Island-hopping the Exumas by mail boat, ferry and small plane

Loading day at Potter's Cay Dock starts long before anyone mentions a departure time. Pallets of cement and bottled water, a crate of live chickens, an outboard engine wrapped in cardboard, somebody's sofa: it all goes aboard before the passengers do, swung across by crane under the Paradise Island bridges. Then, when the tide and the cargo allow, the mail boat slips out of Nassau Harbour and points south-east for the Exuma Cays.

There are quicker ways to reach the Exumas, and most visitors use them. But stitching the chain together by mail boat, small boat, light aircraft and harbour ferry shows you how the islands actually connect, and it turns the travel into the trip. Here is a route that works well. It runs from Nassau to Staniel Cay by sea, through the central cays by small boat, on to George Town by air, and back to Nassau. It works in either direction.

The route at a glance

The Exumas stretch for roughly 130 miles south-east of Nassau, from the small cays in the north to Great and Little Exuma in the south, with deep Exuma Sound on the eastern side and the shallow Great Bahama Bank to the west. Staniel Cay sits around the middle of the chain; George Town is the main town, on Great Exuma.

Allow ten days to two weeks to do it without rushing. Weather will cost you a day somewhere.

Leg 1: Nassau to Staniel Cay by mail boat

The mail boats are the freight lifeline of the Out Islands, carrying groceries, building supplies, vehicles and post, with a few passengers along for the ride. Different boats serve different routes from Potter's Cay Dock. One runs down through the central Exuma Cays, calling at Staniel Cay, Black Point and Little Farmer's Cay, and sometimes continuing beyond. Another serves George Town on Great Exuma.

Schedules are published, loosely, through the dockmaster's office at Potter's Cay, but treat any timetable as a statement of intent. Departure depends on when the cargo is loaded and what the weather and tides are doing. Turn up early on the day, ask for the captain, and pay in cash. Fares are modest compared with flying.

What to expect on board:

• Simple accommodation. Some boats have small shared cabins with bunks; on others you find a corner of the deck or saloon. Bring a light blanket or sleeping bag liner and a small pillow.
• Food may or may not be offered. Some boats have a cook; bring snacks and plenty of water either way.
• A night at sea. The passage often runs overnight, and the open stretches can be lively when the wind is up. Take motion-sickness tablets before you feel unwell, not after.
• Unhurried arrivals. Each stop means unloading. Reaching Staniel Cay in the early morning, as the dock fills with people collecting deliveries, is a fine Bahamian travel moment.

Leg 2: Staniel Cay and the central cays by small boat

Staniel Cay is small, with an airstrip, a handful of places to stay and a few shops. It is the natural base for the middle of the chain, and almost everything worth seeing lies a short boat ride away.

Getting around on the water

If you are an experienced boat handler, renting a small boat for a few days gives you freedom. The water here is shallow, tidal and full of sandbars, so ask for a thorough local briefing first. The old rule of reading the colours still applies: deep blue is safe, green is generally fine, and pale white or brown means sand, grass or coral close to the surface. If you are not confident, hire a local captain for the day. It costs more and is worth every dollar.

Days out from Staniel

• Thunderball Grotto. A limestone cave just off Staniel Cay, best visited at slack low tide, when you can swim in without fighting the current. Our guide to snorkelling Bahamian reefs safely explains how to read the tides in places like this.
• Big Major Cay. Home of the famous swimming pigs. Watch from the water's edge, and if you choose to feed them, follow the posted guidance; feeding them on the sand has harmed animals in the past.
• Black Point. A short run south to Great Guana Cay brings you to the largest settlement in the cays, with a government dock, a calm harbour and a real community atmosphere.
• The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The park's southern edge lies a short boat ride north of Staniel Cay, and it stretches north as far as Shroud Cay. Founded in 1958, it was the world's first land-and-sea park, and its waters have been a no-take zone since the 1980s. The headquarters is on Warderick Wells, where a trail climbs to Boo Boo Hill. Services are minimal, so bring water, take your rubbish home, and use the moorings rather than anchoring on coral. The Bahamas National Trust manages the park and publishes visitor information.

Leg 3: Staniel Cay to George Town by small plane

From the air, the Exumas make sense in a way they never do from a boat. The cays line up like stepping stones along the edge of the bank, with the deep blue of the Sound on one side and the shallows on the other.

