Exuma’s beaches are the reason many people book the flight, and they are not all the same kind of day. Some you reach by car, with a cooler and a long afternoon ahead. Some you reach by water taxi or a cays tour, when the tide is right. The water is the constant: pale, shallow, and startlingly clear when the wind is kind.
This guide focuses on beaches you can plan a day around on Great Exuma, Little Exuma, and Stocking Island, plus a note on the sandbars farther up the chain. For boat-day stops, including Pig Beach on Big Major Cay, see Things to Do in Exuma. For a stay close to a particular shore, see Where to Stay.
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Tropic of Cancer Beach (Pelican Beach), Little Exuma
Tropic of Cancer Beach, also known as Pelican Beach, sits on Little Exuma, south of the bridge from Great Exuma. The Tropic of Cancer line crosses the shore, and a marker on the approach is a favorite photo stop. The sand is wide, the water is that famous pale turquoise, and snorkeling just off the beach can be excellent when the sea is calm.
Services are limited, so bring water, shade, and lunch unless you have confirmed that a vendor is open that day. It is an easy drive from a Little Exuma villa and a longer, still straightforward run from George Town. If this beach is your default afternoon, staying on Little Exuma is the most graceful way to do it. Check prices for nearby villas, or plan your trip with us.
Coco Plum Beach, Great Exuma
Coco Plum Beach (also written Cocoplum) is a favorite on the north side of Great Exuma, known for shallow, clear water and sandbars that appear at low tide. Check the tide, wear something on your feet if you walk out, and give yourself time to wander rather than rush a photograph.
People come here to look for sand dollars in the shallows. Take only empty, white tests — the grey ones are still alive — or, better, leave them where they are. The access road is not a polished driveway; drive gently. Some visitors stop for a simple beach lunch when a stand is open; bring cash.
Hooper’s Bay, Great Exuma
Hooper’s Bay is a central Great Exuma beach, convenient if you are staying mid-island, and a pleasant swimming shore. It is often mentioned as a place where sea turtles appear in the shallows. Sightings are never guaranteed, so treat a turtle as a gift, not an attraction you are owed.
If you do see turtles, keep your distance, do not touch or feed them, and give them a clear path into deeper water. Amenities are limited; bring what you need and pack it out. Follow signed beach access rather than crossing private property.
Emerald Bay, Great Exuma
Emerald Bay is a long stretch of pale sand and calm, shallow water on Great Exuma, shared by shoreline homes and resort property, including Grand Isle Resort & Residences. The bay has public beach access — local guides often mention a sign in the Farmer’s Hill area — so you do not have to be a hotel guest to see it. Respect private grounds, resort facilities, and any posted limits.
The former Sandals Emerald Bay, which also sat on this bay, closed to guests in August 2024 for a planned conversion. Do not assume amenities on that end of the shore are open to visitors. Grand Isle remains a villa-resort option if you want to stay on the bay itself. Check prices at Grand Isle, or check prices on Booking.com.
Jolly Hall and other George Town shores
Closer to George Town, Jolly Hall Beach is a convenient, often quieter swimming beach if you want turquoise water without a long drive. It is a good choice for a short morning swim or an easy afternoon, but shade and services may be scarce, so come prepared.
On Little Exuma, Pretty Molly Beach is another quieter shore, useful as a second stop on a southern drive. Conditions change with wind and tide, so treat any small beach as a “see how it looks when you arrive” stop rather than a promise.
Stocking Island
Stocking Island, across Elizabeth Harbour from George Town, is one of the simplest special beach days in Exuma. A short water taxi from town delivers you to fine sand, clear water, and Chat ’N’ Chill, a well-known beach bar. Stingrays often appear in the shallows; watch them, do not chase or lift them, and follow staff guidance.
Agree on the return pickup before you leave George Town, and ask what food and drinks will be available that day. If you want to stay overnight, Peace & Plenty’s beach club and villas are a long-standing option; see Where to Stay. Check prices for Stocking Island stays.
Sandbars and beaches you reach by boat
Some of the most photographed “beaches” in Exuma are not on the main islands at all. At low tide, sandbars rise out of the banks in the cays, and a good skipper will time a stop so you can wade in very shallow water. These places are temporary, and they are reached by tour or private charter, not by car.
Pig Beach on Big Major Cay is a boat destination, famous for the swimming pigs rather than a long, quiet sunbathe. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park has secluded beaches of its own, reached by boat, with strict no-take rules. For tours that include sandbars, the pigs, and the park, see Things to Do. Check prices on Viator, or check prices on GetYourGuide.
A few practical notes
- Many of the best beaches have little or no shade, no restrooms, and no place to buy water. Pack as if you will be on your own.
- Tides change the character of Coco Plum and of the cays sandbars. A low-tide visit is a different outing from a high-tide swim.
- The sun is intense, and the water’s glare adds to it. Bring more protection than you would pack for a resort pool.
- Leave live shells, sand dollars, coral, and wildlife where they are. In the Land and Sea Park, taking them is not allowed.
- A rental car makes the Great Exuma and Little Exuma beaches much easier. Check prices for cars at GGT. See Getting to Exuma for taxis and water taxis.
If you want a villa within an easy walk or a short drive of a particular beach, plan your trip with us.