Sponsored by Embrace Resort, Staniel Cay
How are you going to beat a Bahama Island resort expertise that begins with a shocking scenic flight over the Exuma Cays and an airport switch in a golf cart? For sure, our getaway to Staniel Cay was off to a flying begin (pun supposed).
Staniel Cay was every thing a tropical Caribbean trip ought to be. No growth. No frantic tempo. Hardly any automobiles. I felt the stress unwinding as every minute ticked down. For the 4 days we spent within the Exumas, the remainder of the world didn’t exist.
Our dwelling away from dwelling was Embrace Resort, Staniel Cay’s first Bahamian-owned lodge, from the primary feminine entrepreneurs in its 100-year historical past!
Our days have been spent swimming with pigs and sharks, sunning with iguanas, and witnessing a few of the most lovely seashores and sunsets we’ve seen on the earth.
On this information, we’ll divulge to you every thing it is advisable find out about staying on the Embrace Resort in addition to all of the explanation why we liked it.
Earlier than we share extra in regards to the resort and Flyin’ Pig Cafe, let me first let you know precisely the place on the earth Staniel Cay is!
The place are Staniel Cay and The Exuma Islands?
The Exuma Cays are an oasis of 365 distant islands stretching throughout the Tropic of Most cancers within the southern half of The Bahamas.
They’re positioned about 250-miles southeast of Florida and 75-miles south of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. The Bahama Islands are literally within the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea, however the nation is a part of CARICOM, the Caribbean Neighborhood.
The Exumas are identified for being extra distant and unique than the northern islands of the Bahamas, and so you possibly can typically discover celebrities hiding out right here of their tremendous yachts and personal islands.
Staniel Cay is without doubt one of the bigger islands and is positioned on the coronary heart of the Exuma Cays. Because it has one of many solely touchdown airport strips it has develop into the gateway to the Exuma archipelago.
Many vacationers come out and in every day for a swimming with pigs’ tour from Nassau, and this small island neighborhood is dwelling to round 100 residents, and the Embrace Resort is positioned close to to the wonderful Thunderball Grotto and Pig Seashore.
About Embrace Resort in Staniel Cay
Embrace Resort was opened in 2014 by a neighborhood Bahamian lady, Nicole (Nikki) who has been working within the tourism business for 30 years.
The resort goals to embrace the true essence of Bahamian tradition – leisure and a spot the place households can come collectively.
We love that Embrace Resort is a family-owned enterprise that’s the product of affection and expertise.
Test-In Expertise at Embrace Resort
Our check-in expertise was as clean as to be anticipated. Our host, Natajia, greeted us in a golf cart with a beaming smile and an exuberant wave like we have been long-lost mates, and a welcome I’ve come to know from my world journey experiences.
You know the way simple it’s for strangers to develop into mates when you break down preliminary boundaries with a heat and genuine greeting that claims, “I’m so blissful to satisfy you! As a result of I do know you’ll have a distinction that may intrigue me and a similarity that helps me really feel related.”
“Desire a tour of the island earlier than you verify in?” she requested. Natajia whizzed round within the golf cart the handful of small streets that made up the tiny village of Staniel Cay.
The island is simply half a mile by two miles, so the introduction was brief, however sufficient for me to know I used to be in the precise place!
We drove previous spectacular seashores because the solar was setting, roosters operating freely, teams of males sitting round enjoying dominoes, and loads of smiling faces.
After that, we met the welcoming entrance desk workers who checked our reservations and confirmed us to our villa. All it is advisable check-in right here is your reserving affirmation and the bank card you paid with (it is advisable full a web based registration beforehand the place you pay by way of a safe hyperlink).
It’s possible you’ll must pay a deposit on arrival for incidental prices, and the reception is open every day from 8.00am – 5:00pm.
Causes to Keep at Embrace Resort
Now you will have been launched, let’s take a look at the numerous explanation why you’ll love staying on the Embrace Resort in your trip!
1. An Inspiring All-Feminine Owned Native Enterprise
The factor to like most about Embrace Resort is that it’s an all-woman and domestically owned enterprise by a mother-daughter staff who have been each born and raised in Staniel Cay.
Actually, it was their descendants who first settled Staniel Cay (and performed a task in settling the wild pigs on close by Pig Island.)
Embrace Resort didn’t seem with developer funding or financial institution loans. It was constructed on a dream and lifelong dedication to creating a real Bahamian trip expertise for vacationers.
