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The Exumas hold a history of mystery and resilience. Once used as hideouts for pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries, the cays were perfect for stashing treasures and avoiding naval patrols. In the late 1700s, Loyalists and enslaved Africans settled the Exumas, bringing farming, fishing, and boatbuilding traditions that would sustain the islands for generations. One of the most historic sites is the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, established in 1958 as the first marine protected area in the wider Caribbean. The Exumas’ story is one of transformation — from pirate refuge to Loyalist settlement, and now a living testament to the Bahamas’ natural and cultural heritage.