You'll Never Want to Leave Exuma Once You Experience Its Stunning Beaches
All right, all right, let's get the Fyre Festival jokes out of the way: Yes, I went on a trip to Exuma in the Bahamas, but no, I did not eat sad cheese sandwiches and sleep in a hurricane tent. In fact, my stay at the Grand Isle Resort & Spa couldn't have been more different. The people were incredibly welcoming, the ocean-view villas were seriously unreal, and the seafood? *Chef's kiss.*
Being from Florida, the island reminded me of home-even more so with the misbehaving weather at the beginning of the trip. But when the skies did clear, the sun's rays hit the ocean in the most magical way, making that clear, turquoise-looking water straight-up sparkle. The resort is located toward the north end of Great Exuma, just one island of the more than 365(!!!) that make up Exuma-including Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's private one. (And trust me, their place is as dreamy IRL as it is in your head.)
But before you book your trip, you'll definitely want to pack some tropical vacation outfits to wear by the sandy beaches and palm trees. Oh, and two quick but extremely important notes: 1) You drive on the *left* side of the road here, and 2) Pack. Bug. Spray. With those key points in mind, here are the can't-miss-'em things you need to do while you're here.
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Getting to the island itself can be difficult, since direct flights are almost nonexistent. But once you do make it to the resort, a 10-minute drive from the airport, you'll want to get settled in and eat up. As soon as I pulled up to my private two-story villa (seriously, I didn't even know what to do with the extra second floor), I unpacked my things and headed to the newest restaurant at 23 North Beach Club. The menu has all the seafood-lobster tail! sea bass! tuna ceviche! sushi rolls!-and the cocktails were downright delicious. (Highly recommend the Bahamas Sour.)
Since Exuma comprises so many islands (cays, to be more specific), the best way to see them is by boat. Justin and M.J. were our guides at Exuma Water Sports and took us to all the hotspots, including, you probably guessed it, the island of swimming pigs. You don't want to miss out on one of the most popular Bahamian experiences, which is feeding and holding adorable-and running away from some rather large-pigs. For the record, these guys at White Bay Cay are taken are of with proper food and water (although there is a natural fresh water source on the island for them as well). Unfortunately, not all pig beaches have always been this cool. You gotta respect these friendly animals, folks!
Other highlights of the boat tour: driving by Faith and Tim's private island (casual), stopping to feed some Bahamian Rock Iguanas, and, oh, and seeing the iconic beach where Ben Higgins ended it with Olivia Caridi on The Bachelor. (I know, I couldn't believe I saw it either.)
Post-boat ride, definitely reapply that sunscreen, jump into the infinity pool overlooking the beach, and soak in that good ol' Vitamin D. And if you're tired of that *particular* view, you'll find *another* pool at 23 North Beach Club a short golf-cart drive away-that one also faces the ocean. Chill at both to get the full experience. The one at the club also has daybeds in the water, if you're into that sorta thing (but also, like, who wouldn't be)?
Another thrilling way to get around is riding one of these babies. I had never been on one before, but it's pretty easy to drive once you get a feel for the throttle and brakes. Our group took a tour with Island ATV Adventures, where we stopped at one of the island's oldest churches, St. Margaret’s Anglican Church, explored a seaside cave, and swam at Cocoplum Beach-i.e. the very same site the Fyre Fest promo videos were filmed.
If you're in the mood to do something fun off Great Exuma, take a short water taxi to Stocking Island to grab food at Chat 'N' Chill, and-more importantly-order one of the restaurant's amazingly large mango or strawberry daiquiris.
Also, right along the shore are super cute stingrays that just swim right up to you! They're super friendly, but watch out for their tails because they still have their barbs.
"Exuma Blue" isn't just the name of a cocktail at the resort-it's a special sapphire shade unique to the area. The water is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom, and in some places it's so shallow you can walk out into the middle of the ocean and still only be ankle-deep. It's stunning to look at. Make sure you really soak it all in-and, of course, take all the 'grams.
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