Harbour Safaris
Harbour Safaris
5
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Harbour Safaris has many different options available, including visiting the Swimming Pigs from Nassau, Exuma Excursions, and private charters. Swimming Pigs Full-Day Adventure: We'll travel through the Northern Exuma chain all the way down to Big Majors Cay, where you'll get an experience like none other - feed and play with the legendary Bahamian Swimming Pigs! Our Exuma adventure also includes Native Rock Iguanas, lunch on a local cay, and a secluded beach/sand bar stop. The tour lasts approximately 8-9 hours.We also offer a full day tour to the Spanish Wells Swimming Pigs and a half day beach and snorkel tour to Rose Island (perfect for cruise ship passengers).
Nassau, Bahamas
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles420 reviews
Excellent
374
Very good
23
Average
8
Poor
6
Terrible
9

ccr
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My husband and I went on a snorkeling trip with Captain Peter and Geo, who made the trip so much fun. They gave us lots of information, and were very accommodating. We went to a beautiful secluded reef. The water was shallow so we could see so many various fish, more than I can remember. We also went snorkeling around giant turtles. The trip concluded with a walk on Rose beach. The experience was absolutely fantastic and I would recommend it to everyone! I wish we could have had time to go more than just one time. Thank you both!!
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jane A
Walsall, UK16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017
This trip is one of the best things you will ever do and a once in a lifetime adventure...It was AMAZING!!

We booked this excursion online in the U.K. before we went on holiday to The Bahamas. Harbour Safaris gives a detailed description of the tour and includes important information which I advise anyone to read before they book.

The day started at 8.15am with a short briefing about the day and safety precautions. We left on time at 8.30am.

The ride on the powerboat was absolutely brilliant, it is not for the faint hearted! You have to straddle the seats like riding a horse, they are comfortable enough and you can stand and lean back if you prefer...it was clear some people didn't like this but we loved it...be prepared as the sea will most likely be choppy...it was great fun...I would suggest getting seats at the back so you don't get whiplash from the water at the front! Also take note to pack light...there is not a lot of room to put your stuff we had one beach bag between us.

The first stop is at iguanas island for about 15/20 minutes. We then moved on to the famous Pig Beach where we were given carrots to feed the pigs with. It was brilliant feeding, cuddling and swimming with them. The tour then carried on to the Yacht Club which is less than 5 mins away...we had a beer and lunch. The food was very good, I would recommend the catch of the day and burger! You don't stop for long so once you have finished eating I would suggest going out to see the nurse sharks!

It was then time to head back but we stopped at a beautiful bay for a beer and some swimming before the last leg home. Each journey in between each stop is about 1.5 hours. As it says on the website.

Overall brilliant day, so much fun and the guys who run the tour are great and make it worthwhile. Thank you Harbour Safaris for a great day out!

J & A xx
Written June 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

zenk4
Ventura, CA6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Family
Well, you can go from Nassau to Exuma and back on a day trip. Plus much more! Swim with the pigs, visit the iguanas and see more beautiful places than you can believe. And of course the great lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club and seeing the
sharks and sea turtles, etc. What a great trip!!!
Written June 11, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for coming on board and taking the time to review us!
Written June 13, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

spencer9988
Atlanta, GA2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2017 • Family
This review is for the full day pig tour from 8am-4:30pm for $389.

General Itinerary
There is a lot of transportation time - these times are estimates to the best of my knowledge.

Depart from the Bay Street Marina (a close taxi ride away if you are staying in Nassau)

1.5hr boat ride to Iguana Island

10-15min take pictures and look at the iguanas

1.15hr boat ride to pig island (the highlight)

30min to feed the pigs and take pictures

- It's important to note that the pigs are very cute but are wild animals. The pigs can bite and knock you with their 60lb heads as they chase after you when they see the carrots. Shae, the first mate pointed out which of the pigs are more aggressive and which will bite which was very helpful. He also had a seemingly unlimited supply of carrots.

- According to the first mate, if you are wearing yellow or orange, the pigs can mistake your clothing for food items (mango, banana, carrot etc.) so there is a higher chance of you being chased or bitten. A member of our party was wearing a long yellow shirt and she was bitten.

