Fowl Cay Resort is the closest thing in Exuma to having your own private island with a boat at the end of the dock. The resort covers a small cay near Staniel Cay in the middle of the chain, with just six oceanfront villas, a hilltop restaurant and bar and the clear water of the Exuma Cays all around. It is the pick for couples who want to captain their own days rather than book tours.
Every villa comes with its own powerboat and unlimited fuel. Staff give you a chart and an orientation on the first morning and then you are free to explore: the swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, the fish-filled cave at Thunderball Grotto and countless sandbars where you can anchor and swim with no one else in sight. Meals and drinks are included, from a kitchen stocked for breakfast and lunch to dinner at the Hill House every evening.
The resort suits couples who like boats, snorkeling and a sense of independence. It is less suited to anyone who wants a spa, a big pool scene or a full-service resort with lots of staff on hand. For a honeymoon, the one-bedroom Lindon Villa is the obvious choice.
Highlights at a glance
- Only six villas on a private cay
- Your own powerboat with unlimited fuel
- All meals and drinks, including premium alcohol
- Nightly dinners at the hilltop Hill House
- Minutes by boat from Thunderball Grotto and the swimming pigs
Why Couples Love Fowl Cay
The freedom is what people remember. Having your own boat turns the Exumas into a playground. Fowl Cay's position in the middle of the chain puts many of the best stops within a short ride. You can be the first boat at Thunderball Grotto in the morning, picnic on an empty sandbar at lunch and be back in time for a sunset swim off your own beach.
The scale helps too. With only six villas, the island never feels crowded. The staff quickly get to know you. The Hill House restaurant and bar is where guests gather for cocktail hour, so there is a social element if you want it, but your villa is private enough to disappear for days. Couples also love the simple pleasures: a golf cart to zip around the island, tennis at dusk and a fridge stocked with everything you need for a long lazy breakfast.
Villas to Book
There are six villas, each oceanfront with a fully equipped kitchen.
- Lindon Villa has one bedroom and sleeps two. It is designed for couples and is the natural honeymoon choice.
- Birdcage, Starlight and Seabreeze Villas have two bedrooms and sleep four, which works if you want more space or are sharing with friends.
- Sweetwater and Bluemoon Villas have three bedrooms, sleep six and come with a slightly larger 18-foot boat.
For most couples, Lindon Villa is the one to book. It gives you all the inclusions of the larger villas, including your own 17-foot boat, without paying for rooms you will not use. Book well ahead for the winter and spring high season, since there is only one villa of its kind. If it is unavailable, a two-bedroom villa is a comfortable fallback with extra space for lounging.
Food, Drink and What Is Included
Fowl Cay's inclusions are generous. All meals and drinks are covered, including premium alcohol. Before you arrive, your villa kitchen is stocked with breakfast, lunch and snack items, so you can make coffee and eggs on your own terrace and pack a picnic for the boat. Dinner is served nightly at the Hill House, with cocktail hour from 6:30pm and views across the surrounding cays.
The rate also covers your personal powerboat with unlimited fuel, professional fishing and water sports gear, a golf cart, the tennis court, the freshwater pool, daily housekeeping and Wi-Fi.
Dress is casual. Shorts, cover-ups and flip-flops are fine during the day. For dinner at the Hill House, men are asked to wear collared shirts such as polos or button-downs. There is no spa, so if massages are important to you, ask the resort whether treatments can be arranged.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
The boat is your key to everything. Thunderball Grotto, the cave used in the 1965 James Bond film, is a short ride away and best snorkeled at slack low tide, when the current eases and sunlight streams through the roof. The swimming pigs at Big Major Cay are close by too; arrive early in the day to beat the tour boats. Staniel Cay Yacht Club is a short hop for a change of scene and a drink at the bar.
Farther afield, you can fish the flats, explore mangrove creeks or head north toward the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park with a full tank and a cooler. Staff can recommend routes based on tide and wind. If neither of you has much experience driving a boat, ask for a longer orientation on day one and stick to calm, sheltered routes until you feel confident.
Getting There
Most guests fly into the Staniel Cay airstrip, either from Nassau or from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida. Charter and scheduled small-plane services operate on both routes. From Staniel Cay, Fowl Cay is a short boat ride away and the resort arranges the transfer.
If you are coming from the US, flying direct to Staniel Cay from Fort Lauderdale is the simplest option and avoids a connection in Nassau. Luggage limits on small planes can be strict, so pack light and check the weight allowance before you fly. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and rash guards for long hours on the water. Consider adding a few nights on Great Exuma or in Nassau before or after your stay if you want a change of pace from island life.
Is It Worth It?
Fowl Cay is expensive, but the price covers a lot. Rates are approximate and vary by villa and season, but expect to pay roughly USD 2,000 a night or more for two in Lindon Villa. That includes all meals, drinks, a private boat with fuel and water sports gear, which would otherwise add hundreds of dollars a day in the Exumas.
For couples who love boating and independence, it is excellent value compared with chartering a captain and staying elsewhere. Pick elsewhere if you are nervous about driving a boat, want a spa or prefer a full resort with many restaurants. Staniel Cay Yacht Club is a more affordable base nearby with waterfront bungalows and an optional skiff, while Great Exuma has bigger resorts and easier flights.
Insider tips
- Book Lindon Villa early; it is the only one-bedroom villa on the island.
- Visit Thunderball Grotto at slack low tide for the calmest snorkeling.
- Arrive at the swimming pigs early in the morning before the tour boats.
- Ask staff for a tide chart and route suggestions each evening for the next day.
