Moss Town: Discover Hermitage and Exuma

When planning a vacation in Moss Town, it’s worth considering two scales. Nearby, you’ll find Hermitage, a small settlement with its own historical story; Exuma provides the wider setting for landscapes, water activities, and culture. When choosing a vacation rental, you can consider whether you’d like to focus mainly on local history or frame your trip more broadly around Exuma. The places below appeal to different interests: settlement history, nature, water experiences, and traditions.

Hermitage and the history of the surrounding area

Hermitage, a small settlement, is near Moss Town. After the American Revolutionary War, the Ferguson family from the Carolinas settled there. Hermitage has three marked graves and a grave commemorating George Butler, Constance McDonald, and Henderson Ferguson. These memorial sites give the area a tangible historical connection: the story spans settlement after the war and the individuals commemorated by name. If you’d like to include history in your travel plans alongside nature and activities, Hermitage is a nearby point of interest.

Exuma’s parks and landscapes

Exuma is the broader travel destination. The island chain comprises Great Exuma, Little Exuma, and the Exuma Cays. The Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park brings together landscapes and conservation history: the park covers 176 square miles and was established in 1958 as the world’s first land and sea park. Moriah Harbour Cay National Park lies between Great Exuma and Little Exuma and covers 13,440 acres. Its landscapes include sand dunes, beaches, mangrove channels, and seagrass meadows.

There’s also a wide range of possible activities around Moriah Harbour Cay: kayaking, snorkeling, kiteboarding, bonefishing, hiking, and photography. Conditions can vary. Visitors can enjoy both water-based experiences and activities on land. On Little Exuma, Tropic of Cancer Beach, also known as Pelican Beach, offers a different kind of experience: it’s the island’s longest beach and is described as crescent-shaped, with white sand and blue-green water. On Stocking Island, the landscape is shaped by white sand beaches, blue holes, coral gardens, and underwater caves; stromatolites can be found on the Atlantic beaches.

Water experiences and varying conditions

Big Major Cay is part of the Exuma Cays, an island group of 365 islands. The island is uninhabited, apart from the famous swimming pigs, and is also known as Pig Beach. Big Major Cay is accessible only by boat; you can check specific boat arrangements before your trip.

At Thunderball Grotto, the focus is an underwater cave. It offers opportunities for snorkeling, diving, and wading, and its marine life includes coral reefs. At low tide, visitors can swim through the grotto, though tides and conditions are important considerations for activities. The grotto also has a connection to film history: the 1965 film “Thunderball” and the 1983 film “Never Say Never Again” were shot there. When comparing the two locations, different planning factors matter: boat access to Big Major Cay and the tides at the grotto.

Regattas, a market, and building history

For over 45 years, sailors from around the world have gathered in George Town for the George Town Cruising Regatta. The program spans two weeks and includes games, boat races, music, and island entertainment. Bahamian workboats compete in the National Family Island Regatta in April. If you’d like to plan your trip around an event, it’s best to check the specific dates and program.

For a different glimpse of local culture, visit the Exuma Straw Market in George Town. It has been operating since the early 1960s and sells locally handcrafted souvenirs; it also carries a selection of seasonal fruit and vegetables. On Little Exuma, St. Christopher’s Anglican Church has a distinctive construction story: it was built from wood salvaged from a stranded schooner in 1939. Together, these examples show how you can shape your travel plans around nature, water activities, events, and historical themes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Alexander, William's Town, Steventon, Farmer's Hill, Rokers Point Settlement, George Town, Hartswell

Back to the main travel overview: Exuma.