Location 

The Exuma islands are a string of islands and cays, beginning approximately 35 miles southeast of Nassua and stretching over 100 miles to form the western bounds of the Exuma Sound. These islands form a pearl necklace of long forgotten hideaways, natural harbours and secluded beaches. The islands span over a hundred miles of clear blue water--a new island for every day of the year. Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is the first and one of the largest underwater and land preserves in the world, established in 1958. 

Great Exuma is part of the Exuma Cays. With the islands of Eleuthera and Cat Island on the other side of the Sound, the Exumas have access to but are protected from direct exposure to the Atlantic Ocean.

Great Exuma is approximately 45 miles long, lying northwest to southeast. The main road, Queens Highway, runs the length of the island and connects it to the island of Barre Terre at the west end and Little Exuma at the east end. Numerous villages and settlements exist, with an international airport located about midway on the island.

Getting there 

The distance by air from Great Exuma to Nassau is 135 miles/225 km and 310 miles/517 km to Miami.

It is relatively easy getting to the Bahamas and even easier to travel within the islands. British Airways flies direct to Nassau from Heathrow five times a week. The flight days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You could either opt for direct flights to Nassau, which take nine hours ( Nassau acts as the connection to the other out islands), or you can transit in the USA via New York, Miami and Atlanta. As of July 2005, Virgin Atlantic will be offering direct flights to Nassau.

Daily flights to Great Exuma by:

• American Eagle American Airlines from virtually anywhere in Florida.
• Continental and Continental Connection.
• Bahamasair, with flights from Nassau.
• Bahamas Fast Ferries offer scheduled services to many of
  the out islands as well.

About the island

The Tropic of Cancer runs directly through it, giving the island a very tropical feeling. The South Side of the island features marine fisheries, great mangrove forests and bonefish flats, and is mostly unsettled and unspoiled. The North (ocean) side of the islands harbour is composed of many small hotels, beaches, and communities. Although Great Exuma may sound remote the island is really quite accessible. It is only a 90-minute flight from Miami to Great Exuma International Airport.

The 3,500 residents of Great Exuma are friendly and welcoming as their island. The majority of the community is condensed in George Town, a charming village of sprawling fig trees and small inns just a few miles from the airport. The town has changed little in decades, and most activity takes place in the open-air markets where women sell hand-made jewellery, straw hats and hand-woven baskets.

George Town, the capital of the Exumas, is a quaint village surrounding Lake Victoria, with a great natural harbour, which attracts sailors from around the world, and annually is the host community of the Family Island Regatta.

Settlements in Great Exuma 

Georgetown
The capital and second largest settlement in Exuma, has a population of more than 330 persons, and is also the centre of commerce in Exuma. It is also home to the national Family Island Regatta held in beautiful Elizabeth Harbour.

Rolleville
This place was the largest slave settlement area during Lord Rolle’s time. Home of the famous Rolleville Regatta held during the Emancipation Day weekend. (1st. Weekend in August). Point of interest is the aerial view of the settlement from Kermit’s Hill.

Rolle Town
Rolle Town is a quaint settlement with breathtaking views; it overlooks the Harbour side, which leads into George Town. The commonage inheritance land – the land passed down to the slaves - cannot be sold.

Area Facilities 

Police Protection
Police protection is provided by the Bahamian government. The police force at Great Exuma is headquartered in George Town, the largest town on the Island, and there are local constables in other communities on the island not more than five miles from any subdivision unit.

Fire Protection 
Fire protection is afforded by the Great Exuma Fire Brigade under the control of the Island Administrator and headed by a unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The Brigade is located at the Exuma International Airport. Help is available on call 24 hours per day.

Shopping

Food, clothing, other staple goods, and building supplies are available in George Town as well as in other villages on the Island. Certain major household items may not be readily available locally and must be purchased in Nassau or the United States.

Schools 

Hospitals and Medical Facilities 

While in The Exuma Islands, you can have peace of mind knowing that there are facilities available to serve your health - related needs. Health-care facilities are loca ted throughout The Exuma Islands, along with full-service pharmacies.

The nearest hospital is in Nassau, where the government-operated Princess Margaret Hospital is equipped to accommodate 460 patients. Private hospital facilities in Nassau include The Doctors Hospital and the Lyford Cay Hospital/Bahamas Heart Institute. In Great Exuma, there is a government-operated clinic in George Town for emergency and overnight treatment, staffed by a resident doctor and nurse, as well as a private clinic. Where more comprehensive medical treatment is prescribed, patients are flown to Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau

Public Transportation 

Transportation to George Town is available by mail boat from Nassau and by scheduled airlines from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Nassau, as well as by charter flight. Licensed taxis, rental cars and scooters operate on Great Exuma.

Rental car

Accommodation

A variety of accommodations are available on Great Exuma, ranging from simple and clean guest houses to condominiums to full service hotel facilities. Prices should suit all budgets.

Things to do

Recreation

Recreational activities include swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, and fishing. Exuma waters provide the best reef and deep-sea fishing, and the flats off the southern shores of Great Exuma is one of the best bonefishing spots in the world. The harbour at George Town is the site of the annual Out Island Regatta sailing competition. George Town is a headquarters for cruising yachtsmen, and marine supplies are available as well as lodging accommodations.

The developer has deeded a 1,000 ft/300m ocean beach reserve on the north shore and a 2,000 ft/600m south shore beach reserve to the Bahama Sound Property Owners Association. In addition, there are lakes and park reserves in residential areas available to purchasers of each and every building site.

The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park wildlife preserve, reached only by boat, is an area set aside for yachting, skin-diving, hiking and observation of Bahama flora and fauna. The Park is a project of the Bahamas National Trust. There are nature trails varying from open dunes and cliffs to dense sub-tropical forests. The Park's bird life includes 42 species of nesting land birds. The rare Bahamian Iguana also is found here.

