George Town (Exuma) Travel Guide: Elizabeth Harbour, Stocking Island and Exuma Beaches

At first light in George Town, dinghies cross Elizabeth Harbour toward the town dock, their outboards humming past rows of anchored sailboats. Ashore, the pastel Government Building catches the sun and the day starts slowly, with coffee, a chat about the wind and a plan that usually involves a boat. This is the main town of Great Exuma, a quiet harbor settlement that suits sailors, beach seekers and anyone who likes a place where the water sets the schedule.

The harbor at George Town · Illustration

Where is George Town (Exuma) and what is it like?

George Town sits on the island of Great Exuma, in the Exuma district of the Bahamas, facing the sheltered waters of Elizabeth Harbour, with Stocking Island lying just across the water and Little Exuma reached over a small bridge. It is the capital and largest town of the district, yet it remains a small, unhurried place where the harbor is the center of everything.

The town was founded in 1793, and you can still read that history in its low buildings and its settled, civic look. The Government Building, inspired by the architecture of Government House in Nassau, is the landmark people photograph first.

Nearby stands the Peace & Plenty Hotel, an old name on the waterfront that locals and returning visitors use as a meeting point. Around them are small shops, a straw market, casual restaurants where cracked conch and rum-based drinks arrive without ceremony, and churches whose singing carries on Sunday mornings.

The deep water of Elizabeth Harbour is a favorite anchorage for sea-faring travelers, so the town has a boating rhythm. In the cooler months you hear cruisers trading weather reports on the dock and see them provisioning at the grocery stores. Even if you arrive by plane and never touch a sail, you feel that community around you, and it gives the place a friendly, slightly nautical character.

George Town rewards people who like simple pleasures: a long beach day, a harbor sunset, a boat ride to a cay. It is not a place of nightclubs, casinos or big attractions, and travelers who want constant entertainment may find evenings very quiet. Those who enjoy water, space and a slow pace tend to fall for it quickly, and many plan to come back before they have left.

What is there to do in George Town (Exuma)?

The big reasons to come are the beaches, the boat trips into the cays and the harbor life of the town itself. George Town is different from its neighbors because it is a real town with a long history and a working harbor, not a single resort or a lone cay, so it works as a base for all three.

Stocking Island and the harbor beaches

Stocking Island lies across Elizabeth Harbour and is reached by boat from the harbor. It has some of the finest white sand beaches in the Bahamas, long and pale, with the open Atlantic on one side and the anchorage on the other. Snorkelers and divers explore its blue holes, coral gardens and undersea caves.

The Atlantic-side beaches are also home to stromatolites, said to be the oldest known macro-fossils on the planet. They look like low, unremarkable rocks, which is part of their charm, and they make a good reason to walk the shore slowly and look down. Bring your own water and plan the day around the boat ride, since the island is about beaches and quiet rather than services.

Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma

Across the small bridge to Little Exuma lies Tropic of Cancer Beach, also called Pelican Beach. It is the longest beach on Little Exuma, a graceful crescent of white powder sand and translucent blue-green water, and it is considered the prettiest beach in the Exuma chain. The Tropic of Cancer runs right across it, which gives the beach its name and gives visitors a reason for a photograph.

It is a place for a long afternoon with a book, a picnic and a slow walk along the sand. Combine it with a drive along Little Exuma’s quiet road and a lunch of grilled fish or conch salad at a small roadside spot, and you have a full day without any schedule at all.

Boat trips into the Exuma Cays

The cays north of George Town hold the sights that appear on postcards. The swimming pigs live on Big Major Cay, sometimes called Pig Beach, which is reached only by boat and lies close to Staniel Cay.

At Staniel Cay Marina, visitors are allowed to swim with nurse sharks at their own risk, and the nurse sharks can bite if you put your hands near their mouths. In the northern Exumas, a crashed cargo plane lies in the shallow water of the lagoon at Norman’s Cay, and it can be reached by a tour from Staniel Cay or Nassau if you do not have your own boat.

Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, established in 1958, is the first marine reserve in the Bahamas and covers 112,640 acres of land and sea. Wardens and Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers stationed at Warderick Wells patrol it constantly, and within the park no fishing, shelling or conching of any kind is permitted. Anglers elsewhere should obtain a recreational fishing permit before heading out, and spearfishing with scuba gear is prohibited, while free-diving spearfishing is permitted with a valid permit.

Site	Open
Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park office	Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 9am to 12pm

Harbor life and the town itself

Back in town, a stroll takes in the Government Building, the straw market and the waterfront near the Peace & Plenty Hotel. The best moments are small ones: boats arriving at the dock, fishermen cleaning their catch, a sunset that turns the anchorage orange. Evenings are for grilled fish, a cold local beer and conversation with sailors who have been here for weeks.

In spring, the town is known for hosting the National Family Island Regatta, a gathering of traditional Bahamian sailing sloops that brings music, food stalls and crowds to the harbor. The dates move from year to year, so treat it as a seasonal highlight rather than a fixed appointment.

How many days do you need in George Town (Exuma)?

A long weekend covers George Town well, and a full week lets you settle into the rhythm of the harbor and reach the cays. The town does not need much sightseeing time, so the days are really about the water.

With three or four days, spend one morning in town around the Government Building and the waterfront, one day on Stocking Island with its beaches and snorkeling, and one day across the bridge on Little Exuma at Tropic of Cancer Beach. That gives you a good mix of history, harbor life and sand, and it leaves room for a long dinner at the water’s edge.

With a week, add a boat trip into the Exuma Cays. The swimming pigs on Big Major Cay, the nurse sharks at Staniel Cay Marina and the plane wreck at Norman’s Cay are the best-known stops, and the park farther north is a reason to stretch the trip. Boat days are long and weather dependent, so a few spare days in the schedule help.

