Exuma Travel Diary

We’re back home from the most incredible time in Exuma with our friends and I can’t wait to share everything with you. We went to this same Bahamas island a couple years ago and while we had a spectacular time, I will tell you up front that we did it all wrong. We went there thinking we were going somewhere like Harbour Island, where we would eat out every meal, maybe go on a boat once and that would suffice, and shop at all the boutiques in between beach visits. Boy were we wrong! Turns out that Exuma is way more relaxed in the best way possible and you’ve just got to embrace it. Like anywhere you go, you figure things out the first time and then you’ve got it all dialed in for the next time you visit. Don’t worry though, I’m here to make sure you get it right the first time. :)

I asked for your questions in an Instagram Q&A and since so many of you were wondering the same things, I rounded up the most-asked questions and am answering them below!

Where did you stay?

We stayed at a house called Foxy Lady in Foster Hill, a private enclave located on the southern end of Great Exuma that is owned by a wonderful family with long-standing ties to the Bahamas. There are five gorgeous rental homes located within Foster Hill that sleep anywhere from 4 to 16 guests. All of these homes feel very private from one another, yet act as a unit all at once. It brings a comfort to have other families nearby no matter where you are, but especially in a different country. All of these homes share a marina in the center of the property where you can keep a rental boat or be picked up for a tour. While we never met our neighbors or even saw them, we heard that two of the houses were rented by people from Charleston, which felt really cool and comforting. The Foster Hill houses are separated in a way that each one has an incredible view and privacy galore. Each one has a pool and also include access to a small private beach at the foot of the property where there are paddle boards, kayaks, etc. to use at any time.

You can rent any of these homes through their booking company, The Good Life Bahamas. We rented Ballymena when we went last time and couldn’t have loved it more. We actually have stayed in Peep’s Cottage before as well, as we stayed there the final night of our trip last time. (Only because we wanted to stay an extra night and Ballymena was booked!)

If we go back somewhere twice, you know it’s good! Oh and to top it off, the houses are very upscale, with gorgeous finishes and interiors. I truly have never loved a vacation home more than these, so it’s safe to say that I cannot recommend Foster Hill more.

Are there good restaurant options for dinner nearby?

I really hope I’m not overgeneralizing, but plain and simple - no. (But I have a solution for you!)

I mean, I’m sure there is a spot to have a nice dinner on Exuma somewhere, but not on the end of the island where we stayed, at least. An exception that I know of would be Stocking Island, where the beach clubs are, but you’ll need a boat to access those and only certain ones would be open at dinnertime.

Last time, we expected to dine out for dinner, which is what we always do on Harbour Island, but we quickly learned that’s it’s just not the way to do Exuma.

Instead, we hired a chef for each night of our trip. (The booking company can arrange this for you! They offer a concierge service!) Especially if traveling with another family, we found that it ends up being about the same price as what you’d spend at a nice restaurant. Many of the chefs also offer drop off meals, which costs a lot less. We actually did this for our first night and then had the chef come cook at the house the other nights, which was an entertainment that our children really loved.

Specifically, I cannot recommend Chef Olivia more. Her company is Liv Caters and this is the second trip we’ve hired her to prepare dinners. She does onsite cooking, drop off meals, “picnic basket” style of meals for the boat, party trays, grocery drop off, and more. She stays really booked out, so contact her early!

How do you get to Exuma?

We flew from Charleston (CHS) to Charlotte (CLT) to Georgetown, Exuma (GGT) via American Airlines. Our flight out of Charleston was at 6:34am and we were on the ground in the Bahamas by 11:50am! On the way home, we connected in Miami instead of Charlotte.

Once you land in Georgetown and go through customs, there are taxis outside of the airport ready to take you anywhere you need to go! We prearranged our taxi — we used Patrick at 1 (242) 464-1411 on WhatsApp. It’s about a 30 minute drive from GGT to the house we rented, which ended up being a $110 taxi drive each way. (Much less than renting a car and we knew we wouldn’t need a car during the other days! However, if you’re not renting a boat, then you should probably just rent the car because you can drive into Georgetown and then take water taxis to the beach clubs from there!)

Did you bring the baby?

We did not. (Also, I love that this person called Patrick a baby because I still do even at 2.5!)

I missed him so much and really struggled with this decision, but it was the smart move. The house has a pool and we were traveling with five other children that I knew would be running in and out, keeping the pool access wide open. I wouldn’t have been able to relax for a second at the house for that reason, nor would it have been fun for him. Patrick doesn’t love being on a boat either, and I knew we would be doing a lot of that.

Honestly, I think he would rather live with my parents than with us (ha!), so by us leaving him behind, he got to have some special time with grandparents. As the third child, the one-on-one time was wonderful for him! It also gave us a chance to really devote our time to our older two, which is extremely important to me as I’m seeing their little faces become so very grown at rapid pace.

How does it compare to Harbour Island?

Just… so different!

Water: As someone who truly adores Harbour Island, I have to say that the water is way more beautiful on Exuma. It’s the combination of the shallow depths of the water mixed with the pearly white sandy seafloor and the lack of water pollutants. It just makes the water look brilliant. As in, the water glows in a way that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Dining: We’ve already discussed the dining scene. Harbour Island is heavy on the swanky, stylish restaurants and Exuma just doesn’t have that. You just have to decide if dining out is important to you or if being relaxed in the evenings after a big day on the water is more important to you!