Beaches

You are welcome to take a walk along the lovely beaches of Beachfront Hotels in Great Exuma. Though it is a private beach normally reserved for guests only, visitors are allowed to enjoy the scenery and atmosphere. Shroud Cays is another beautiful beach nestled among large expanses of mangroves that is a must see for visitors. Elsewhere on Great Exuma you will want to visit remote and beautiful Cocoa Plum beach, see the historic boat building community of Barre Terre. The impressive ruins of Crab Cays are great dive and snorkel sites.

Fishing

Bahamian waters produce a variety of game- and food-fish. Anglers from all parts of the world come to test their skills. Modern facilities to accommodate sports fishermen are available throughout The Bahamas.

Following is a list of some of the game species found in Bahamian waters: Allison Tuna, Amberjack, Barracuda, Blackfin Tuna, Bluefin (giant) Tuna, Blue Marlin, Bonefish, Dolphin, Grouper, Kingfish, Sailfish, Tarpon, Wahoo, and White Marlin. With a choice of deep-sea fishing, reef fishing, bottom fishing or fly-fishing, the appeal is endless for first timers to fanatics. But it is the elusive bonefish that serious sporting enthusiasts seek. These so called ‘grey ghosts of the flats’ or ‘grey foxes’ are the ultimate angling challenge, known for their legendary cunning and fierce fights to avoid capture. A good place to try is Bonefish Bay and Stocking Island.

Boating & Sailing

The Bahamas is a boaters' paradise with some 700 islands, inlets and cays stretching over 100,000 square miles of virtually pollution-free ocean. Chartering a yacht, bare boating, deep-sea fishing or day or dinner cruises are aqua adventure possibilities.

Great Exuma is one of the most popular spots to enjoy the best boating and sailing in the world. Boating enthusiasts will find plenty of picturesque harbours and modern marinas to cater for them. Boats of any shape and size could be chartered for a flexible amount of time. Or you could rent a crewed yacht or walk onboard for the many day trips or evening dinner cruises. Speed junkies should try the powerboat to the Exuma Cays on a 1,000 horsepower custom-built racer, which hurts at speeds of 40 mph during the 55-minute journey. Seriously annoying sailing nerds / enthusiasts can choose from numerous regattas and sailing competitions held between June and August.

Cruising

Bahamas is a popular stop-off point for cruise ships owing to its location just off the Florida coastline. The Bahamas receives more than one million cruise passengers every year and Saturdays and Tuesdays are the busiest days. More than 12 major cruise lines dock at the islands with some like Carnival, Celebrity, Disney and Royal Caribbean.

Private boat

Visiting boaters must clear Customs and Immigration at the nearest designated Port of Entry. As you enter port, fly the yellow quarantine flag and notify Customs of your arrival. No one other than the captain is permitted to leave the boat until your vessel has been cleared.

The fee for boaters for boats up to 35 feet is $150.00 and the fee for boats over 35 feet is $300. These fees are inclusive of a cruising permit, fishing permit and departure tax for up to four persons with no overtime charges for Customs or Immigration. Each additional person above four will be charged additional departure tax.

Diving

Did you know that the Bahamas are protected by a barrier reef system that is the third largest in the world? It is little wonder that divers regard the 100,000 square miles of tropical sea as among the best in the world. The waters are renowned for their exceptional visibility ranging from 80 ft to 200 ft. There are 29 diving destinations to more than 1,000 dive sites. Colourful parrotfish, angel fish, clown fish and so on browse among the ocean bed filled with enormous barrel sponges, brain corals, purple and red tube sponges. Divers can opt for different diving programmes to see the wrecks, blue holes filled with stalagmites and stalactites, experience shark and dolphin encounters or just participate in underwater activity such as wall flying or view the flora and fauna from bubble-subs.

Golf

The newly opened Four Seasons Resort on Great Exuma offers an 18-hole course designed by Greg Norman.

Sight Seeing

Points of interest while you visit the Exuma Islands might include: the ExumaLand and Sea Park, Three Sister's Rock, Stocking Island, The Hermitage, St. Andrew's Anglican Church, the Rolle Town Tombs, and Shark Lady-Gloria Patience.

Honeymoon and Weddings

Exuma has hundreds of tiny pearl-like cays set amid emerald seas and its no wonder it was the setting for two Bond movies. There are so many natural wonders with stunning scenery, you be spoilt for choice. You can tie the knot on a party boat, or even underwater in scuba gear with dolphins. Getting married in the Bahamas is so popular that the Ministry of Tourism has its own separate wedding divisions to assist you. Arranging a wedding is simple, several hotels offer special packages, which include an official to perform the ceremony.

Dining

There’s a wide variety of interesting venues and cuisine available and emphasis is placed on the traditional Bahamian cuisine such as seafood. The grouper is one of the most popular fish, followed by snapper. The ingredient found in most popular dishes is conch, a tasty shellfish included in specialities like conch chowder, conch fritters, and so on. You could enjoy a conch salad at Big D’s conch shack. Vegetables such as peas and rice, potato salad and fried plantain are served as accompaniment for main courses like the Bahamian lobster, a delicacy. For dessert try home made rum raisin ice cream, coconut pie, and guava duff and pineapple tart. Beer drinkers may want to give the Bahamian local brew, Kalik a go.

Night Life

After-dark entertainment takes place in various hotel bars that take turns presenting live music, usually a mixture of American tunes and Bahamian rhythms. There are quieter alternatives like beach barbeques, conversation over drinks at sunset, while people relax and take in the breathtaking views.