- Please do not pick up the piglets even if you see other travelers chasing after them and scooping them up just to get a picture. It's so sad to see the piglets running for their lives and screaming bloody murder just so someone can get a picture.

15-20min boat ride to Staniel Cay Yacht Club for lunch

- When you checkout online, you have the option of choosing your lunch option. We chose the fried conch sandwich, and it was better than expected and an interesting choice because conch is not readily offered where we're from.

- Lunch was very rushed and we didn't get a chance to walk around and look at the nurse sharks from the dock. The captain rushed us all onto the boat but we ended up having to wait 30min there for 2 members of our party who wandered off. It was frustrating being trapped on the boat by the captain with nothing to do but wait, not being allowed to wait on the dock observing the nurse sharks.

30-45min boat ride to a beautiful private stretch of beach

20min allowed to relax at the beach

- The beach was absolutely breathtaking. The sand was soft and the water was crystal clear. We were disappointed that we were allotted such short time to relax on the beach. We actually arrived back at the marina at 4pm, earlier than the 4:30pm expected arrival time. This was disappointing because we could have spent more time at the beach swimming and relaxing but it seemed as if the captain just wanted to rush home and cut our trip short even though we paid for the time.

1.5hr boat ride back to the marina.

Things to Note
* The trip depends on the crew: Shae, the first mate was great - very personable and helpful offering windbreaker jackets, water, snacks, and commentary throughout the whole boat ride. Darius, the captain was extremely rude and unfriendly. He rushed through a mandatory introduction and then didn't speak to us for the rest of the trip delegating everything to Shae and looking miserable and tired. It seemed like he just wanted to get rid of us as fast as possible without actually having to deal with us.

* Boat: the boat has straddle seats with no overhead cover - It will be a bumpy, sunny and chilly ride. Wear sunscreen and bring jackets, pants, and layers. The boat moves fast so there is a lot of windchill but the sun is still strong overhead.

*Take Dramamine or a similar seasickness medicine if you are prone to seasickness

*There is no bathroom until you get to the Staniel Bay Yacht Club so go at the marina before you leave

Summary
Overall, we had a great experience because we were prepared and toughed out the rough bits. The real highlights are the pig island and the private beach. However, there is not enough time spent relaxing at these locations. Whether or not it's worth the price, that's up to you.
Written January 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Is0bella
Lancashire111 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2017 • Couples
We got a taxi to the harbour to be given instructions and info on the boat ride. We were met with great guys our Captain/guides Darren and Shay we were seated on a speedboat which was very comfy. We were initially concerned with rough waves but the sea was so calm and the ride was super smooth. Shay was constantly checking we were all ok and giving us info/history lessons on the passing islands and offering us cold water to keep hydrated as it was a lovely hot sunny day. The first island was Iguana Island which took an hour to get there, we were the first boat so had the whole island to ourselves. The iguanas came to greet us and were very tame. On leaving this island the next island was Exuma ,it took a further hour to get there. As we were the first boat there we had the great view of seeing the pigs swimming towards our boat. Our guide Shay had bags of carrots for us to feed them. This was the best experience ever. Its an amazing experience to have pigs of all shapes and sizes eating out of our hands. They are so tame and it was a fantastic must do experience! The pigs are adorable they are such characters. After spending a while here we then went on to the Staniel Cay for lunch only 10 minutes away. We had a lovely lunch cheese burger with salad and fries and cold soft drink prepaid with the tour in advance. We had a brief look around and saw some nurse sharks in the bay area. Please be careful when walking down the stone steps into the bay they are very slippy due to seaweed. My husband slipped in so he had a go swimming with the sharks. Poor sharks were terrified of him, as they are very shy and not like the big guys out there, however we did had a good laugh after as it was comical but could have been a shock initially. Husband dried off quickly in the heat. We set off once again to our final island called Shroud Cay the most beautiful beach we have ever set foot onto. The sand is so soft and the water so clear. We could have stayed there for hours. Paradise it was! We then finally started to make our way back on a 2 hour journey to our initial destination. After such a lovely hot sunny day we did get caught in heavy rain the last hour of our journey back. Darren and Shay did their best to steer away as long as they could from the rain but did give everyone a waterproof jacket to keep us all dry. This was an amazing experience with 2 amazing guys Darren and Shay and all we can say is a Big Thank you for making this one of our most memorable experiences ever!
Written October 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grant B
London, UK15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2016 • Friends
I've heard of the swimming pigs before and while on holiday in Nassau I found a company called Habour Safaris offering exclusive tours to see the swimming pigs in Exuma. This was a golden opportunity so we booked out tickets online feeling very excited. We met up with the crew early at 8.30am and the weather conditions were perfect, hot and sunny to head out on the RIB (Rigid-hulled inflatable boat). The crew were very welcoming, fun and knowledgeable for various questions we had that made the journey very exciting.

