Cheapest Way To Swim With Pigs In The Bahamas

Swimming with pigs in the Bahamas is at the top of many people’s bucket list however it’s known to be a very expensive excursion costing $500 per person on average.

When I visited the Bahamas recently, I wasn’t prepared to spend that much so I began researching cheaper options. In this guide, I’d love to share my findings with you!

Don’t worry, in the rest of this post I’ll go into more detail on the different pig beaches in the Bahamas, why some beaches are cheaper and how you can save the most money.

Cheapest Way to Swim with Pigs in the Bahamas

The Bahamas is the only place in the whole world where you can swim with pigs which is why so many people really want to do it when they come here. 

I was exactly the same! When I started planning my Bahamas trip, swimming with pigs was right at the top of my list.

Specifically most people go to Big Major Cay which is one of the Exuma islands. The island is referred to as ‘Pig Island’ locally.

There you will find the famous Pig Beach which is filled with cute pigs swimming around in the crystal clear waters and playing on the golden sand.

If you’re staying in Nassau then it will be super expensive to get to Pig Beach as you’ll either have to take a flight to Exuma or take a long boat ride.

If you’re on a budget then the cheapest way to swim with pigs in the Bahamas is to join a tour to Rose Island rather than Pig Beach in Exuma. This is what I did and I loved it!

Rose Island, which also has a population of swimming pigs, sits just off the coast of New Providence island and is super easy to get to from Nassau. 

Check out the difference in distance between them on the map below:

As it only takes 15 minutes to get there by boat, this tour is significantly cheaper than tours which go to Exuma.

You’ll save between $250 – $300 per person by booking the tour to Rose Island instead of an Exuma tour and realistically, you won’t even be able to tell the difference.

There’s absolutely no drop in quality (the tour has over 300 5-star reviews). The cheaper price is simply because there’s less travel involved.

My Experience Swimming With Pigs on Rose Island

To save money on my Bahamas trip, I ended up booking the swim with pigs tour to Rose Island.

I have a friend that did the Exuma swim with pigs experience a few years ago and she said it was super busy and actually difficult to even see the pigs!

I had the complete opposite experience on Rose Island! We were able to get so close to the pigs and even feed them vegetables.

After arriving on the island, I was already mesmerizing by the crystal-clear turquoise water and soft white sand but then, out of nowhere, these adorable little piggies start swimming towards me!

They were so friendly and playful, splashing around like they were having the time of their lives. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I jumped right in and started swimming with them and fed them some lunch.

I really felt like one of those pinch me moments!

The video below shows exactly what you can expect from the pigs at Rose Island:

Not many people know that you can actually see pigs in several locations across the Bahamas, not just in Exuma. This is the best way to save money on your tour.

• Rose Island Swimming With Pigs Tour (cheapest option)

Exuma vs Rose Island

There’s not much difference at all between Exuma and Rose Island if you’re visiting to swim with pigs. Both have a population of pigs that live on the beach and swim in the ocean.

Both are really beautiful locations with soft white sand and crystal clear waters. They both look like they should be on the front of a postcard.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Money Saving Tips

There are 3 easy ways that you can cut costs when booking your swim with pigs tour in the Bahamas:

I’ve done all the hard work for you and found both the best and cheapest ways to swim with pigs in the Bahamas…

Cheapest Way to Visit Pig Beach In Exuma

If you really have your heart set on visiting the famous Pig Beach in Exuma then this is the cheapest tour available:

• Cheapest Exuma Pig Beach Tour

It’s over $200 more expensive than the Rose Island tour but if you really wanna visit Exuma then this is the lowest price you’ll find.

This tour includes swimming with the famous Bahamian pigs but you’ll also get the chance to swim around with iguanas and reef sharks too.

The tours to Pig Beach in Exuma are more expensive because they include transport from Nassau to Exuma which is much further away than Rose Island. 

The cheaper options always take you to Exuma by powerboat rather than a plane. 

Whilst flying to Exuma is really convenient, it’ll add an extra few hundred dollars per person onto the price.

Check out the pigs of Exuma in the video below:

💡Tip: Bring a waterproof camera like the GoPro Hero 10 to get some memorable photos and videos of you with the pigs.

How Long is the Boat Ride from Nassau to Pig Island?

One major downside to visiting Pig Island in Exuma from Nassau is that the boat trip takes at least an hour each way.

If you choose to take the tour to Rose Island to swim with pigs then it won’t take as long to get there so you’ll get more time with the pigs and less time traveling.

If you enjoy seeing pigs, you may also be interested to know where to see flamingos in the Bahamas.

How Much Does it Cost to Swim with Pigs in the Bahamas?

It generally costs between $450 and $570 per person to swim with pigs in the Bahamas. These prices are for the tours to the official Pig Beach in the Exumas.

If you choose to go to Rose Island instead then you can halve the cost. Tours to Rose Island tend to cost between $200 and $250 per person.

I’ve summarized all the best options above. 

How Did The Pigs Get There?

It’s unclear exactly how the pigs came to live on the beaches of the Bahamas as they were originally domestic. 

The most likely theory is that they were dropped off by sailors who planned to come back to eat them. 

Another theory is that they were the survivors of a shipwreck.

Of course, it’s also plausible that the pigs were put there on purpose as a tourist attraction but nobody really knows. 

Can You Pet The Pigs?

The pigs that you’ll find in the Bahamas are wild pigs – they’re not pets and they’re not domesticated.

That being said, the pigs are super friendly and are happy for you to swim right up to them, feed them and even give them a gentle stroke.

Of course, you need to ensure you’re treating the pigs with respect and you definitely shouldn’t try to ride them or pet them too hard.

Can You Feed The Pigs?

Feeding of the pigs is allowed but you should definitely think about what you are going to feed them.

If you don’t feed them the right kinds of foods then you could actually be harming them.

If you join one of the tours then the guides will usually bring along some pig-safe food for you anyway.

The Bahamas government has asked that tourists only feed the pigs pitted fruit and vegetables. 

They also say you should only feed the pigs in the water (and not on the beach). This is because there is less chance of them ingesting sand by mistake if they’re in the water.

In the past, the pigs have been harmed by ingesting too much sand when they were being fed on the beach.

Can you swim with pigs in Bora Bora too?

Video

Here’s a quick video on this topic too…

And that’s it!

Thanks for reading this post on the cheapest way to swim with pigs in the Bahamas. 

Swimming with pigs in the Bahamas is on most people’s bucket list and if you’re traveling to the Bahamas then it’s something you just have to do!

If you’re traveling to the Bahamas on a budget then you can still have this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience without breaking the bank.

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