Swimming with pigs at Pig Beach is one of the best things to do in The Bahamas. Picture it: crystal-clear turquoise water, sunshine-filled days, and little piggies swimming up to you while chomping on food. I mean… what’s not to love?

Though it’s debatable how the pigs got to the island in the first place, these adorable tropical creatures are a huge bucket list item in The Exumas island cluster. You can expect both an unforgettable experience and some amazing photos.

From how to get there, the best time to go, and where to stay, here’s everything you need to know about how to swim with pigs in The Bahamas!

How To Swim With Pigs In The Bahamas: Must-Know Tips

The Best Time To Swim With Pigs In The Bahamas

The best time to swim with the pigs is definitely in the off-season. Though beautiful and warm all year round, the high season in The Bahamas begins in December and runs through April — during which time hundreds of people visit the pigs every single day.

Hurricane season in The Bahamas runs from June through October, meaning there are nightly rains and an elevated risk of hurricanes.

Because of these two factors, I recommend visiting in September, October, November or May.

Personally, I visited the pigs in the middle of November, and though there was some rain, the weather was still perfect. Plus, I got to swim with the pigs without battling it out with tons of other people and got the experience of a lifetime because of it.

The Closest Place To Stay Near Pig Beach

Swimming with the pigs at Pig Beach is easily done by staying on Staniel Cay. Though the pigs swim off the shore of Big Major Cay, Staniel Cay is a quick 10-minute boat ride away and has the most tourism infrastructure in the area.

I stayed at EMBRACE resort on Staniel Cay and absolutely loved it. They offer seven different villas of various sizes and budgets and have amenities like kitchens and in-room jacuzzis. Plus, the resort is right next door to the airport so catching flights is a breeze.

PROMO CODE: Use our promo code TRAVEL21 when booking your vacation at EMBRACE Resort to get a 5% discount!

The Best Way To See The Pigs at Pig Beach

By far the easiest way to swim with pigs in The Bahamas is by boat — specifically, a boat tour.

With tours running out of Staniel Cay, 3N’s Exuma Vacations Swimming Pigs Tour makes planning your trip to pig island easy. Not only is this operator family-owned, efficient, and personable, but they also offer 12-15 person capacity boats while other companies in the area are much more crowded. Their tours also include multiple stops on each ride. In particular, this tour stops at the pigs, at the Compass Cay nurse sharks, a sandbar, Thunderball grotto and more.

If you’ve opted to stay in Nassau instead of Staniel Cay, then you do still have options. 3N’s Exuma Vacations runs a 7-Hour Swimming with Pigs Tour From Nassau that includes 4 hours on the boat and a 30-minute flight to and from the Exumas.

Either way, it’s a good plan to book your pig excursion well in advance. Depending on the time of year, tours can book up fairly quickly and you don’t want to miss your chance.

Read more: Staniel Cay Travel Guide – Exuma Cays, Bahamas

What To Know About Swimming With The Pigs At Pig Beach

How They Got To Big Major Cay Is… Debated

The question everyone has when planning a visit to Pig Beach is… how exactly did they get there? While no one knows for sure and you’ll get a different answer from everyone you meet, the most acceptable answer is that the pigs stink and they had to be moved from a town to an uninhabited locale.

I mean, sure, the pigs are adorable when they swim in the tropical waters, but they are still farm animals!

Beware Of Poo

Speaking of pigs being farm animals, they do tend to, you know, evacuate their bowels from time to time. However, instead of in a designated pigpen, they do it either on the beach or along the shore.

It sounds grosser than it is, and they tend to not do it in deeper water, but the big thing to remember here is to not dunk your head underwater around the pigs, and just be aware of the possibility of poop.

Don’t Bring Food

This one’s a little debatable, as pigs tend to eat (almost) everything, but there have been some hiccups with tourists feeding the pigs sand-encrusted food in the past. Pigs can’t digest sand, and food that has been dropped on the beach can be potentially very harmful to the animals.

To be safe and not harm the pigs, I’d recommend just feeding them food that the tour providers bring along rather than anything you’ve brought for the occasion.

Keep An Eye On Them

As the pigs don’t have great eyesight and can be easily startled, make sure you keep an eye on them at all times. Don’t let them get behind you, and don’t try to tease the pigs with food. There have been reports of tourists getting nibbled on by a hungry pig, but this can generally be avoided if you don’t treat food as a game.

