What To Know About the Swimming Pigs in the Bahamas
The Bahamas have long been one of the world’s most popular and sought-after travel destinations, and with good reason. Sitting pretty in the middle of the Caribbean Sea not far from the southern coast of Florida, the Bahamian islands are where easy-breezy living and postcard-perfect scenery collide. And if you look beyond the bustling port of Nassau, there’s even more natural beauty and vacation-worthy pieces of paradise to be found in the “out island” Abacos.
In addition to skinny blue water sailing, the Abaco Islands offer desirable cruising conditions all year long and easy line-of-sight passages between anchorages. There is plenty to see and do during a Bahamas sailing vacation but planning a visit to No Name Cay’s “Piggyville” is a must.
As the nickname suggests, this small uninhabited island is where you can meet the four-legged locals who are quite famous these days thanks to their regular appearances on Instagram and travel blogs alike. To give you a better idea of what to expect at “Piggyville” here’s some bits and bobs about the swimming swines worth knowing before you go…
How to Get There
One of the many benefits of a private yacht charter is that you have the freedom to sail wherever you want on your own timetable, so getting to No Name Cay is no problem. Head towards the northwest side of the island and when you spot the water tank with “Piggyville” signs, you know you’re in the right place. Drop anchor and wade in to meet the beach “babes”, who will most likely hear you approaching and come out to welcome you ashore.
What to Bring
Although the pigs that live on No Name Cay are wild free roaming animals, they rely heavily on their human visitors for nourishment, so come prepared to feed your new oinking friends some healthy treats. Fortunately, thanks to a generous donation from Sunset Marine, there is a 2,000-gallon water tank on the beach so the Bahamas swimming pigs always have access to fresh drinking water.
Pigs are “opportunistic omnivores,” so they will eat pretty much anything, but that doesn’t mean you should feed them beer, doughnuts, or chicken bones. Come prepared with things like bananas, apples, grapes, carrots, or any other fruit or vegetable that you enjoy eating. There are even plastic containers where you can put the piggy treats so they don’t get covered in sand.
Is it safe to swim with pigs in the Bahamas?
The most important thing that you need to bring with you to “Piggyville” is common sense because even though the pigs are friendly and used to being around humans, at the end of the day, they are still “wild animals”. They also have poor eyesight, so be respectful of that and use caution when interacting with them.
It’s not every day that you get to frolic on a secluded beach in the Bahamas with friendly pigs in their natural habitat. This is an experience not to be missed when aboard a private yacht charter with your best mates, so make the most of your precious vacation time and start planning your own Abacos sailing adventure today!
Author Name:
Kaitlyn Nakagoshi
Contributor
Ian Pedersen
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