Staniel Cay has a short airstrip suitable for light aircraft, and scheduled seats in and out are limited. For the hop south to Exuma International Airport at Moss Town, a short drive from George Town, a charter is the usual option. Charters are priced per aircraft rather than per seat, so the cost drops sharply if you can share with others leaving on the same day. Ask at your lodging, as they often know who else is flying out.

A few practical points:

• Pack soft. Light aircraft have strict weight limits and small holds. Duffel bags fit; hard suitcases may not.
• Expect to be weighed. Pilots often need passenger weights for loading calculations.
• Build in slack. Small planes generally fly in good visibility, and a line of squalls can delay you by hours. Don't schedule an international connection on the same day.

Leg 4: George Town, Elizabeth Harbour and Little Exuma

George Town sits on the shore of Elizabeth Harbour, a long, sheltered stretch of water between Great Exuma and Stocking Island. In winter the harbour fills with cruising yachts; the rest of the year it is quieter.

Harbour ferries and water taxis

Stocking Island lies just across the harbour, and ferries and water taxis make the crossing in minutes. Its harbour side has calm beaches and sheltered coves; walking trails cross to the Atlantic side, where the beach is wild and empty. Check the time of the last boat back before you set off.

Further down the harbour, Moriah Harbour Cay National Park protects more than 22,000 acres of beaches, dunes, mangrove creeks and seagrass beds. A boat trip from George Town is the easiest way to see it.

By road

Hire a car for a day or two. Heading south, the Queen's Highway crosses the narrow bridge at The Ferry onto Little Exuma, where the Tropic of Cancer crosses one of the beaches and Williams Town looks out over old salt ponds. Heading north, the road runs up the island through Rolleville to Barreterre, where small boats come and go across the banks.

Leg 5: Back to Nassau

Exuma International has scheduled flights to Nassau and direct services to several North American cities, so the return is usually the simplest part of the trip. If you prefer to finish as you began, a mail boat serves George Town from Potter's Cay, and the same rules apply: cash, patience, and a call to the dockmaster before you travel.

Scheduled passenger ferries between Nassau and George Town have come and gone over the years; if you see one advertised, confirm directly with the operator. Fast day-trip boats from Nassau to the northern cays are tours, not transport.

When to go

Late spring and early summer usually bring the calmest seas, which matters on a trip built around small boats. Winter is lovely, but cold fronts can pin you in harbour for days at a time. September and October sit at the heart of hurricane season; some small hotels and restaurants in the cays close for a few weeks, and mail boat schedules can be disrupted for days around a storm. If you travel then, book flexible fares and good insurance, and read our hurricane-season household calendar for how islanders plan around it. The month-by-month weather guide covers the rest of the year.

What to pack

1. Cash in small notes, since card machines and cash machines are scarce in the cays.
2. A soft duffel bag that weighs as little as possible.
3. A dry bag for boat days.
4. A rash vest, a sun hat and mineral sunscreen.
5. Motion-sickness tablets and a light layer for the night passage.
6. A head torch, refillable water bottle and offline maps; phone signal comes and goes.

If this is your first trip beyond Nassau and the Exumas feel like a big leap, our guide to choosing your first Out Island compares four easier starting points.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors travel on the mail boats?

Yes. Most mail boats carry passengers alongside the cargo, and visitors are generally welcome. Check the current schedule with the dockmaster's office at Potter's Cay before you plan around it, and expect simple conditions on board.

How long does the mail boat take from Nassau to the Exumas?

It depends on the boat, the number of stops and the weather. Allow anywhere from around eight to fourteen hours, and expect to spend a night aboard. Arrival times are approximate at best.

Do I need to rent a boat in the Exuma Cays?

Not necessarily. Local captains run day trips to the grotto, the pigs, the sandbars and the park, and hiring one is the safer choice if you don't know shallow-water navigation. Renting is better suited to experienced boaters who have had a proper local briefing.

Is there a regular ferry from Nassau to George Town?

Not reliably. Passenger ferry services on the route have operated at times and then stopped, so check the operator's current schedule before counting on one. Flights and mail boats are the dependable options.

How many days does the full route need?

Ten days is a sensible minimum, and two weeks is better. That allows for an overnight passage, several days around Staniel Cay, at least one weather delay and a few relaxed days in George Town.