The original swimming pigs of the Bahamas live on Big Major Cay in the Exumas — a 2-3 hour boat ride from Nassau, accessible only via charter or multi-day trip. Most visitors to Nassau don’t have that kind of time. What they do have is Rose Island, 25 minutes offshore, home to its own colony of swimming pigs that draws far smaller crowds and pairs naturally with a turtle snorkel stop. This three-hour small-group boat tour covers both.
Check availability and book the Nassau pigs and turtles tour →
Where the swimming pigs actually came from
No single account explains how pigs ended up on Bahamian islands. The most credible version, drawn from journalist T.R. Todd’s research into the Big Major Cay colony, is straightforward: local residents deliberately placed pigs on uninhabited islands to create informal, low-maintenance farms, returning periodically to collect them for food. Other theories — shipwreck survivors, abandoned pirate livestock — make better stories but lack supporting evidence.
As the original Exuma colony went viral in the mid-2010s, operators began establishing similar pig populations on other islands closer to Nassau, including Rose Island, to meet demand from visitors who couldn’t make the long trip south. The Rose Island pigs are genuinely friendly, well cared for by the tour operators who feed them daily, and considerably easier to reach for anyone based in Nassau or on a cruise stop.
What the tour covers
The tour departs by boat from one of two pickup points and heads first to Green Cay, where the group spends around an hour snorkelling a shallow, calm reef. Sightings typically include sea turtles, stingrays and tropical reef fish. Guides actively look for turtles and position the group to maximise sightings, though wildlife is wild and never guaranteed.
From Green Cay, the boat continues to Rose Island for an hour at the pig colony. Guides provide feed and explain safe interaction — approaching calmly, not chasing, and not feeding alcohol or inappropriate food, which has caused documented health problems for pigs at other Bahamian pig beaches in the past. Most tours include the chance to hold a piglet for photos. After the pig interaction, Rose Island’s beach bar is available for drinks and food, though lunch is not included in the tour price.
Book the Nassau swimming pigs tour on Viator →
Practical details
| Duration | 3 hours (approx.) |
| Price | From $150 per person; discounted rates for infants |
| Rating | 4.8/5 from 882 reviews; recommended by 95% of travellers |
| Group size | Maximum 26 travellers |
| Pickup points | Señor Frog’s downtown (Nassau and Baha Mar guests) or Margaritaville Paradise Island (Atlantis and Paradise Island guests) |
| What’s included | Bottled water, snacks, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages on board, snorkel equipment, kayaks and paddleboards on Rose Island, restroom on board |
| Not included | Lunch (available to purchase at the Rose Island beach bar or bring your own), gratuities |
| Accessibility | Not wheelchair accessible; not recommended for travellers with back problems, pregnancy, or serious medical conditions |
| Cruise passengers | Schedule changes accommodated; full refund if your itinerary changes |
| Cancellation | Full refund if cancelled at least 24 hours before departure |
Rose Island vs Big Major Cay: which to choose
If swimming pigs are the entire point of your trip and you have a full day or more to spare, Big Major Cay in the Exumas is the original colony and the larger, more established attraction. It involves a significant journey — either a 2-3 hour boat ride from Nassau or a flight to Staniel Cay followed by a boat transfer.
For visitors with limited time, particularly cruise passengers with a single port day, Rose Island delivers a genuinely comparable pig experience at a fraction of the travel time, combined with turtle snorkelling that Big Major Cay trips don’t typically include in the same way. The trade-off is scale: Rose Island’s pig colony is smaller and the operation feels more boutique, which many visitors find preferable rather than a compromise.
What visitors say
At 4.8 out of 5 from 882 reviews, the tour performs consistently well, with the crew’s friendliness and the turtle snorkelling cited as frequently as the pigs themselves. Several recent reviews specifically praise staff for helping nervous swimmers, including children, feel comfortable in the water — multiple parents mention crew members staying with anxious kids while the rest of the group snorkelled.
The most common minor criticism concerns the pig interaction itself, which some reviewers find shorter than expected — typically 10 to 15 minutes of direct interaction within the broader hour at Rose Island. Turtle sightings during snorkelling are not guaranteed, though the overwhelming majority of recent reviews report seeing at least one.
See availability and book the swim with pigs and turtles tour →
Frequently asked questions
Are the Nassau swimming pigs the same as the famous Exuma pigs?
No. The original and most famous swimming pigs live on Big Major Cay in the Exumas, roughly 80 miles from Nassau. The pigs on Rose Island, visited on this tour, are a separate, more recently established colony created specifically to give Nassau-based visitors a closer alternative. Both colonies are genuine and well cared for, but they are different pigs on different islands.
How did the swimming pigs get to the Bahamas?
The most credible explanation, based on journalistic research into the original Big Major Cay colony, is that local residents intentionally placed pigs on uninhabited islands as informal farms, with plans to return for food. Popular theories involving shipwrecks or abandoned pirate livestock make for better stories but are not well supported by evidence. The Rose Island colony followed a similar logic, established more recently and explicitly to serve tourism demand.
Is it safe to swim with the pigs?
Generally yes, provided guidelines are followed. Guides on this tour brief participants on safe interaction before allowing contact, including not approaching too quickly and not feeding pigs anything other than their normal feed. Documented incidents at other Bahamian pig beaches, including pig deaths linked to alcohol consumption and sand ingestion, illustrate why following the guide’s instructions matters. Listen to your crew and avoid feeding pigs anything yourself unless instructed.
Will I definitely see turtles on this tour?
Sea turtle sightings at Green Cay are very frequent but not guaranteed, since the turtles are wild. Guides actively search for them and the large majority of recent reviews report successful sightings, often of multiple turtles. If wildlife sightings are an absolute priority rather than a likely bonus, set expectations accordingly — this is true of any wildlife-based tour.
What should I bring on this tour?
Bring a swimsuit worn under your clothes, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, and a waterproof phone case or camera if you want photos in the water. Bottled water, snacks and soft drinks are provided on board, along with alcoholic beverages, but lunch is not included — bring your own or budget for the beach bar at Rose Island. A change of clothes for the journey home is worth packing too.