Mom (and founder), Nicole Ferguson constructed the villas one after the other utilizing the earnings constructed from her golf cart rental enterprise. That’s all she may do as banks stored shutting her down for loans as they didn’t assume a lodge close to an airport would achieve success (extra on that within the evaluation beneath.)
As we all know, by no means say no to a girl with a dream and a fierce dedication. As a result of now it’s a thriving 7-villa resort property that displays the tropical magnificence, heat, and friendliness of the Bahamian tradition.
Whereas it’s known as a resort, the Embrace Resort shouldn’t be a type of all-inclusive, giant, and touristy sorts of locations to remain.
It’s heat, pleasant, quiet, peaceable, and small. It had a stunning communal really feel much like hostels – you would simply discover time and areas to speak along with your fellow vacationers.
That’s largely attributed to daughter, Natijia who has used her expertise as a world traveler and dealing in hospitality in Dubai and China to create distinctive customer support for every kind of tourists.
It’s not simply at Embrace Resort the place this dedication to creating the most effective trip begins and ends. The Mom Daughter staff additionally personal 3N’s Exuma Vacations, which was the primary journey company on Staniel Cay, and is rated #1 on TripAdvisor and holds a Badge of Excellence.
Their premium Swimming with Pigs tour is the preferred for the area and caters to travelers flying in from Nassau for the day or joining the tour from Embrace Resort.
3Ns is an acronym for the 3 generations of girls, Nellie (the grandmother and inspiration), Nikki, (the mom and basis), and Natajia (the daughter and continuation).
Late Grandmother Nellie all the time inspired Nikki to begin a journey company due to her in-depth data of the Exumas Cays and fervour for service.
2. It’s A Sustainable Eco-Resort
Embrace Resort is dedicated to sustainability and eco-tourism. It was constructed with recommendation from OBMI’s Environmental Marketing consultant, Denaye Hinds. They supply nearly all of domestically produced and/or recycled gadgets as a lot as potential and make use of native individuals.
They’ve a towel reuse program and encourage visitors to show off electrical energy and scale back water utilization throughout their keep, and their plant irrigation system has been very profitable in reusing water whereas retaining their gardens flourishing.
EMBRACE plans to associate with organizations like Cans for Youngsters, Go Inexperienced Bahamas, the Bahamas National Trust and the neighboring Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park sooner or later to assist create an eco-friendlier neighborhood.
I really feel secure in saying all of Staniel Cay is an ecotourism dream vacation spot. Aside from a few small, native eating places, grocery shops and a yacht membership, it’s all pristine pure magnificence. There aren’t any high-rises, no chains, and minimal automobiles!
Keep in mind to do your half as a traveler who cares about leaving gentler footprints and assist native (simple to do right here).
Reuse your towels, scale back every day housekeeping, and switch off your AC. Let the followers flow into the air and revel in that cool Bahamian breeze.
3. It has Bahamian Villas to Go well with all Journey Kinds
How these villas are named, designed, and created, are testomony to the care the Fergusons have utilized to make a keep right here all about experiencing Bahamian tradition.
EMBRACE is an acronym for the names of all of the villas, that are named after a few of the Bahama islands.
The inside design is aimed to match the character of the island it’s named after. For instance, Bimini could have plenty of blues because it’s an island identified for deep-sea fishing.
- Exuma (2 bed room) – named after the attractive Exuma Islands. This villa is ideal for households (the place we stayed)
- Mayaguana (1 bed room) – is without doubt one of the solely islands to carry onto its Lucayan title (individuals of the islands) and was the primary of the Embrace Villas constructed. You possibly can select to have a king mattress or two twin beds with this room.
- Bimini (2 bedrooms) – named after the fishing capital of the Bahamas
- Ragged Island – is about romance and seclusion. This honeymoon villa is outfitted with an in-room jacuzzi jetted tub, temper lighting, and a walk-in bathe.
- Andros (3 bed room) this villa matches the title of the largest island within the nation. Comes with a eating room and kitchen.
- Cat Island (1 bed room) The orange and purple hues of this cottage take you again to the times of conventional Bahamian open-fire cooking.
- Eleuthera (1 bed room) is understood for its pure magnificence and juicy pineapples!
Not solely are the villas reflective of Bahamian tradition, however they type a circle across the central swimming space. So, just like the Embrace title, it’s giving everybody a large hug and serving to all visitors really feel like a part of the household.
All villas could have views over the small pool and with the luxurious gardens surrounding the property, it feels very tropical. Additionally they have a dwelling space with couch mattress and a kitchenette with microwaves.
As you possibly can see, they’ve villas to swimsuit all sorts of vacationers. All guestrooms include the facilities you’d count on from a resort, equivalent to security options like smoke detectors and fireplace extinguishers within the room, a flat display television with cable channels, free toiletries within the toilet, and naturally, free wifi.
On the time of writing (January 2023) room costs begin at $250 for one bed room, $550 for two bed room and $600 for 3 bedrooms. You can even put in particular requests for cribs and rollaway toddler beds, however there aren’t any additional beds for adults.
Embrace additionally affords vacation home rentals on the island, which may sleep from 2 to 10 individuals relying on which property you select.
In case you’re touring with a big group of 10 to 25 visitors, you possibly can even e-book out the complete Embrace Resort – excellent for these wanting a vacation spot marriage ceremony!
4. Exuma Villas Are Nice for Households
We stayed within the Exuma villa, which is ideal for households, with two bedrooms downstairs and a dwelling space and kitchen upstairs.
We liked the additional house the villa gave us all, particularly now now we have a teen and tween. We had a stunning balcony we may sit on to benefit from the views and Bahama Breezes, and we may see fairly a little bit of the island from right here.
As Staniel Cay is a quiet island – no actual nightlife – we loved enjoyable on the sofa for a night watching Netflix, studying books, or crocheting (Savanna’s new pastime). Maybe pack a deck of playing cards or different small video games your loved ones likes to play collectively!
The self-contained kitchen is ideal for households and visitors wanting to cut back their prices of consuming out, and there are three grocery shops on the island the place you may get provides:
- Pink Pearl Groceries – most cost-effective.
- Burke’s Comfort Retailer – the costliest.
- Isles Common A-Z Retailer – closest to Embrace Resort.
There’s additionally a liquor retailer for extra reasonably priced alcohol choices. Don’t overlook responsibility free in your approach to The Bahamas.
As provides are restricted on the island, Embrace Resort has a provisioning service the place they will have groceries from Nassau prepared for you while you arrive.
In case you don’t need to fear about cooking and have a finances that enables for it, Embrace Resort has an reasonably priced on-site café – the Flying Pig.
5. Inexpensive Upscale Eating on the Flying Pig Café
I had just a few individuals warn me about how costly The Bahamas could be for meals, so I used to be pleasantly shocked that the meals on the Flying Pig Café was fairly on par with what you’d pay within the States.
Some meals have been somewhat dearer however keep in mind meals must be imported from Nassau or the USA so prices shall be greater. Meals shall be somewhat smaller than you get within the USA too, which isn’t a foul factor in any respect.
It additionally means some menu gadgets is probably not accessible every day in the event that they run out earlier than the following provide run. So be versatile and affected person. All meals are constructed from scratch with contemporary elements every day.
All of the meals gadgets we had have been scrumptious with fairly just a few upscale gadgets, like shrimp ceviche. Besides they have been out of shrimp, so I had lobster ceviche as a substitute. YUM!
The flying Pig is a brand new addition to the Embrace Resort and opened in the summertime of 2022.
We ate on the Flying Pig nearly every single day – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – throughout our four-night keep and liked the freshness of the meals. I used to be very blissful to see fairly just a few gluten-free choices on the menu too. Vegans and vegetarians could have choices as properly, like a coconut chickpea curry.
Breakfast on the Flying Pig
Count on to pay $6-12 for breakfast. Our women liked the chocolate chip waffles. They have been giant and fluffy and oozing with chocolate goodness. They have been most likely a few of the greatest I’ve ever seen and solely $6.
They produce other pastry gadgets accessible like croissants and cinnamon rolls, in addition to parfait, French toast and acai bowls.
Craig and I loved a western omelet most mornings, which got here with toast, and breakfast potatoes. This was $12 and really filling.
And right here’s a GREAT factor: The Flying Pig café is a espresso store that makes GOOD espresso! It’s the one place on the island to get a correct cup of espresso, made to order.
M Tip. Have your morning latte with coconut milk. It tasted means completely different to the USA – creamy and with out added sugar.
Lunch and Dinner on the Flying Pig Cafe
For lunch and dinner (identical menu) count on to pay round. $12 – $35
Our teen mentioned the rooster bacon soften was the most effective she’s ever had and ordered it a number of occasions. The wings have been scrumptious – we liked the candy guava sauce ($12)
The grilled mahi mahi fish was so contemporary and scrumptious ($30+) and I liked placing it on my Greek Salad and Savannah liked stealing half my fish, if she wasn’t having it within the type of fish fingers ($15).
Craig and I liked the flank steak with charred asparagus and potato wedges ($28). The whole lot was cooked completely and fantastically seasoned. It was exhausting NOT to order this each night time.
Youngsters meals have been your typical pasta, rooster nuggets and grilled cheese and value $8-10. In contrast with the Staniel Cay Yacht Membership the place they have been $15.
For a style of the Bahamas, you’ll want to order some conch. It is available in varied types: chowder, fritters, and bites.
Whereas we didn’t have any dessert, they do have it on the menu: coconut mousse, guava cheesecake, and flourless chocolate cake ($7-$12).
The café additionally has snacks like chips, muffins, fruit, chocolate, and muesli bars. And, they’ve a full bar and signature cocktails – made with the Bahama’s favourite liquor – rum.
I loved my “Getting Piggy With it” and “Bahama Mama”. Once more, each have been $12 which I believe is kind of affordable compared to US costs and for a resort on a distant island.
As every thing is made to order and may get busy, count on a wait in your meals. Sit within the solar – or at shaded tables – order a rum punch and revel in enjoyable into Bahama time.
We’d order our meals after which both prepare for the day or attend to different duties whereas ready. Be sure you enable time earlier than your excursions for the day to order and eat. We’d enable for an hour.
Additionally, you possibly can all the time take meals from the café again to your villa or out in your day journey.
We had this pretty picnic on the unbelievable Pirate Seashore with meals and actually good drinks we packed into our cooler (which comes with every villa).
The Flying Pig Café has a stunning outside seating space with shaded tables. Inside are extra tables and a stunning fashionable design inside with pig paraphernalia, pink partitions, shiny work, and floral preparations.
Sure, you possibly can eat on the Flying Pig Café even when you aren’t staying on the resort. It’s an reasonably priced place to eat and we noticed many individuals strolling in or driving in on their golf carts to dine there.
NOTE: The 3N’s Exuma Trip Swimming with Pigs tour stops right here for lunch after the tour.
Because it’s subsequent door to the airport, it’s an awesome place to eat whilst you’re ready in your airplane – means higher than sitting spherical on the airport. You possibly can even hear your airplane arrive, so you understand when to stroll over.
- Hours: Monday – Saturday 7:30AM – 9:00PM; Sunday – Closed
6. The Swimming Pool is Wonderful
Whereas we liked spending time on the gorgeous seashores every single day, we additionally loved time to chill out across the outside pool.
As this space can also be identified for swimming with nurse sharks (particularly round Compass Cay marina), I preferred the addition of the shark mosaic tiles on the backside of the pool, somewhat unnerving however a enjoyable contact!
There’s a shaded cabana-style deck space above the pool with outsized couches including to the lux really feel.
All villas embrace seaside towels and a cooler so that you can take with you to the seaside.
7. Customized, Pleasant Service
With its small measurement, and family-style ambiance, personalised service is simple to get at Embrace.
Workers was all the time available to reply questions and assist us. Tajia helped make our trip expertise higher by sharing plenty of tales in regards to the island and ideas like Pirate Seashore, which hardly anybody goes to, and turned out to be certainly one of our favourite seashores on the earth!
All visitors get a complimentary airport and marina transfers – take pleasure in that golf cart experience!
She additionally helped set up a therapeutic massage therapist for us with Khori from Illusions by the Sea. Khori got here to our villa for an unbelievable deep-tissue therapeutic massage, which helped me really feel like a brand new individual. My knots have been BAD!
You recognize you’re in good arms when your therapeutic massage therapist is the masseuse to the celebrities. Yep, we have been one diploma of separation from many well-known stars together with Michael Jordan, Paris Hilton, Johnny Depp and Pooh Bear.
8. Easy & Excessive-High quality Swimming with Pigs’ Tour
Becoming a member of a Swimming with Pigs tour is easy while you keep at Embrace Resort. As talked about, they personal and run the primary rated tour within the Exumas for this.
You’ll be taken to the boat dock when the tour is able to go and dropped again off for lunch on the Flying Pig Cafe. Friends of the resort get a 30% low cost off their swimming pigs’ excursions.
9. Handy Location
Keep in mind when the banks denied Nikki funding due to her location subsequent door to the airport and never on the beachfront? Now, normally, when you have been anyplace else, significantly an enormous metropolis, this could be a unfavorable, however on Staniel Cay it’s not.
As a result of measurement of the island, in every single place is close to the airport. And a two-minute golf cart experience will get you to the attractive Public Seashore, which is nice for sundown. And simply down from there are the grocery shops, and the Staniel Cay Yacht Membership, additionally well-liked for sundown drinks.
And our favourite seaside, Pirate Seashore, was solely a five-minute drive away! You can even stroll to all of those locations, with Pirate Cove being the furthest at twenty minutes!
Being close to the airport definitely makes your airport transfers simple. Actually, you possibly can sit on the patio of the Flying Pig café till you hear the airplane land, after which it’s a 2 min stroll to the airport to board – no extra ready round with the crowds.
And there are no noise air pollution points both because the runway and planes are small and the flights don’t begin going till round 8am and end at nightfall!
Golf Cart Leases
I discussed it was enjoyable getting picked up from the airport in a golf cart, what’s even higher is zipping across the island in your personal rental.
You will get anyplace on the island inside 5-10 minutes. You definitely gained’t be complaining in regards to the spectacular open-air views and funky breezes.
This was the very first thing the ladies wished to do after we arrived, and so they requested for it typically throughout our keep. They liked sitting within the again watching Staniel Cay village go by with the wind whipping their hair.
Our 15-year-old was upset she couldn’t drive it, however you should be 18 with a legitimate license. They’re strict with it on the Cay and can dish out fines!
You possibly can hire 2, 4 and 6-seater golf carts, and visitors of the resort get 25% off.
Spa Providers
The Spa for Embrace Resort shouldn’t be but open, however you possibly can nonetheless order some spa therapies equivalent to therapeutic massage companies to your room. A health middle can also be as a consequence of be added to the resort very quickly.
Get to Staniel Cay
Until you’re crusing in, the one approach to get to Staniel Cay is by small airplane. It’s simply one more reason to go to this lovely island within the Exumas because the 30-minute flight is a scenic one.
It was overcast and at nightfall after we flew into Staniel Cay from Nassau, so didn’t see an excessive amount of beneath however had entrance row seats to a wonderful sundown.
However, on the way in which again to Nassau, our morning flight with shiny sunny skies unveiled a shocking vista beneath of the Exuma Islands, which we flew over nearly the complete means.
These coming into Staniel Cay for a day trip to see the swimming pigs can even fly in from Nassau.
You possibly can both fly in from Nassau (Bahamas) by way of Flamingo Air or Titan Air or fly in from Ft. Lauderdale (Florida, US) by way of Makers Air or Staniel Air. Flamingo Air, Titan Air, and Maker’s Air have flights twice every day.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Right here’s what individuals normally ask us about visiting the Exuma and staying in Staniel Cay.
How will the climate be?
The Exumas have a tropical savanna local weather with dry winters. The yearly common most temperature in Exumas is 81°F (starting from 76°F in march to 85°F in august). Annual rainfall is 64.3 inches, with a minimal of two.1 inches in March and a most of 11.7 inches in October.
We visited within the first week of January and had pretty heat climate (80F) every single day with just a few sudden, however fast rain showers. Perceive that climate is all the time unpredictable and can’t be managed. Learn to dance within the rain!
Is there an ATM on the island / are playing cards accepted?
There isn’t any ATM on the island, so deliver money.
You should use USD or Bahamian {dollars}. It’s a 1:1 forex change. You might obtain Bahamian change when you use USD, or vice versa. Credit score Playing cards are additionally accepted.
Is Staniel Cay Protected?
As with every place you journey to, it’s essential to make use of frequent sense and concentrate on your environment. We discovered Staniel Cay to be very secure and didn’t really feel nervous or afraid as soon as.
Theft or crime shouldn’t be actually an issue, locals even depart the keys of their golf carts and sleep with doorways unlocked.
The island is small and everybody is aware of everybody, so there’s not so much that may go by undiscovered. However once more, that doesn’t imply issues can’t occur so be cautious.
In Abstract
It’s supporting and experiencing domestically owned companies and tales like this that all the time make my travels so significantly better. I journey to grasp the locals extra, to feed my curiosity and sense of awe, and develop empathy.
Embrace Resort shall be a lot greater than only a mattress to sleep in and can improve these valuable reminiscences you make within the gorgeous Exuma Islands.
Don’t overlook to pack sunscreen, mosquito repellent, a contented disposition, and buy journey insurance coverage!