Be Friendly

And of course — be friendly with the pigs! They’re pretty loveable animals who are used to humans, and they’re generally down for some rubs and affection.

Covid-19 Tips for Swimming With Pigs In The Bahamas

Covid-19 Testing & Visas

Swimming with the pigs means following Covid-19 regulations for both your home country as well as The Bahamas.

For vaccinated travelers entering The Bahamas, you must get a rapid Covid-19 test no more than 5 days before you arrive. To make the process as easy as possible, I recommend getting this test exactly 5 days before and then, once you’re cleared for Covid, applying for your visa into the country. This visa costs roughly $40-$60 and takes 24-48 hours to process.

Of course, Covid-19 requirements and fees are different for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. You can keep up with the various regulations here: https://travel.gov.bs/

Read more: 15 Affordable Honeymoon Destinations for Every Budget

Covid-19 Regulations In The Bahamas

In general, I found Covid-19 restrictions in and around Staniel Cay to be minimal as they’ve had only a few cases of the virus. However, there is a mask mandate that’s enforced in indoor areas and the airport.

As is the new norm, keep your masks on hand and hand sanitizer at the ready.

Returning To The United States

For vaccinated travelers who call the US home, you’ll need a negative Covid-19 test within three days of arrival in the United States. For unvaccinated travelers, you’ll need a negative test within 1 day.

To make this process easy, EMBRACE Resort offers everyone (whether they’re staying at the resort or not) rapid antigen Covid tests on the property. These tests are $35 per person and you can book an appointment in advance using this link.

What To Pack For Swimming With Pigs In The Bahamas

Toiletries: For any ocean-based trip, I highly recommend using reef-safe sunscreen. This will make sure that both you and the marine life stay healthy and happy. Also, pack some bug spray – it was sold out on the island during my stay, and you don’t want to be caught without it.

Water Gear: For swimming in The Bahamas in general, bring along 2 – 3 swimsuits, water shoes, a quick-dry towel, a rash guard/sun shirt, and a sun hat.

Electronics: To expertly capture your pig island experience, bring along a GoPro Hero 10 Black, a floatie stick, a tripod, and a travel camera.

The post How To Swim With Pigs In The Bahamas: Must-Know Tips appeared first on Ordinary Traveler.

What’s the point in decorating your home for Christmas if you’re not going to fragrance it with festive scents? With help from our best Christmas candles guide, you can find the perfect aroma for flooding your home all December long. Whether that be a warm scent, a festively spicy fragrance or a sweet-smelling candle is your choice…

We’ve been trying and testing a whole load of Christmas candles for a good few months now. Our verdict is below as we’ve popped the ones that we love into a list.

Whether you’d like your home to smell like there’s gingerbread baking in the oven, mulled wine bubbling away on the hob or you want to give the impression that there’s a fresh Christmas tree sitting in your lounge, these buys ought to impress even the fussiest of nostrils. Plus, they’ll get you right in the spirit.

See our best candles guide for more top scents for a fragranced home

Believe it or not, it’s not just what the candle smells like, but we also considered looks, too. From painted glass jars to classic iconic vessels, these candles will want to be displayed pride of place atop your fireplace mantlepiece, in the middle of your dining table or on your coffee table this Christmas.

The best Christmas candles 2021

1. The White Company Winter Signature Candle

The best Christmas candle you can buy

Image credit: The White Company

The White Company’s Winter candle has become one of their best selling seasonal scents – and for good reason. With spicy yet warm notes of cinnamon, clove and orange, this candle’s scent is powerful enough to fill an entire room. It’s definitely one for lighting in the lead up to Christmas, to ensure that your home smells as festive as it looks. Plus, it comes in a range of sizes from a small votive to a large, decorative table centrepiece. This Christmas treat is an all-around crowd-pleaser, and we even had guests comment on its scent whilst lighting it in our home.

Burn time: 135 hours max (for largest size)

2. Interlude White Christmas Soy Wax Candle

The best luxury Christmas candle

Image credit: Interlude

This beautiful Christmas candle screams luxury since it’s poured inside a white glass vessel – plus it’s handmade. Using soy wax to provide a clean, soot-free burn, this candle both looks the part and plays the part. It’s scented with herbal notes of pine and clove which is balanced with sweet raspberry, green leaf & orange. Its base notes are caramel and wood. The perfect sophisticated concoction, we think. It also looks lovely on display.

