Thunderball or visit the swimming pigs at Big Major's Spot.

The next stop is the settlement at Black Point on Great Guana Cay, where Lorraine's Cafe and several others have been welcoming cruisers for years. Little Farmers Yacht Club is another favorite stop, and the Farmers Cay Yacht Club offers docks, fuels, moorings, a restaurant, and shoreside accommodations.

Island hopping your way south, The Exumas offer a plethora of gunk-holing and beach-exploring options. Islands like Musha Cay, Rudder Cay, Normans Pond, and Lee Stocking draw boaters with their wonderful snorkeling and miles of sandbars and beaches.

The boater hub of George Town lies on Great Exuma Island, and Elizabeth Harbour offers lots of anchoring options near town or along neighboring Stocking Island. When looking for marina slips, you'll want to check out Emerald Bay Marina, Exuma Yacht Club, and St. Francis Resort and Marina. Moorings have now been installed throughout the harbor and are available to rent from the Elizabeth Harbour Conservation Partnership on Dockwa. 

The eastern half of the harbor is dominated by Moriah Harbour Cay National Park. New restrictions have made anchoring in this area limited, but you can rent a mooring to visit the park near Red Shanks Cay. Don't miss the Lazy River—the ultimate dinghy exploration for a sunny day.

Great Exuma has about everything a cruiser could need; it makes a great seasonal base or a stopover on your way farther south. Exuma Market offers excellent provisioning, Top 2 Bottom has marine supplies, there's a boatyard at Masters Harbour, and various merchants can connect you with almost anything else you might need. George Town is also the perfect place to rent a car and explore the larger island, and the international airport makes getting crew in or out easy. And, of course, there are many divine restaurants, fabulous beach bars, and luxurious resorts and rentals. 

Across the harbor, Stocking Island has miles of pristine hiking trails, stunning beaches on each side, boutique resorts, and the world-famous Chat 'n Chill beach bar.

Weather dictates much when cruising the Exumas. Summers offer the most calm days, but it can be hot and steamy with a chance of tropical weather. Luckily, a dip in the gin-clear water solves most of those ills. Winter is windier, but prevailing south-easterlies make finding a protected anchorage on the Banks side of the cays easy. Cold fronts mean finding protection from the west and northwest, which is slightly more challenging but doable with enough planning. 

The Exumas make the perfect base for further exploration of the Out Islands. Eleuthera, Cat Island, and Long Island lie just across Exuma Sound. Given the right conditions, many hops can be made in one day, even in the slowest vessels. Heading south, the Ragged and Jumentos Cays are popular spots for exploring some of The Bahama's most remote Out Islands. 

If traveling by your own boat, visit www.MyOutIslands.com for details on the $300 Dock and Stay offer. Stay at and dock your boat at any Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board marina hotel for four consecutive nights to take advantage of this generous offer.

If you don't want to make the crossing or you are limited on time, several companies offer bareboat charters out of Nassau and George Town. Check with The Moorings, Sunsail, Dream Yacht Charter, and Navtours. There are also countless options for crewed charters throughout the islands. 

Landside accommodations are easy to come by. Great Exuma hosts several major resorts, including Sandals Emerald Bay Golf, Tennis and Spa Resort, the Hideaways at Palm Bay and Grand Isle. Every island with a settlement has rentals, and most marinas have on-site rentals, including Normans, Staniel, Compass, and Highbourne Cays. What's more, many private islands host exclusive resorts, offering a private, secret island hideaway experience like none other. Check out Fowl, Over Yonder, and Musha Cays as examples. 

Exuma International Airport (GGT) on Great Exuma is served by major airlines like American Airlines (MIA and CLT), Bahamasair (FLL), Delta Air Lines (ATL) and Silver Airways (FLL). Air Canada provides seasonal winter service from Toronto (YYZ), and both Bahamasair and Western Air provide service from Nassau. Additionally, Makers Air provides regular scheduled and charter service directly to Staniel Cay from Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), and Titan Air serves this same airport from Nassau.

Ready to dip your toes in the sand? We'll see you in The Exumas.