by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:30 AM ET, Tue January 13, 2026
Cruisers will soon be able to enjoy a new side to The Bahamas via a new cruise port, located on the island of Mayaguana in the South East Bahamas, 350 miles from popular Nassau.
According to a release by the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Philip Davis, the new venture is a Public Private Partnership between the government, Global Lead Consultant Group Limited (which was created specifically for the port project), and the Mayaguana Island Development Fund, which seeks to provide economic benefits for the community. Mayaguana Port Group, Ltd. will operate the port.
Mayaguana, which retains its Arawak name from its original inhabitants, is a hidden Bahamian gem; sparsely populated, it’s one of thirty populated islands of the 700 that comprise the Bahamas.
The port project will have three phases: the building of a temporary marine offloading facility and deep water port; cruise ship terminal construction; and deep water transshipment port and terminal for larger vessels, plus adjacent land development. The project is estimated to create around 2,000 jobs over the project’s lifetime.
There is currently no timeline for when any phase of the project is to be completed.
According to our sister publication, Travel Weekly, Mayaguana is located northwest of Turks and Caicos, positioned well for Caribbean cruise itineraries.
However, the island is the least developed of the populated Bahamian islands, which Frommer’s says makes it a great place “to get away from everything. Tourists arrive by boat and just ask around for availability at one of the ultra-simple lodgings here.”
There are three settlements on Mayaguana: Abraham’s Bay, Betsy Bay and Pirate’s Well. The Bahamian tourism website calls it a hidden gem, known for great fishing, an endemic species of rock iguana, crabbing beaches, coral reefs and pirate history.
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