Exuma Park.info · Park guide
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On this page
  1. What the park is
  2. Rules every visitor follows
  3. Fees and moorings
  4. Warderick Wells and the park office
  5. Wildlife, snorkeling and the water
  6. Why the no-take rule exists
  7. Beyond the park

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: rules, fees and zones

Start here for the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: what it is, the no-take rule, fees, moorings, the Warderick Wells office and where to read more.

Updated 2026-10-18Sources: 5Exuma Park editors
Short answer

The Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park is a Bahamas National Trust marine reserve established in 1958 and covering 112,640 acres, or 176 square miles, of land and sea1. It is a no-take zone: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering, and nothing living or dead may be removed2. Boats pay daily mooring or anchoring fees through ParkPay3.

At a glance
Established
19581
Area
112,640 acres (176 sq mi)1
Park office
VHF 09, "Exuma Park"1
Emergencies
VHF 16, monitored 24 hours1
Mooring reservations
None taken3
Camping permit
$250, up to 10 days2
On this page
  1. What the park is
  2. Rules every visitor follows
  3. Fees and moorings
  4. Warderick Wells and the park office
  5. Wildlife, snorkeling and the water
  6. Why the no-take rule exists
  7. Beyond the park
Turquoise water in the foreground with sailboats at anchor on the far shore
Anchored sailboats across clear water at Warderick Wells, the park headquarters

The park headquarters sit at Warderick Wells, where wardens and Bahamas Defence Force officers patrol the park1,2. This page is the map: pick the question you have and follow the link.

What the park is

Established in 1958, the park is the first marine reserve in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean1. It covers 112,640 acres of land and sea, or 176 square miles1. It is the most visited national park in The Bahamas1.

New to the area? Start with what the park is, then see how the park was founded and where the boundaries run. The park is only part of the Exumas, and the park versus the wider Exumas sorts out what sits inside and what does not.

Rules every visitor follows

Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is a NO TAKE ZONE: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering. Nothing living or dead may be removed from within the boundaries of the park2.

That one rule drives most of the others. The full list covers anchoring, idle speed in mooring fields, pets, fires and trash: take out everything you bring in2. Read the park rules and the no-take zone guide before you arrive. Flying over a park below 1,000 feet needs authorization under the Trust’s bylaws, so check the drone rules first4.

Fees and moorings

Boats pay by the day, through the Trust’s ParkPay page or app3. Fees include 10% VAT at checkout3. The park takes no reservations, so you cannot book a ball ahead3. Park fees and mooring fees has every rate by boat length, and how moorings work explains getting one. Rates change, so check ParkPay on the day you pay.

Warderick Wells and the park office

Call the park office on VHF channel 09, “Exuma Park”1. The office is on a small, remote island, so a call can take time to get through1. Channel 16 is monitored 24 hours for emergencies1. The office keeps hours of 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to noon on Sunday1. Warderick Wells headquarters covers the base itself.

Wildlife, snorkeling and the water

The Trust lists birds, fish, turtles and iguanas among the park’s wildlife1. See wildlife in the park for what lives where, and snorkel sites in the park for where to get in the water.

Why the no-take rule exists

The waters have been managed as a no-take reserve since 19865, and the rule still bans taking anything from the park2. Park history lays out the timeline. If you want to help keep it that way, supporting the park through the Trust explains how.

Beyond the park

Boaters heading in will also want the boating guide, and planners will find getting there, places and trip planning on their own hubs.

Park map and printable rules card

Schematic map of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park boundary and the places in this guideThe park is drawn as a four-sided outline from the Bahamas National Trust corner coordinates. 5 places fall inside the outline and 13 outside it. Schematic, not for navigation.23.50°N23.75°N24.00°N24.25°N24.50°N24.75°N76.75°W76.50°W76.25°W76.00°W75.75°W75.50°WNWNESESWEXUMA CAYS LAND & SEA PARKWarderick WellsShroud CayBell IslandCompass CayExuma International AirportGeorge Town, BahamasBig Major Cay (Pig Beach)Allen's CayThunderball GrottoStaniel CayStocking IslandNorman's CayHawksbill CayLittle Farmer's CayCambridge CayLee Stocking IslandMusha CayGeorge Town, Great ExumaNSchematic, not for navigation
Inside the park outline Outside Park boundary, from the four Bahamas National Trust cornersInside or outside is a point-in-polygon test on those four corners, not a legal survey. Mooring fields are not drawn: no coordinates for them are published in our sources.

Places on this map

Inside the park outline: Warderick Wells, Shroud Cay, Bell Island, Hawksbill Cay, Cambridge Cay.

Outside the park outline: Compass Cay, Exuma International Airport, George Town, Bahamas, Big Major Cay (Pig Beach), Allen's Cay, Thunderball Grotto, Staniel Cay, Stocking Island, Norman's Cay, Little Farmer's Cay, Lee Stocking Island, Musha Cay, George Town, Great Exuma.

