Let’s talk about renting a boat and driving it yourself, which is one of my favorite ways to spend a day in Exuma. It is also the one where the fine print matters most, because what you can do with a rental boat is quite different from what you can do on a tour. I’ll share my recommendations as we go. Most of this is about renting out of George Town and Elizabeth Harbour, with a few notes for those staying farther south. Rules, hours and prices change, so please call and verify before you book. I’ve also included a few tips from travelers in Exuma travel groups, quoted as they wrote them.
Where can a rental boat actually go?
Here is the one thing to know before anything else: rental companies keep you inside Elizabeth Harbour. That is a big stretch of calm, shallow water with Stocking Island along one side, plenty of beaches, snorkeling patches and places to stop for lunch. It is a very good day. But it is not the whole of Exuma.
The swimming pigs, the nurse sharks and Thunderball Grotto are a long way up the chain, and rental companies won’t let you take a boat there. For those you want a boat tour or a captain. Some rentals also exclude spots that tours reach, so ask each company for its boundaries in plain terms before you pay. As one traveler in a travel group put it:
“You can’t go up the cays in a rental boat, at least not with any of the rental companies I know of.”
A tour first and a rental second is a combination that works well. Another traveler suggested it this way:
“I would recommend taking the 7 beaches tour BEFORE renting a boat… The 7th beach (Man o War) – you will most definitely want to go back to with your rental!”
Is it hard to drive a boat here?
Less than you’d think, which is why I like it for first-timers with a bit of boating experience. The water is clear, the harbor bottom is mostly soft sand and there is very little in the way to hit. The rental company will brief you, give you a map and point out where to go, and a phone map covers the rest. Here’s how another traveler described it:
“Most of the harbor is soft sand, so you can’t really get into much trouble at all. Just pay attention to low tide and make sure you’re not anchored over a sandbar when it comes in!!”
The real hazard is the tide, not the navigation. Don’t anchor over a sandbar and walk away, because the rising tide will cover it while you’re gone. If you’re leaving the harbor at all, pay close attention to where the tide is.
Nervous about it? Hire a captain. You pay more, you give up a bit of independence, and you get a day of someone showing you the good spots while you sit back. For a first day on the water, with kids, or if you’ve never driven a boat in open water, I’d do exactly that.
What should you ask before you book?
Most of the problems come from not asking, so here’s my list:
- Where can I go, and where can’t I? Get the boundaries.
- What time does the boat have to be back? Day rentals usually have a hard return time in the afternoon, so don’t plan a sunset cruise without confirming.
- Can I keep it overnight? For a day rental, usually not. For a multi-day rental, see the section on houses with docks below.
- What happens if I damage it? Ask about the deposit, the insurance and who pays for what.
- What’s included? Fuel, safety gear, snorkel gear, a cooler.
- Where do I pick it up? Most pick up in George Town, but there is also a marina in the south, which matters if you’re staying near Tropic of Cancer Beach or on Little Exuma.
And book early. Busy months fill up well ahead of time, so I’d book the boat when I book the house. A traveler advising a first-timer put it bluntly:
“make sure you rent the boat early! Like 3 months in advance bc it’s such a busy time!”
Does the tide change your plan?
Constantly. The best sandbars only show at low water, and in Exuma low tide does not respect your schedule. If low tide falls in the morning, pick up the boat early and go to the sandbar first. You can get there mid-morning, spend an hour or so on the bar, then beach-hop and be at a lunch spot by noon. If low tide is mid-afternoon, flip the plan. Check the tide chart the night before and let it decide your route.
One boat or two for a big group?
If you have two people who are comfortable driving, take two boats. An overloaded boat handles badly and is less comfortable for everyone. Prices tend to come out about the same, and two boats means two itineraries: one group can go snorkel while the other stays on the beach. Travelers in the groups agree:
“If you have 2 people in your group capable of driving the boat, I’d rent 2 boats. The last thing you want is an overloaded boat.”
If only one person drives, go with one boat sized for your group, or hire a captain for a bigger one.
What about snorkeling?
Honestly, snorkeling from shore in Exuma is just OK. The best spots are out on the water, which is a good reason to rent a boat. There are some decent patches in the harbor, and a rental gets you to them on your own schedule. Bring your own mask and fins if you can, and don’t count on being able to rent gear on the island.
Can you rent a boat with your vacation rental?
It’s a natural thing to want, so let me save you some confusion: the dock and the boat are two separate things.
A private dock is great: you can come and go from your own back yard, fish off the end and tie up a boat. But the boat itself usually comes from a rental company, not from the house. If you want a boat for a full week, ask the rental company whether they’ll deliver to your dock, and tell the owner you’re planning to keep one there, because they may need to approve it. Ask both before you book.
We have a good selection of Exuma rentals with a boat dock. A few to start with:
- Hartswell and Moriah Harbour: The Surf House, Sueno De Mar and Casa Bella all have private docks. Ballymena is steps from a private marina where you can dock or rent a boat.
- February Point: Exuma On The Rocks, with a private dock on its own peninsula.
- Great Exuma, other spots: Marina House, Thevine House, Poco a Poco, O’Sea Beach House, Jack’s Island House and Calypso Hill, which has its own marina.
- Little Exuma: The Cut at the Ferry, with a dock and kayaks for exploring the Lazy River.
- Staniel Cay and the northern cays: Copasetic Villa, Temptress Villa, Driftwood Beach Cottage and Little Majors Spot. These put you closer to the pigs and sharks, which is a different kind of trip from the George Town harbor.
Where you stay changes where you rent from, so it’s worth thinking about before you book. A house in Hartswell or near Tropic of Cancer is a different drive from the George Town rental docks than a house at February Point.
My verdict on renting a boat in Exuma
If you have some boating experience, rent one for a day inside the harbor and plan it around the tide. It’s one of the best-value days on the island. If you want the pigs, the sharks and the grotto, book a tour or a captain instead, and do that first, then use a rental to go back to your favorite stops on your own time. Ask about boundaries, return times and damage before you hand over a deposit, and book early.
For more ideas, take a look at the rest of our Exuma Travel Guide.