Exumas Yacht Charter Highlights: Exploring the Bahamas’ Most Iconic Island Chain

The Exumas are what many people imagine when they picture the Bahamas. Endless shades of turquoise stretch across shallow banks, white sandbars appear and disappear with the tide, and a chain of cays offers some of the most beautiful anchorages in the Caribbean.

Stretching over 120 miles, the Exuma island chain is perfectly suited for a yacht charter. Cruising distances are short, the waters are protected, and each cay offers a different experience. Exploring by private yacht allows you to move effortlessly between secluded beaches, marine parks, and vibrant reef systems while avoiding the limited infrastructure found on land.

The Water: Clarity & Color

What defines the Exumas more than anything is the water. The clarity is exceptional, often allowing visibility straight to the sandy bottom even in deeper areas. The shifting blues of the Exuma Banks create an almost unreal landscape from the deck of a yacht.

Shallow sandbars are a highlight of any charter here. Anchoring in waist-deep turquoise water surrounded by open horizon offers a sense of space and privacy that is difficult to find elsewhere in the Caribbean.

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: Protected & Pristine

The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is one of the most important marine protected areas in the Bahamas. This no-fishing zone ensures thriving reefs and abundant marine life. Snorkeling here reveals vibrant coral, reef fish, rays, and nurse sharks.

The park’s anchorages are calm and scenic, framed by limestone cliffs and low-lying vegetation. It offers some of the most untouched cruising grounds in the region.

Staniel Cay: Energy & Iconic Stops

Staniel Cay serves as a social and logistical hub within the central Exumas. It is home to the famous swimming pigs of Big Major Cay, a fun and memorable stop for many guests. Nearby Thunderball Grotto offers exceptional snorkeling through a cave system made famous by James Bond films.

The area combines lively waterfront energy with quiet anchorages just minutes away.

Compass Cay & Marine Encounters

Compass Cay is known for its calm marina and the opportunity to swim with nurse sharks in shallow, clear water. For those seeking marine encounters, this area delivers safe and memorable experiences.

Throughout the Exumas, encounters with sea turtles, rays, and reef sharks are common. Dolphins are occasionally spotted cruising alongside yachts in open channels.

Beaches & Sandbars

Many of the Exumas’ most beautiful beaches are completely uninhabited. Crescent-shaped stretches of white sand, framed by low dunes and calm water, create the feeling of a private island experience.

Sandbars such as Pipe Creek and Shroud Cay are highlights for paddleboarding and exploring shallow channels by tender. The landscape constantly shifts with the tide, making each anchorage feel dynamic and unique.

The Experience of Cruising the Exumas

The Exumas are ideal for relaxed, water-focused charters. Days revolve around swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and exploring by tender. Evenings are often spent anchored in quiet, protected coves beneath wide Bahamian skies.

Distances between cays are short, which means more time enjoying the water and less time cruising. The pace feels effortless and unhurried.

For clients seeking warm, calm water and natural beauty without the busier atmosphere of some Caribbean destinations, the Exumas offer a yacht charter experience that is both iconic and refreshingly simple.