The Swimming Pigs

In the middle of paradise, with billionaires and celebrities for neighbors, is an island populated only by swimming pigs. For decades, this archipelago of 365 islands would remain largely unknown to the world. It would not be a ruthless pirate, pioneering loyalists, a notorious drug kingpin, or the infamous Fyre Festival that would unveil Exuma to the world, but rather the most unlikely of creatures. Appearing in magazines, videos, newspapers, commercials, TV shows, and countless selfies, the Swimming Pigs of Exuma, in the Bahamas, have become a bucket-list sensation and have been named one of the marvels of the universe.

Big Major Cay,  is a  daydream when you meet the inhabitants: loud, snorting pigs paddling out to greet you like a jolly bunch of golden retrievers rushing to the door when their owner finally gets home from a long day of work.

The locals at Big Major’s “Pig Beach” are transplants rather than native islanders, just like many of the people you’ll meet in the area. And though they’ve clearly taken to their tropical digs and rising popularity — spurred in part by a dramatic appearance on “The Bachelor” and more than a few well-liked Instagram posts — the rewards of fame are  free food.   Most tours to the island start at  9 a.m. It’s best to go early in the morning for the most uninterrupted attention from the pigs. By late afternoon, you’ll usually find them tuckered out with full bellies, and they’re more likely to lounge in the sand than to paddle through the water with you.