Where Can You Swim with Pigs in the Bahamas?

Wondering where you can swim with pigs in the Bahamas? I had seen photos of the famous swimming pigs and had always wanted to see them myself.

Who knew pigs could swim? As it turns out, the famous swimming pigs of the Bahamas hit the water like they were born doing it, and look pretty adorable splashing around, too.

By the way, if you’re planning to swim with the pigs as part of a cruise like I did, be sure to check out how to spend a day on Oceania Vista. Excursions are always a blast, but sometimes the best part of your vacation can be found right on the ship.

This day trip took me to a truly gorgeous location: Freeport, the main city on the island of Grand Bahama. You’ll find no shortage of beautiful beaches, resorts, shopping districts, and tropical tours in this area of the Bahamas.

As part of my voyage with Oceania Cruises, I had the chance to see the island’s famous beaches for myself and take part in a really fun excursion with Celebrity Eco-Adventures.

This Bahamian tour company has a focus on informing both locals and tourists of the rich culture and bountiful nature found on Grand Bahama Island. Their goal is to help build a greater appreciation for the place they call home.

The company offers private tours and all kinds of activities, like beach volleyball, kayaking, and shore snorkeling. Shore snorkeling is a huge tourist attraction in the Bahamas, with the vibrant coral and variety of tropical fish in these waters. But this tour company offers something else not many people have had the chance to do: swim with the island’s very own swimming pigs!

While they may look out of place at first, pigs are no strangers to the islands of the Bahamas. The aptly named “Pig Beach” or “Pig Island”, located on Big Major Cay, a small island in the Bahamas, is home to its very own population of wild pigs.

Though there’s no recorded history of how the initial handful of pigs ended up there, they have since formed a colony and spend their days splashing around on the otherwise uninhabited island, gaining the nickname “the swimming pigs” and solidifying one of the Bahamas’ tourism staples.

Though we weren’t visiting the original pig beach, our excursion would take place on one of the Bahamas’ other pig beaches: Crystal Beach, just west of Freeport.

Before we got to meet our curly-tailed friends, we took a shuttle to our first stop and main destination for the day. Crystal Beach is an absolutely beautiful private location, secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Our tour location featured plenty of chairs for lounging in the sun, shaded tables, and a wonderful bar and grill. To be honest, I could spend forever on a sandy beach, enjoying the weather and looking out at the crystal-clear waters.

Woman in lifeguard chair holding a beer.

We started our adventure right, with buckets of local beers, along with delicious conch fritters and fresh ceviche. The provided menu was full of local treats that you may want to try should you visit, like fresh grilled fish, deep-fried conch, and even a tempting conch burger. The bar offers plenty of signature cocktails, as well as soft drinks and house-made zero-proof beverages.

The Grand Bahama island is surrounded by bountiful oceans, so you absolutely have to savor the fresh, delicious seafood if you find yourself in Freeport. One of the staff members at Crystal Beach went out into the water in his own boat and came back with a lobster for his dinner.

I couldn’t talk him out of it, but knew what I wanted for dinner back on the ship!

After we’d had a great meal and some fun in the sun, it was time to finally meet the pigs of Crystal Beach. It was immediately clear why this was one of Freeport’s most popular attractions.

The “cutest members of the team”, according to Celebrity Eco-Adventures, joined us for 40 minutes of swimming in the shallow waters. The pigs seemed to love splashing around as much as our tour group!

Of course, when an excursion includes interacting with local animals, it’s only natural for their welfare to come to mind. The pigs of Crystal Beach seemed content and very well cared for.

They had a big fenced area to themselves for lounging and grazing, plenty of food and fresh water, and our guides called them by name: Peppa, Maya, Pinky, and Wilbur, to name a few.

We were given apple slices on sticks to feed them, which the staff told us was one of their favorite treats.

When your travel itinerary includes meeting a furry friend, it’s important to treat them with respect, stay within a safe distance, and not try to hold or touch them without the direction of a tour guide.

With permission from the tour operators, I was able to hold one of the little guys for a photo-op. They are heavier than they look!

Once our time was up, we said goodbye to the Bahamian pigs and the clear blue water, and made our way back to the deck to freshen up and change into dry clothes. (Tip: It’s a good idea to bring a set of dry underclothes so you can change out of your wet bathing suit. You’re welcome!)

On the way back to the ship, we stopped at Port Lucaya Marketplace, named for the original indigenous people of the island. This marketplace offers the largest open-air shopping experience in the Bahamas, with over 40 stores, bars and lounges for a taste of the nightlife, and 16 different restaurants. It’s a great spot for authentic Bahamian eats and duty-free shopping.

A tip for visiting the Port Lucaya Marketplace, based on my experience: while the marketplace itself is almost always open and busy during high season, the restaurants and stores open and close based on demand. I guess that’s all part of being on island time!

We returned to port at about 4:30, just in time to get showered and ready for dinner on the Oceania Cruises Vista ship. Whether your excursion is a reef snorkel, exploring the island by Jeep, or learning to scuba dive, the Bahamas is a great spot for tropical fun.