Leah Ginsberg

Fowl Cay, Bahamas: This Is What It’s Like to Stay on a Private Island in Paradise

Leah Ginsberg

Fri, January 15, 2016 at 12:00 PM UTC

Photo by Getty Images. Design by Lauren DeLuca for Yahoo Travel.

Location: Fowl Cay, The Exumas, Bahamas

Background: Fowl Cay was once used by the local community in the Exumas to keep their chickens for food – hence the name. Then in the 50s, a French couple bought the cay and built a vacation villa. Over the years the private island was owned two other families as a vacation spot until Fowl Cay Resort was established as the first high-end luxury resort in the Exumas in March 2002. The current owners, The Stewarts (who also own Sandals Resorts), purchased Fowl Cay in 2007.

Photo: Fowl Cay Resort/Facebook

The Vibe: Set on a pristine 50-acre private island in the Bahamas, Fowl Cay Resort is a classic favorite for boating, diving, fishing, and relaxing — the island is tucked away in the quiet center of the Exumas chain of islands in the Bahamas. Though life on the cay is laid-back and beachy, the staff is attentive to your every need and the villas feel contemporary.

When to go: High season is March 1 through Aug. 31; low season is Oct. 1 through Feb. 28.

Getting there: Though it’s the nearby Bahamas, because Fowl Cay is a tiny private island, so as with many of the best things in life, it’s not the easiest to get to. The best way to go is to fly one of the major airlines (like JetBlue) to Fort Lauderdale and then take a car over to Watermakers Air. From there, you’ll take a small plane to Staniel Cay. There’s a stopover on a cay called Congo for customs, and then it’s back on the 10-seater for the rest of the flight to Staniel. Total, the flying time from Ft. Lauderdale is a little under two hours. From Staniel Cay, it’s an easy boat ride to Fowl Cay.

Photo: Fowl Cay/Facebook

The rooms: The resort has six contemporary villas, all of which have been updated within the last three years. The villas include a personal butler (whom Fowl Cay refers to as a “host”), kitchens (fully stocked!), living spaces, central air, Molton Brown amenities, wireless internet (though it wasn’t stellar), a golf cart for exploring the island, a boat for exploring beyond the island, and amazing views. Prices are steep but worth every penny if you can afford it: Lindon Villa accommodates two guests and rates start at $10,600.00/week or $1,514.29/night; Birdcage Villa accommodates four guests and rates start at $15,250.00/week, $2,178.57/night; Starlight Villa accommodates four guests and rates start $13,400.00/week, $1,914.29/night; Seabreeze Villa accommodates four guests and rates start at $13,400.00/week, $1,914.29/night; Bluemoon Villa accommodates six guests and rates start at $19,900.00/week, $2,842.86/night; Sweetwater Villa accommodates six guests and rates start $19,900.00/weekly, $2,842.86/night. There is always a five-night minimum-stay requirement, as well as additional minimum-stay requirements for various holidays.

Photo: Fowl Cay/Facebook

What I loved: Fowl Cay is beautiful and the resort is has a intimate tropical island feel. I really loved that it didn’t feel crowded, thanks to the small number of villas. Plus, the general managers, Grant and Nicki, were amazing. But one of the the best parts of the trip is having your own boat (included in the cost of the room) to go explore other nearby cays. Your first day you’ll get easy-to-follow classes on how to drive the boat. Then days are spent speeding through the most unbelievable blue waters to various places, whether it’s to snorkel Thunderball Grotto (where they filmed the James Bond flick, as well as Into the Blue) or lounge on Sandy Cay and watch the beautiful sandbar disappear as the tide comes in.

An aerial view of Hill House and the rest of the resort. (Photo: Fowl Cay/Facebook)

Don’t miss: The pre-dinner happy hour at Hill House Restaurant, which starts at 6:30. It’s a nice chance to have a drink and mingle with the rest of the guests. Also, get a massage ($185 for an hour). They’ll set up the table in your villa or outside in front of the bluest ocean you’ve ever seen. What’s better than a waterfront massage with a lovely breeze? Pretty much nothing.

What I didn’t love: For the price, small details in the rooms seemed a little run down like rusty bits around the shower or plastic light switches (though Star Light and Sea Breeze villas are currently being updated). And, as with most resorts, I didn’t love the food. There’s one restaurant and the choices were limited, though the chef is extremely accommodating of dietary restrictions. And though having a villa “host” is super convenient, I’m not a huge fan of people I don’t know coming and going in my space without my knowledge (like when they come in and leave you breakfast treats in the morning). So if that’s not your cup of tea either, give them a heads up. If you don’t mind, you’ll love the attentive service.

Photo: Staniel Cay Yacht Club/Facebook

What you can eat: There’s only one restaurant on the property, but even if you don’t love it, you won’t go hungry. Each villa’s kitchen comes stocked with food, snacks, drinks, and cocktails — just tell them what you want and it magically appears. And make sure you take your boat to Staniel Cay Yacht Club for lunch or dinner. Not only is it Jimmy Buffett’s favorite bar, but you’re bound to eat some of the best fresh seafood around. Tip: Make sure to get the conch fritters and grouper fingers — they fried but so good! — and the catch of the day.

Swim with this guy on nearby Big Major Cay. (Photo: Thinkstock)

What’s nearby: With 365 cays that make up the Exumas, there’s a lot to see. I would definitely recommend snorkeling Thunderball Grotto — you’re essentially swimming into a magical cave with amazing fish, coral, and plant life. And you have to go to Big Major Cay to swim with the pigs — it’s a bucket list item. You can also swim with nurse sharks at Compass Cay Marina, though you’ll probably be the only one doing any swimming, since the nurse sharks tend to just hang out on the bottom of the ocean.

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