The Spanish Wells pigs (not Exuma), and how to visit them

Where they are and how they got there

The pigs live on Pig Island at Meek’s Patch, a small sandy cay a short run from the Spanish Wells harbour. They are looked after on the island, and the admission you pay there goes toward their keep. They know the sound of the boats and they come down the beach when we arrive.

Exuma versus Spanish Wells, honestly

The Exuma pigs at Big Major Cay are the famous ones, and if the pigs are the whole point of your trip, that is where the big herd is. The Spanish Wells pigs are fewer and the visit is shorter. What you get here is that you do not need a flight or a full-day boat trip to see them, the water around the cay is as clear as anything in Exuma, and the same morning includes the sandbar swing, the stingrays and the starfish. Most families tell me the pigs were the kids’ favorite ten minutes and the stingrays were the parents’.

What the visit is like

We anchor off the beach in a couple of feet of water. The pigs swim or wade out, you feed them from the water, and everyone gets the photo. Pig Island charges its own admission, paid on the island, and if you would like it arranged as part of the day, tell us when you book. Then we leave them in peace and go to the next stop.

The rules, for the pigs’ sake

Feed only the food provided for them. Do not chase them onto the beach. Do not feed them from the sand where they can inhale it. Keep small children on the boat or in a parent’s arms in the water; a pig is bigger than it looks. We do not stay long.

Best time of day and combining it

Morning, before the heat and before other boats. On a half day we do the pigs, the stingrays and the sandbar; on a full day we add snorkeling and a beach. See the excursions page.