White sand, blue waters, cloudless skies… The Bahamas is famed for being home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. When caught with so many options for a paradisiacal getaway, it can be hard to choose exactly which of these many beaches is right for you. Here’s our guide to 5 of the best beaches you can visit in the Exumas, and what makes them different.
Best for: safe waters with great views of local marine life
Located on the northeast side of the largest island in the Exumas, Coco Plum Beach has done the rounds on Instagram thanks to its famous swing seat that is set in the beach’s inviting blue water.
Thanks to Coco Plum’s very shallow waters, this beach is perfect for those who are chartering in the Bahamas with little ones as they can safely splash around in the calm water.
The low depth also makes this beach an ideal place to spot the Bahamian marine life: be sure to grab your snorkeling gear from your motor yacht to look at the starfish dotted on the seabed. We recommend visiting at low tide as this is when these sea creatures are most visible, with the shallow waves also revealing the glistening conch shells that also line the shore.
Best for: unique panoramic views and romantic vibe
Named after the 3 large rock formations set just off the shoreline, this beach offers visitors beautiful views out over the Atlantic. With larger waves, Three Sisters is less ideal for paddling, but will wow you with sights of these turquoise waves crashing against the 3 black islets.
While most beaches in the Bahamas are known for their brilliant white sands, Three Sisters’ shore is actually tinged with pink. This makes it the perfect spot for those of you looking for a romantic getaway during your luxury charter. Given its unsuitability for swimming and water sports, it is also less popular with tourists– promising a quieter, more private beach day for you and your significant other.
Finally, those visiting can take shade from the sunshine under the beach’s palm trees. These are a rare and unique feature as palm trees are not actually endemic to the Bahamas.
Best for: abundance of friendly sea life
Also located on Great Exuma, Hoopers Bay is a popular spot given the abundance of turtles that swim there. With the characteristic crystal-clear waters, you can easily spot these Bahamian turtles who typically bale around the beach’s piers.
In addition to petting the friendly turtles at Hoopers Bay, you can also glimpse barracudas and stingrays, so be sure to take your camera to capture your encounters before you head back home.
Best for: adventurous beach days
This beach is a diver’s dream: in addition to the white sandy shore, Stocking Island is home to blue holes and undersea caves that are perfect for those more adventurous people in your charter party. Angelfish Blue Hole, for example, is a deep blue hole at the bottom of the bay which divers can delve into up to 100 feet. If you prefer snorkeling, then you can swim around the hole’s mouth where you can marvel at the local parrotfish and other creatures who school there.
Stocking Island was also a popular spot for the famed ocean explorer, Jacques Cousteau who had explored the sea cave named ‘The Mystery Cave.’ Swimming 1700 feet through it, he discovered that it runs underneath the whole island and out to the sea on the other side.
If your yacht has submarine gear, we recommend recreating Jacques Cousteau’s trip where you can marvel at the schools of Anglefish and Atlantic spadefish along the way. Alternatively, you can also explore parts of it simply by diving or snorkeling.
Best for: unique location
Also known as Pelican Beach, Tropic of Cancer is situated on the south end of Little Exuma. It is the longest beach on this small island, with 1 mile of white sand stretching along the blue-green water.
As the name suggests, the beach is famous because the Tropic of Cancer line goes straight through it; the invisible meridian is actually painted along a set of stairs leading down to the sand– a feature that you won’t see anywhere else in the Bahamas.
Tropic of Cancer beach is also notoriously difficult to find via land, so you can step off your tender onto a private and quiet beach that promises you a day of relaxation.
If you would like to incorporate any (or all!) of these beautiful beaches into your Exumas yacht charter, then be sure to speak to your preferred charter broker to arrange this.
For more inspiration, take a look at our sample Bahamas itineraries.