We sat in front of the boat for the journey and is bit of a rough ride depending on sea conditions but we wanted to get good photos and that we certainly did. Going on the RIB is a great experience but if you prefer a less bumpy ride then I'd suggest sitting more towards the back of the boat.

After we reached the Exumas and started to approach Pigs Beach we could see the pigs swimming and walking the shores of the beach. It's quite surreal to see but so worth the experience. We disembarked the boat eagerly and were able to feed the pigs with carrots. We even got to see some piglets that were very cute!

We then set off for lunch at Staniel Cay (included) and the lunch was delicious - fresh fish. It was so good that I ordered one to go.

After lunch it was time to make our way back to Nassau meandering through the beautiful islands. I've never seen such pristine turquoise water in my life. We stopped off at Alans Cay to see and feed the iguanas and have a chance to soak up the sun and swim in the pristine waters.

I highly recommend going on this tour while you're in Nassau. It's an experience you'll never forget, quite exclusive and something you'll be able to brag to your friends and family, after all not everyone gets the chance to swim with pigs.

A massive thanks to the Harbour Safari team for the experience.
Written January 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nikole K
Burnaby, Canada206 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
The experience includes the "swim with the pigs" adventure where you go to Exuma Cays and feed pigs in the water. The experience was fun and gave a great photo opportunity. We also visited iguana island which again was a great spot to get some pics and feed the iguanas. We then went to lunch at the yatch club in exuma where we also got to see, feed and touch nurse sharks. After lunch we got to go to a private beach and hang out for an hour. The beach was beautiful and had the softest sand I have ever walked in.

The staff were great, very helpful and informative. The only down side is it is quite a long journey on the boat 1 hour out to the firs destination and 45 minutes to the next and about an hour and 20 minutes on the way back.

Staff was great and provided snacks and water.
Written January 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review!
Written January 7, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Alison L
Sydney, Australia21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2015 • Friends
If you're looking for an experience you can't get anywhere else in the world and a real taste of The Bahamas - this is a day trip well worth taking. Had a spectacular day with Harbour Safaris on their Exuma trip to see the swimming pigs, feed the iguanas, and have lunch at Staniel Cay. I'd definitely recommend it to any friends or relatives visiting Nassau!

After starting the day at a marina close to Paradise Island on Nassau (Bay Street Marina), we headed first of all to Big Majors, the home of the swimming pigs, and also the farthest island we visited during the trip. The ride to Exuma wasn't short (around 2.5 hours), but riding The Rib was an experience - a bit like straddling a motorbike! - and the weather and scenery was beautiful. That said, I'd recommend wearing a hat and plenty of sunscreen to avoid sunburn.

About an hour and a bit into the ride, we made it to the start of the Exuma cays, which are a long chain of islands. At this point, everyone was in awe. The colour of the water was breathtakingly blue - almost neon turquoise! It's like nothing else I've ever seen. Checking out all the small islands, the massive yachts, and the incredibly island villas along the way helped to pass the time.

We stopped briefly at the Thunderball Grotto - the spot where the Bond film of the same name was filmed, and our guide, Grouper, told us about how you can swim into the cave.

Not long after, we were at Big Majors, the home of the pigs. A couple of other boats were at the island, but not too many people. There were three enormous pigs and about three mid-sized ones, pink and tan with black marks. Grouper gave us carrots to feed the pigs, who were definitely not shy in seeking out food. The bigger the pig, the bolder they were - swimming out to greet you and opening their mouths ready for food to be thrown in. It was pretty hilarious and made for some excellent video and photo footage. The beach was also absolutely beautiful and just up in the trees we discovered an added treat - about six pink and tan/black piglets! They were absolutely adorable, snuffling around in the ground, and quite friendly.

