7-Night Exumas Explorer — Nassau to Great Exuma

Day 1 — Nassau: Embarkation

Board at Nassau Harbour Club or Albany Marina on New Providence. Nassau has come a long way from its colonial past — the historic British colonial architecture, the vibrant Junkanoo Beach and the extraordinary Atlantis resort on Paradise Island are all accessible. Welcome dinner ashore before an early departure south the following morning.

Day 2 — Highborne Cay

A half-day passage south through the clear Bahamian waters to Highborne Cay — the first of the Exuma chain. The marina at Highborne has a small store and fuel; the anchorage off the northern beach is pristine. Snorkel on the reef off the northern tip — nurse sharks, eagle rays and sea turtles are regular visitors.

Day 3 — Norman's Cay

Continue south to Norman's Cay — famous (or infamous) as the former base of Colombian drug lord Carlos Lehder in the 1980s. Today entirely peaceful, with the wreck of his DC-3 aircraft in the shallow water (excellent snorkelling) and some of the most beautiful sandy beaches in the northern Exumas.

Day 4 — Exuma Land & Sea Park: Warderick Wells

Enter the Exuma Land and Sea Park — a 176 square mile protected area with no fishing, no development and extraordinary marine biodiversity. Warderick Wells is the park headquarters; walk to the top of Boo Boo Hill (whale bones marking a sailors' tradition) for panoramic views over the turquoise cays. The water colour here is genuinely extraordinary.

Day 5 — Staniel Cay

The social heart of the central Exumas — Staniel Cay Yacht Club, the famous Thunderball Grotto (snorkel through the cave used in two James Bond films) and the world-famous 'swimming pigs' at Big Major Cay. The pigs swim out to greet approaching yachts. One of the Caribbean's most photographed experiences.

Day 6 — Black Point Settlement & Lee Stocking Island

A quieter day in the southern Exumas — Black Point is an authentic Bahamian settlement with a bakery that has been operating since the 1940s, producing excellent coconut bread. Lee Stocking Island has an extraordinary anchorage in the lee of the island's craggy cliffs.

Day 7 — Great Exuma: George Town

Arrive in George Town — the capital of Exuma, with an excellent weekly fish fry at Stocking Island, one of the most famous anchorages in the Bahamas. The Elizabeth Harbour anchorage, often with 40–50 cruising yachts, is the most social spot in the Bahamas during the winter season.

Day 8 — Disembarkation

Disembarkation at George Town. Exuma International Airport has direct connections to Nassau and Miami; from Nassau, worldwide connections are available.