A spectacular sea cave on Staniel Cay that served as a filming location for two James Bond films — swim through the underwater entrance into a cathedral cavern lit by shafts of light, surrounded by colorful reef fish.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
Thunderball Grotto is the premier snorkeling site in the Bahamas — a hollow limestone rock that is fully submerged at high tide, with a series of underwater tunnels that open into a breathtaking central chamber lit by holes in the roof and shafts of ocean light. The grotto was used in the James Bond films Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again (1983). At low tide you can swim through the entry and surface inside the cave; at high tide the entrance is fully submerged (doable for confident swimmers). The cave is surrounded by reef fish — bring bread and they swarm by the hundreds.
What Stands Out
- James Bond filming location — Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again
- Central cavern lit by shafts of light through ceiling holes
- Reef fish feeding frenzy with bread
- Accessible at low tide without full submersion
- 5 minutes by boat from Staniel Cay Yacht Club