Exuma has a ton of awesome cays to explore, but a trip to Stocking Island is a must for any visitors. Stocking Island is home to some of Exuma’s best attractions. It features white sandy beaches, amazing resorts, and mouth-watering restaurants. Not convinced yet? Here’s everything you can see if you go explore Stocking Island.
Location
Stocking Island is a small, narrow island just off the port of Georgetown. It’s easy to visit, located only a mile off of Government Dock, Georgetown. Stocking Island actually protects Georgetown from ocean waves, creating a natural harbor. At the central part of Stocking Island is an inlet known as Hurricane Hole, where boats anchor for protection during storms.
Sites
There are tons of amazing sites to see on Stocking Island. Visitors are amazed at how much this narrow island holds. Opposite Hurricane Hole is a sandbar beach called the Spit. Here is where the famous Chat N Chill bar and restaurant is located. Be sure to stop by for some fresh conch or take part in the Sunday pig roast.
There is one high hill on Stocking Island, which is where the famous Beacon Lighthouse is located. This lighthouse is no longer in use, but it was used to help direct boats for years. Today, it’s an amazing viewpoint and worth the hike up.
Don’t forget to visit the blue hole at Hurricane Hole as well. Blue holes are only found in a few places around the world, and Exuma is home to a few of them! There are tons of hiking trails on Stocking Island as well, so feel free to explore them and see what else you can discover!
Wildlife
Exuma’s local wildlife is a major draw for tourists. While the famous swimming pigs aren’t located on Stocking Island, there are still some amazing animal attractions to visit. If you visit Chat N Chill be sure to get some conch to feed the wild stingrays that gather in the shallow waters. They’re used to being fed by humans and are quite safe. They are of course still wild animals so keep an eye on them, but it’s an amazing experience to be so close to them!
Starfish beach is also located on Stocking Island. As the name implies, Starfish beach is full of living starfish. These creatures get quite big, and visitors are allowed to touch and hold them. Remember that these are living creatures though, and they shouldn’t be removed from the beach or kept out of the water for too long.
Recommendations
We asked locals and online viewers their favorite parts of Stocking Island. Here are some of their top recommendations!
- Lumina Point Spa & Resort
- St. Francis Resort
- Kayaking to Chat N Chill
- Elizabeth Harbor
- View of the Atlantic
- Stromatolites
- The rum punch at Chat N Chill
- Peace and Plenty Beach Club
- Hamburger Beach
- The beach path & the walk to the North side
- Watching the stingrays