Bahamas Yacht Charter
All-inclusive crewed charters in the Exumas — swimming pigs, pristine sandbars, and water so clear it doesn't look real.
Why Charter a Crewed Yacht in the Bahamas?
The Exumas are 365 islands and cays stretching across some of the most impossibly clear water you'll ever see. Most of them are uninhabited. A few have a dock and a bar. The rest? Just sand, turquoise water, and you.
On a crewed charter, the Exumas become a completely private experience. Your captain navigates the shallow banks and cuts that only locals know. Your chef is grilling fresh conch on the beach while you swim with nurse sharks at Compass Cay. There's no resort version of this — you have to do it by boat.
People who've been everywhere say the Exumas surprised them. The water color is genuinely unreal. The wildlife encounters feel like a nature documentary you stumbled into. And the remoteness — once you're out in the cays, you won't see another soul.
What Makes a Bahamas Yacht Charter Special
The Clearest Water on Earth
The Exumas sit on a shallow limestone bank that produces water clarity you won't find anywhere else in the Caribbean. Your yacht will look like it's floating in midair. People think the photos are edited — they're not.
Swimming Pigs & Nurse Sharks
Big Major Cay's famous swimming pigs are the headliner, but the Exumas are full of wildlife encounters — hand-feeding iguanas at Allen's Cay, swimming with nurse sharks at Compass Cay, and spotting sea turtles in every anchorage.
True Remoteness
Most of the Exuma cays are uninhabited. You'll anchor off islands with no one else in sight. If you want a yacht charter where you genuinely disconnect from everything, the Bahamas delivers in a way the BVI can't.
Sandbars & Hidden Beaches
Tidal sandbars that appear and disappear with the tide, tiny cays with beaches that have never seen a footprint, and coral gardens you can snorkel right off the yacht. Every day on your Bahamas charter is a new discovery.
Exumas Yacht Charter Must-See Stops
Swimming Pigs at Big Major Cay
The world-famous swimming pigs. They'll wade out to your dinghy looking for snacks. It's exactly as absurd and fun as it sounds — kids and adults love it equally.
Thunderball Grotto
An underwater cave from a James Bond film. Snorkel inside at slack tide and the light filtering through is spectacular. Your captain will time it perfectly.
Nurse Sharks at Compass Cay
Dock at Compass Cay marina and swim with dozens of gentle nurse sharks in waist-deep water. They're completely harmless and surprisingly friendly.
Pipe Creek & Shroud Cay
Pipe Creek is a maze of tidal creeks and sandbars with water so shallow and clear you can see every starfish. Shroud Cay has a mangrove creek you can dinghy through to a hidden beach on the Atlantic side.
Staniel Cay Yacht Club
The unofficial capital of the Exumas. Fly in here to skip the Nassau crossing, grab fresh conch at the yacht club, and start your Bahamas yacht charter from the heart of the cays.
What's Included in a Bahamas Yacht Charter
- Private luxury catamaran for the duration of your charter
- Professional captain, chef, and crew
- All meals and beverages — including fresh conch and local Bahamian specialties
- Water toys — paddleboards, kayaks, snorkel gear, fishing gear, floating mats
- Custom daily itinerary through the Exuma cays
- Guidance on flights to Nassau or Staniel Cay to start your charter
Good to Know Before You Book
We usually recommend the Exumas for guests who've already done a charter elsewhere — typically the BVI. The BVI is protected water with short sails between islands. The Exumas are more remote, the crossings are longer, and the experience is different. It's not harder, but it helps to know what a charter feels like before you go.
Most Bahamas yacht charters start out of Nassau, which means an open-water crossing of the Exuma Sound to reach the cays. It's manageable on a crewed yacht, but it's a full day of sailing. The alternative is starting from Staniel Cay in the middle of the island chain — you skip the crossing entirely and start chartering immediately. That said, there can be an extra relocation fee for the yacht to get to Staniel, so talk to us about what makes sense for your trip.
When to Charter the Exumas
Best Time: April–May
Our favorite window for the Exumas. The trade winds blow consistently from the east to southeast, cold fronts have mostly stopped coming through, and the days are longer. Fewer cruisers in the cays means more solitude. Early tropical activity is possible but unlikely.
Winter (Dec–Mar)
The Exumas are a different animal than the BVI in winter. Cold fronts sweep down from the west like clockwork — January through March especially. That means squalls, winds over 20 knots, and occasional northerly or westerly shifts that can change your plans. The weather between fronts is gorgeous, but you need a captain who knows how to read the forecast and adjust the itinerary. This is one of the reasons we recommend the BVI for your first charter.
November–December
Often pleasant, but cold fronts start arriving as early as October. You'll want flexibility with your itinerary. November can be excellent — shoulder pricing with good conditions between fronts. December picks up with holiday demand.
Summer (Jun–Oct)
Hot, humid, light winds, and the risk of tropical activity. The Bahamas sits right in the hurricane corridor. We don't recommend chartering the Exumas in summer.
Bahamas Yacht Charter Pricing
All-inclusive crewed catamaran charters in the Bahamas start around $28,000 per week for up to 6 guests and around $35,000 for up to 8 guests. The Bahamas commands a slight premium over the BVI due to provisioning logistics and the remote cruising ground. Christmas and New Year's charters run 15–20% higher and book 12+ months in advance. Starting from Staniel Cay (vs. Nassau) may add a relocation fee but eliminates the Exuma Sound crossing.
Explore the Exumas
Deep dives on the Exumas — what to see, where to anchor, and how to plan your charter.
Exuma Islands & Anchorages
How to Book
Share Your Vision
Fill out our quick form and we'll dive into your unique preferences — from adventure-packed itineraries to pampered escapes. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or new to charters, we'll tailor recommendations just for you.
Choose the Perfect Yacht
With over a decade of experience, we'll guide you to the yacht that matches your style, needs, and group. Having personally chartered many of these yachts, we'll ensure you select the one best suited for your perfect escape.
Relax While We Handle the Details
Once your yacht is booked, we'll take care of logistics: paperwork, reminders, and personalized resources to help you plan. From arrival planning to must-visit spots, we'll make your charter as seamless as it is unforgettable.
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Ready to plan your escape?
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