Burn time: 45 hours

3. Yankee Candle Holiday Hearth

The best Yankee Christmas candle

If you are looking for a Christmas candle from Yankee, then Holiday Hearth is the one for you. You’ll almost be able to hear Nat King Cole crooning ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…’ when you light it. This candle’s scent is inspired by a garland-adorned fireplace, with notes of cinnamon, clove and cedarwood. It’s definitely a cosy scent, that’s perfect for burning in the living room on a winter’s evening watching A Christmas Carol. This candle is available in three sizes and tealights. However, if you are looking for a candle to see you through this Christmas and possibly even next we’d suggest opting for the large.

Burn time: 150 hours (large jar)

4.  Skandinavisk Jul Scented Candle

The best eco Christmas candle

Image credit: Skandinavisk

If you are searching for a Christmas candle but want to keep it eco-friendly, then this one from Scandinavisk is your best bet. Not only is it fragranced with spicy notes similar to that of mulled wine and baked gingerbread. It’s warming and with a double wick, it’ll flood your rooms with fragrance. We’re currently lighting it in our hallway, to great guests with a festive aroma. How is it eco-friendly? It’s made using Swedish non-GMO rapeseed oil wax, which is traceable and sustainably farmed. This wax is poured into a painted glass vessel, made from 30% recycled materials. The candle itself is 100% vegan and cruelty free, and it’s adorned with a wooden lid to prevent dusting. This wooden lid is made from FSC-certified European forest wood. Even its packaging is FSC-certified and dyed using natural colours.

Burn time: up to 20 hours

5. Mors Snow Gardenia candle

The best sophisticated Christmas candle

Fill your home with the scent of winter blooms as Mor’s Emporium Classics Snow Gardenia range combines rich musk, sandalwood and vanilla with sharp bergamot for a sophisticated spin on the classic Christmas candle. This Christmas candle is made out of black soy wax and it’s housed in a lovely gold embellished black jar – to add a little drama to your Christmas celebrations. The range includes a candle and room spray for boosting the scent all day long, too.

Burn time: 60 hours

6. Yankee Candle Merry Berry

The best sweet Christmas candle

Image credit: Yankee

This Yankee candle smells like Christmas baking, bottled into a large jar and red in colour (it looks much darker than the picture in real life). Named after Mary Berry but with a festive twist, it has base notes of butter cookies, vanilla and tonka bean. These aromas are balanced well with sugar plum, red raspberry and gooseberry. Top notes include orange, lemon and dried apricots. We say to light it in a large room as it can be very sweet if lit in small spaces, and it’s large enough to burn all December long!

Burn time: up to 150 hours

7. Heather Evelyn Holly and the Ivy hand-illustrated set of two Christmas candles

The best tapered Christmas candles

Image credit: Heather Evelyn

For decorating your table or to nestle atop a mantlepiece amongst an impressive garland, these handmade tapered candles are gorgeous. They read “the holly and the ivy” and they are hand illustrated in Balham, South London. Though they’re not one to give off any smell, what they lack in fragrance they make up for in their design. Measuring 24cm in length, they are 100% wax and they come in a set of two.

What makes a Christmas scent?

Certain fragrances will always conjure up Christmas – though some may be more obvious than others. Cinnamon is a biggie, reminding us of festive fare and tasty drinks like egg nog and hot chocolate.

Pine or fir is another key scent that of course brings to mind Christmas trees and wreaths. If you tend to stick to artificial decorations, it may well be worth bringing in pine-scented candles for that ‘real tree smell’.

Orange zests also tend to be a feature of Christmas candles – look out for mandarin or clementine.

What are the best quality candles?

There are two key ingredients to a good candle – the wax and the wick. The wax should be blended so that it gives off the right amount of scent and offers an even burn, without leaving any wax residue or giving off any black soot.

Related: the best artificial Christmas trees to buy in 2021 – plus some discounted options

Look for cotton wicks that have been dipped into distilled water to allow them to burn evenly with no soot. The wicks should burn with the candle, so there should be no need to trim them. Ideally, look for candles with multiple wicks as they will give a more even burn and release more scent.

The post The best Christmas candles – 7 fragrances to set a festive scene appeared first on Ideal Home.