From here we went on to Staniel Cay, another island with a marina and bar/restaurant, where we stopped for lunch. There were a several massive mega yachts docked there, and nurse sharks swimming around the dock, which was pretty cool. Lunch was simple but delicious - I chose the Fresh Catch sandwich and fries. Everyone who ordered this was really happy with it, getting a nice big fish fillet, grilled, with a lot of flavour. It definitely did taste very fresh. We then had about 40 minutes to relax before we were off in the boat again. I used the time to wander around the island a bit, which was very quaint and scenic.

Next we were headed for Allan's Cay, an island where iguanas live in the wild, but come out to accept food from tourists (we were given grapes to offer them!). As we made our way there, we wove through the middle of the cays, allowing for some spectacular views of the islands and their various private villas, as well as the beautiful, shallow water, and reefs below. Around 50 minutes later we were at the island.

The beach where the iguanas hang out is set back in a stunning cove, with extremely shallow, glassy calm and clear water. As we pulled in, the Iguanas came down to meet us at the beach. There were several big guys and quite a few smaller ones. We were given wooden sticks and some grapes to feed them, and they eagerly ran out to take the grapes from us - even jumping to get the food! After the iguanas and our group had our fill of grape feeding, there was time to relax in the water, swimming around and taking more photos of the endlessly photogenic scenery.

The trip back was around another hour and slightly more choppy but the boat was extremely fast and seemed to glide over the waves quite easily. By this point some in the group were starting to complain about sore butts from sitting on the boat but overall, it was well worth it! It's definitely long trip, but the remoteness is part of the allure, as it is all so natural, untouched and special.
Written January 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen A
2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2018 • Family
Shocked to see boat was a Zodiac...it was like driving a scooter instead of a car. Added so much time to the destination. I don't believe they advertise it is a Zodiac. After the initial shock of the vehicle, we arrived at the Iguana Island and watched while other excursions fed them...as we were not given any food for them. We were merely spectators. Then another 1.5 hours out to the pigs straddling our scooter. The pigs was another whole issue! It was a feeding frenzie and I was actually BITTEN by a 500 pound pig. It bled. I cried. It ruined the rest of my trip in Bahamas because I could barely sit down it hurt so bad. Driver told us a person gets bit EVERYDAY, they don't advertise that. I sat in the salt water to try and heal my wound and a piece of Pig Poop floated past me....it was disgusting. BEWARE of this Excursion....it is not what it seems! The driver was amazing tho!
Written November 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am very sorry to hear that you were bitten while on the tour. Unfortunately this is a risk when interacting with wild animals, especially in very close proximity. Please note, a guest is not bitten on every one of our tours and in fact, our crew does all they can to prepare guests for the encounter with safety briefings and assistance once on the beach. We are fully equipped with first aid kits and care on board, in the event that anything occurs and needs to be addressed. Our Exuma Excursions currently take place on our RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) – these are advertised all over our website and social media. These are mostly equipped with saddle-style seating. Future guests are welcome to have a look at our sites to check them out. These are speedboats that travel at safe top speeds to get to the various destinations in a timely manner. We do not feed the iguanas on our tour as requested by the Bahamas National Trust, as they are an endangered species. Other tour operators ignore this plea and continue to feed them, but we prefer to adhere by the BNT's request and to not interfere with their natural diet. Even without feeding them, it is a favoured interaction on our tour. We hope you were able to enjoy the beauty and everything that Exuma has to offer. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed our Captain on the tour.
Written November 9, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ritchiesl
York, UK60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Friends
We really enjoyed the trip - the boat trip through the cais was the highlight. The scenery and water were stunning. Very informative guides pointed out stars homes and points of interest on the way, which was great. We were the first group at both iguana and pig island so could enjoy a good 30mins alone before the next boat arrived. The food at our lunch / beach spot was also very good and we had a good 90mins to eat and relax on the beach. Expensive but well recommended.
Written October 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed some time at each stop without the crowds. It can get busy in the cays and we do our best to stay ahead of the traffic!
Written October 23, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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