Size: Harbour is a tiny island and Exuma is much, much bigger. Getting from point A to point B is more lengthy. For that reason, you don’t see golf carts on Exuma the way you do on Harbour Island.

Boating Population: There is a big boating population on Exuma. And definitely a big sailing population! You see sailboats moored all over, much like you do in the Virgin Islands. It’s so fun! Harbour Island doesn’t have a big “boating for pleasure” scene, even though you do see yachts and large fishing boats at the docks. While there are some great boat tour excursions you can take on Harbour Island, I’d say Harbour Island moreso has a yachting scene and then a fishing scene, if that makes sense.

Beach Clubs: Exuma has these great beach clubs on Stocking Island! Most have boat taxi access, if you don’t have a boat rental and want to hop over on a quick boat ride from Georgetown. More on this below!

Shopping: There are a few little shops and craft stands in Georgetown, but that’s really it that we noticed. During this trip, I didn’t buy a single thing except a dress and t-shirt for Rosie from Coconut Club. On Harbour Island, there’s an art gallery, beautiful high end boutiques, basket stands, etc.

If I had to really summarize the difference, I would say that Exuma is all about boating and island hopping amongst the prettiest water you’ve ever seen, whereas Harbour Island’s draw is more focused on the beach and the charming island itself. Harbour Island is more “see and be seen” and Exuma is more chill. Both are amazing for each of those reasons, but again, just different!

Did you rent a car?

No. Last time we rented a Polaris, which is like a heavy duty, high speed golf cart. But we knew we weren’t going to need it since our house concierge was pre-arranging grocery drop offs for us and we also had the boat rented. We took a taxi from the airport to the house and then back again at the end of the trip, but that was our only time in a vehicle during the trip.

Is there a market to buy groceries?

Yes! There’s a big grocery store (big for Bahamas, at least) in Georgetown. If you stay at Foster Hill, they will shop for your groceries and deliver them to you for a 20% concierge fee. It’s about 20-25 minutes, I think, from the grocery store to the house we rented, so this is a service that is worth it!

What is transportation like?

Mostly boats! You can rent a car as well or take a taxi anywhere you need to go. You don’t ride golf carts around on this island. It’s just too big and spread out!

Did you rent a boat or go on a tour?

We went the tour route last time and had them take us to see the swimming pigs and igauna island, but we rented a boat this time through SunSplash Rentals because we wanted to have fun on the water at our own pace.

I will say that I think you need to be at least a somewhat experienced boater to maneuver the waters on Exuma. Some areas can get very shallow with the tide changes — so shallow that the boat might not be able to get through if you don’t hit the tide just right. Just something to be aware of and know how to time your boat outings around!

What was your itinerary?

Thursday: Arrival around noon. Got settled into the house. Had some welcome cocktails while the kids swam in the pool. Took it easy! Chef Olivia arrived with our drop off meal, which was chicken piccata over alfredo pasta with a caesar salad and garlic bread. We also ordered a crab rangoon dip, crudite platter, and a spinach dip. Delish!!

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday: Woke up and cooked breakfast at the house, had coffee overlooking the beautiful view, then got ready to go boating! Headed out to the beach clubs and boated all around so the kids could swim. Came home, swam in the pool, showered and had Chef arrive to prepare a beautiful dinner at the house. Played mahjong and then it was bedtime!

Tuesday: Packed up and were picked up at 11am to catch a 2pm flight back to Charleston. So sad to leave!

Have you been to the Virgin Islands? How does it compare?

Yes, and honestly… so similar! If you go to Virgin Islands, you want to be out on the boat and it’s the same for Exuma. I even said during this trip that Exuma reminded me of the Virgin Islands of the Bahamas.

What beach clubs did you go to?

Coconut Club: Possibly the most instagrammable place I’ve ever been!? Just take a look! We absolutely loved our time here. They have tons of water toys, like slides and inflatable climbing walls out in the water. A dream for the kids!

Baymahni: This is a newer resort that has a great beach for pulling up to, a pool, and a beach bar. It feels elegant.

Peace & Plenty Club: Not my favorite, but they have these great swings in the water. It’s next to Baymahni, so I would set up camp there and then walk over to Peace & Plenty to check out the swings and maybe grab a quick cocktail!

Chat N Chill: A true dive bar scene! An Exuma classic that is rustic and tons of fun. Reminds me of Soggy Dollar on BVI.

Grand Isle: We didn’t visit here but it looks beautiful!

In summary…

Exuma is one of those places you leave feeling truly rested. It offers a kind of disconnect that’s hard to find anywhere else.

If you’re into boating, I would recommend Exuma without hesitation. If you prefer a more traditional resort experience, you may want to explore one of the resorts on Exuma so that you truly don’t have the need to leave the property—or even consider another island. There’s nothing overly glamorous about Exuma, but that’s part of its allure. That said, the homes at Foster Hill are incredibly elegant and high-end, offering the perfect balance after a day out on the water.

If your ideal beach vacation looks like slow mornings at the house, a boat day (or two), and relaxed evenings back home with a private chef or a simple dinner in, then Exuma is absolutely for you. It’s easy in the best way. But if you prefer to get all decked out in your finest and hit the town for dinner each night, you might feel like something’s missing on Exuma.

We had the best time on this trip! It was our friends’ first time on Exuma and they loved the slower pace as well. I know I’ll always remember our evenings on the porch overlooking the water with a glass of wine in hand, spending time with our people.

Okay… did I forget something!? Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments!