The Exumas, Bahamas

A whopping 360 islands make up the Bahamas’ Exumas Cays, and adventures await on each one of them. Pig Beach (officially known as Big Major Cay) is uninhabited, but for some swimming pigs, who are (unsurprisingly) not native to the island. Some say they were left by a group of sailors, who planned to come back and cook them, but encountered peril and never returned. Or that the pigs swam over from a shipwreck nearby. The most commonly accepted explanation is much more mundane -- local farmers from nearby Staniel Cay left them there intentionally due to their unappealing smell. There’s also Mile Long Sandbar, which is exactly what it sounds like. Pure white sand in the middle of clear blue waters, this sandbar stretches for a mile and is perfect for picnicking, finding seashells and escaping civilization. One of the less-traveled tourist attractions of the Bahamas, this spot could be all yours for the day. Allan’s Cay is one of three Exuma cays inhabited by iguanas that live nowhere else in the world. They can grow up to four feet long and weigh up to 24 pounds. Docile and friendly, visitors can feed them fruits and veggies. But be warned: some iguanas have become so domesticated they will climb up your arm and onto your body. And if cavorting with pigs and iguanas isn’t special enough, you can head to Thunderball Grotto, a cave so spectacular that not one, but two James Bond movies ("Thunderball" and "Never Say Again") were filmed there . You can snorkel, dive or wade through it. The underwater cave system, hidden from view, is teeming with exotic marine life, brightly colored coral and mysterious entrances, tunnels and narrow gaps.