Printable one-page park rules card, built from the Trust's published rules.

All 17 guides in this section

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park rules: what boaters and visitors must follow

The Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park rules in one list: no-take zone, anchoring, speed limits, trails, pets, camping, fires, drones, trash and how to report poaching.

What is the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park? Size, rules and who runs it

The Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park explained: when it was founded, how big it is, who runs it, what it protects and what boaters and day-trippers need to know.

24°25′N 76°41′W

Exuma Park boat fees: mooring, anchoring, charter and camping rates

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park boat fees in one place: moorings by boat length, anchoring per foot, charter surcharges, landing fees, camping and annual passes.

Exuma Park mooring fields: Warderick Wells North, Emerald Rock and Pirates Lair

Which mooring fields the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park names, which ones need a VHF 09 call ahead, which are first come first served, and how to pay.

Exuma Park no-take zone: what it bans, why it exists and how to report poaching

Fishing, conching, shelling and lobstering are banned in Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. What the no-take rule covers, the penalties, and how to report poaching.

Warderick Wells: Exuma Park headquarters, office hours and VHF contact

Where the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park headquarters sits on Warderick Wells, who is stationed there, how to reach the office on VHF 09, and what to do ashore.

Exuma Park visitor center: Warderick Wells headquarters, hours and how to reach it

The Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park visitor center and headquarters on Warderick Wells: office hours, VHF 09 and 16, wardens, water, restrooms and trails ashore.

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park boundaries: corner coordinates and area

The four corner coordinates of the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park from the Bahamas National Trust, the park's size, and which cays fall inside the boundary.

24°25′N 76°41′W

How to support Exuma Park: donate to the Bahamas National Trust or join as a member

Ways to support Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park through the Bahamas National Trust: donations of any size, boat-size membership, volunteering and sponsorship.

Wildlife in Exuma Park: hutia, iguanas, seabirds and what you can see

The wildlife of Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: the Bahama hutia, rock iguanas, nesting seabirds, turtles and fish, plus the park rules that protect them.

Bahamian hutia in Exuma Park: where it lives, what it eats and how it is protected

The Bahamian hutia is the only land mammal native to The Bahamas. Where it lives, the Warderick Wells transplant, its conservation status and park pet rules.

Bahamian rock iguanas in Exuma Park: the species, the Exuma Island iguana and their status

Are there iguanas in the Exumas? The northern Bahamian rock iguana and its Exuma Island and Allen's Cay subspecies: status by level, threats, diet, rules.

Nassau grouper in the Exumas: closed season, status and the Exuma Park no-take rule

Can you fish for Nassau grouper in Exuma Park? No: the park is no-take all year. The December to February closed season, spawning, size and conservation status.

Is Pig Beach in Exuma Park? What is inside the park and what is not

Pig Beach, Staniel Cay and Great Exuma all sit outside Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. See the coordinates, the park's extent and what else the Exumas protect.

Drone rules in Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: bylaw 20 and Bahamas registration

Can you fly a drone in the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park? The park bylaw bars flying below 1,000 ft unless authorized. How to ask, plus Bahamas registration rules.

Snorkeling in Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: sites, rules and hazards

Where to snorkel in the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park: Cambridge Cay's Aquarium, Rocky Dundas caves and Shroud Cay creeks, plus no-take rules and current hazards.

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park history: who founded it, the 1958 expedition and no-take

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park began in 1958 with an expedition assembled by Ilya Tolstoy. Who founded it, the Trust Act, the 176-square-mile park and no-take.

Aerial view of Staniel Cay village with turquoise water and a moored yacht
Staniel Cay from the air, the Exumas' gateway south of the park

Questions people ask

Is the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park a no-take zone?

Yes. The Bahamas National Trust's park rules ban fishing, conching, shelling and lobstering, and nothing living or dead may leave the park boundaries2. Poaching brings fines and confiscation of vessels2.

Can you reserve a mooring in the park?

No. The Trust takes no reservations, and paying in advance does not guarantee a mooring3. Pick up a ball first, then pay through the ParkPay page for the nights you use3.

Can you fly a drone over the park?

The Trust's bylaws bar flying or hovering over a park below 1,000 feet unless you are authorized4. Read the drone page before you launch anything.

Sources (5)
  1. Exuma Cays Land & Sea ParkBNT
    Bahamas National Trust · bnt.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  2. Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park Rules (PDF)BNT
    Bahamas National Trust · bnt.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  3. Pay for Mooring and Anchorage Fees (ParkPay)BNT
    Bahamas National Trust · bnt.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  4. BNT BylawsBNT
    Bahamas National Trust · bnt.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  5. Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (The Nature Conservancy)
    The Nature Conservancy · nature.org · checked 2026-10-18
Photo credits (2)
  • cogdogblog / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · source
  • cogdogblog / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · source

Park fees and rules come from the Bahamas National Trust or the Bahamas government; check them again before you go. How we check facts.