A longer stay also suits people who want to slow down completely. Mornings on the beach, afternoons with a book in the shade, a different spot for dinner each night: that is how many repeat visitors spend their time. With more time you can drive Great Exuma’s length, which stretches 37 miles, stopping at small settlements, beaches and roadside food stands along the way.

Where to stay in George Town (Exuma)

The most natural base is George Town itself, around the harbor, where the Government Building, the straw market, restaurants and the water taxis to Stocking Island are close at hand. It suits travelers who like to step outside and see boats, hear conversation and have a choice of places to eat. The atmosphere is residential and unhurried, with the harbor as the main view.

Staying toward the airport side, near Moss Town to the northwest of George Town, suits people who want a quieter setting and a short hop from the plane. Over the bridge, Little Exuma is for those whose priority is the beach, with Tropic of Cancer Beach as the anchor and a sleepy, rural feel around it.

Farther north, Staniel Cay in the Exuma Cays is a different kind of stay. It is a small island with its own marina and airport, an official Port of Entry with Customs and Immigration, and it puts you close to the pigs, the nurse sharks and the waters around Norman’s Cay. It is a fine choice for people who plan to spend most of their time on boats.

Finally, many visitors do not stay on land at all. Elizabeth Harbour’s deep water makes it a favorite anchorage for sea-faring travelers, and a few weeks on a boat in the harbor is a long tradition here. The choice comes down to what you want from your days: harbor life, a quiet beach or a base among the cays.

How do you get to George Town (Exuma) and get around?

You arrive by air at Exuma International Airport, which serves Great Exuma and sits near Moss Town, northwest of George Town. It is the primary gateway into the Exumas, just a few miles from George Town, the island’s main settlement, and it has daily domestic and international flights. Air Canada offers seasonal flights to Toronto, and private pilots use Odyssey Aviation’s FBO, which has direct access to the ramp.

The airport has a single asphalt runway, and the landing itself is a pleasure, with the pale shallows and green cays spread out below the window. From there you travel the short distance into town, and the road runs along an island that is long and narrow, with the sea never far from view.

Great Exuma is 37 miles long, and Little Exuma is joined to it by a small bridge, so the beaches of the south are on the same road as the town. Within George Town itself, the main sights and the waterfront sit close to each other, and the harbor is the place where the sea part of the trip begins.

Boats are the way to reach the rest. Stocking Island is easily reached by boat from Elizabeth Harbour, and the swimming pigs on Big Major Cay are accessible only by boat, easily reached from nearby Staniel Cay.

Staniel Cay has its own airport and is an official Port of Entry in the Exuma Cays. The plane wreck at Norman’s Cay can be reached by a tour from Staniel Cay or Nassau if you do not have your own boat.

When is the best time to visit George Town (Exuma)?

The winter and early spring months, roughly December through April, are the most comfortable for a beach and boat vacation. In Nassau, January highs average about 79°F, and the same pattern of mild, mostly sunny days suits time on the water around the islands. The sea in January sits near 77°F, which is pleasant for snorkeling in a light wetsuit or for boat rides with a layer on, and evenings are cool enough for a sweater on the dock.

Spring is also the season of the National Family Island Regatta, when the harbor fills with traditional sailing sloops, music and food stalls. It is a lively time to be in town, and sailors tend to arrive around then, so the harbor is at its busiest. The dates move each year, which is something to remember when you plan a trip around it.

Summer is hot and wetter. In Nassau, July highs reach the low 90s, with rain on about twelve days of the month, usually in heavy showers that pass quickly. The sea warms to the high 80s, so the water feels like a warm bath, and days are long.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so the late summer and autumn months fall inside it. Travelers who come then should keep an eye on forecasts, and those who prefer drier, cooler weather tend to choose the winter months.

Good to know before you go

The U.S. State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and says most crime occurs in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama.

The Bahamian dollar is the local currency, and the town’s shops, restaurants and docks are small and personal, so it is worth carrying some cash for little purchases. Anglers should obtain a recreational fishing permit before heading out, and the rules inside Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park are strict, with no fishing, shelling or conching of any kind.

Boat trips are the heart of a visit, so the weather matters more here than in a city. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and a windy day can change a plan for the cays. Staying flexible, and keeping a beach day in reserve, is the best way to enjoy what the Exumas have to offer.

Sources

Wikipedia, George Town, Exuma (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Town,_Bahamas), checked October 10, 2026
Wikipedia, National Family Island Regatta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Family_Island_Regatta), checked October 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Exuma (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exuma), checked October 10, 2026
Wikivoyage, Exuma travel guide (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Exuma), checked October 10, 2026
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Stocking Island (https://www.bahamas.com/natural-wonders/stocking-island), checked October 10, 2026
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Tropic Of Cancer Beach (https://www.bahamas.com/natural-wonders/tropic-of-cancer-beach), checked October 10, 2026
Bahamas National Trust, Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (https://bnt.bs/explore/exuma/exuma-cays-land-sea-park/), checked October 10, 2026
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), The Exumas (https://www.bahamas.com/islands/the-exumas), checked October 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Geography of the Bahamas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_Bahamas), checked October 10, 2026
NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily station BF000078073 (Nassau Airport), normals 1991-2020 computed from the daily record (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=daily-summaries&stations=BF000078073), checked October 10, 2026
Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 10, 2026
U.S. Department of State, The Bahamas Travel Advisory, Level 2 (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 10, 2026
NOAA National Hurricane Center, Climatology (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked October 10, 2026