Staniel Cay or Great Exuma: which Exumas base to pick

The Exumas have two usual bases: George Town on Great Exuma, and Staniel Cay near the center of the Exuma Cays. They differ most in how you arrive, what you can stay in, and what sits close by. The Exumas trip planner links the rest of the planning pages.

How do Staniel Cay and Great Exuma compare?

	Great Exuma (George Town)	Staniel Cay
Airport	Exuma International Airport (GGT), a few miles from George Town; runway 7,051 ft5,6	Staniel Cay Airport (TYM); runway 3,031 ft9
Flights	Nonstop from Charlotte, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Toronto and Nassau; Delta nonstop from Atlanta daily1	Makers Air daily scheduled service from Fort Lauderdale Executive8; no direct flight from Miami; from Nassau, Flamingo Air or Titan Air10
Customs port of entry	Exuma International Airport is a designated port of entry11	Black Point Airport is a designated port in the Exumas; Staniel Cay is not on the list11
Hotels	Most of the Exumas’ large hotels and resorts2; Peace & Plenty has 35 hotel rooms and five cottages on Stocking Island13	Staniel Cay Yacht Club; Blue bungalow $907.48 per night on the package plan, 19 Oct 2026, taxes included4
Marina	Exuma Yacht Club Marina takes boats up to 120 ft, with power, water and fuel15	Staniel Cay Yacht Club: 18 slips and 21 balls for daily or nightly rental, yachts up to 210 ft16,17
Near Pig Beach and Thunderball	Tour operators run Pig Beach trips from Great Exuma22	Thunderball Grotto two minutes away; Compass Cay just north; Big Major Cay nearby3,22
Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park	Outside the park, at 23°32′N19,21	Outside the park, at 24°10′N19,20

Rates move by date, so run your own dates with each property.

How do you get to each base?

Great Exuma is the easier arrival. Bahamas.com lists nonstop flights to Georgetown, Bahamas from Charlotte, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Toronto and Nassau, with Delta from Atlanta daily and Silver Airways from Fort Lauderdale every Saturday and Sunday¹. Exuma International Airport has daily domestic and international flights⁶. The Great Exuma flight guide has the detail.

Staniel Cay takes a small plane. Staniel Cay Adventures says you cannot fly direct from Miami and, from Nassau, you connect with Flamingo Air or Titan Air¹⁰. From Fort Lauderdale Executive it is about a 90-minute flight¹⁰. Makers Air shows a banner that Staniel Cay Airport closes September 21 to October 31, with its flights operating via Black Point⁷. See how to fly to Staniel Cay before you book.

Arriving by boat? The bahamas.com entry list for Great Exuma includes the Exuma Public Dock, Emerald Bay Marina and Exuma Yacht Club Marina¹². Few full-service marinas serve Elizabeth Harbour, so boats anchor in clusters in the main harbor²⁷.

Where do you stay on each island?

Great Exuma has the choice. Peace & Plenty offers 35 rooms in George Town and five Island Cottages on Stocking Island¹³. Exuma Beach Resort sits on Elizabeth Harbour in George Town²⁸, and Grand Isle Resort & Residences is at Rokers Point²⁹. Our where to stay in the Exumas page lists each base’s properties.

Staniel Cay Yacht Club runs a marina and takes lodging bookings^4,17. For one night on Monday 19 October 2026 with 2 adults, its booking engine showed the Blue bungalow at $907.48 on the package plan, taxes included⁴. Rates move by date, so search your own dates.

What is near each base: Pig Beach, the park and supplies?

Neither base is inside the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Staniel Cay lies at 24°10′N, south of the park’s southwest corner at 24°14′25″N, and Great Exuma lies at 23°32′N^19,20,21. Big Major Cay lies near Staniel Cay²². Staniel Cay Adventures puts Thunderball Grotto two minutes from Staniel Cay and Compass Cay just north³.

Great Exuma reaches the pigs by tour. Operators run Pig Beach trips from Great Exuma, Staniel Cay and other nearby cays²². Exuma Water Sports lists a half-day swimming pig tour from Great Exuma starting at $199²⁴, and a full-day Staniel Cay swimming pig tour starting at $435²³. It warns that some boat legs on the full day take an hour or more²³.

For supplies, Exuma Markets in George Town calls itself Exuma’s largest grocery store and delivers to hotels and marinas¹⁴. Staniel Cay Yacht Club’s marina sells fuel, electricity, fresh water, ice and bait, with the fuel dock open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily¹⁷. Staniel Cay has Saint Luke’s Clinic, founded in the early 1960s, whose stated mission covers residents and visitors alike¹⁸.

How do you get around once you land?

On Great Exuma, where you stay changes your daily distances²⁵. A rental car suits visitors who combine beaches, restaurants and supply stops, and a taxi or transfer suits a shorter stay²⁵. An airport car-hire service operates at Exuma International Airport²⁶. Arrange airport and dinner transfers in advance²⁵. See getting around Great Exuma.

Staniel Cay or Great Exuma: which should you pick?

Pick Great Exuma if:

• You want nonstop flights, including Delta from Atlanta daily¹.
• You want a choice of large hotels and resorts².
• You plan to rent a car and combine beaches, restaurants and supply stops²⁵.
• You want a large grocery store with delivery to your hotel or marina¹⁴.

Pick Staniel Cay if:

• You want Thunderball Grotto two minutes away and Compass Cay just north³.
• You are happy with a small-plane arrival, for example from Fort Lauderdale Executive^8,10.
• You want a yacht club base with a marina with slips and rental balls¹⁶.
• You want a stay at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, where the Blue bungalow showed $907.48 on the package plan for 19 October 2026⁴.

You can do both: George Town to Staniel Cay covers the move between them. For the swimming pigs themselves, read Big Major Cay and the swimming pigs. Check current rates and schedules with the operator before you book.