A sort of Bahamian Plymouth Rock, tranquil Eleuthera Island was the first permanent settlement in the Bahamas, founded in 1648. The adventurous settlers found an island of stunning white- and pink-sand beaches framed by casuarina trees, high, rolling green hills, sea-to-sea views, dramatic cliffs, and sheltered coves, all of which still remain on the island, unspoiled, waiting for travelers to discover today.
The most historic of the Out Islands, Eleuthera is actually a string of islands that includes Harbour Island, famed for its lovely Pink Sands Beach spanning the length of the tiny island's eastern side. Eleuthera is situated 200 miles southeast of Miami and 60 miles east of Nassau and Paradise Island. Though the slender, boomerang-shaped island is more than 110 miles long, it's a mere two miles wide, assuring that vacationers are never far from the beach.
VISITING ELEUTHERA
Eleuthera's charming New England-style architecture, reminiscent of the island's Loyalist history, is still very much in existence in colonial villages throughout the island. For many visitors, the Victorian, pastel-colored houses evoke the feeling of a Caribbean Cape Cod.
In the north, Gregory Town - home to the North Eleuthera Airport - is the pineapple capital of the island chain. Also accessible from the north are both Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, the latter of which was colonial shipyard and sugar refinement center that is today a popular destination for vacationers and day-trippers. A bit further south is Surfer's Beach, one of the best surfing spots in all of the Bahamas. Several accommodations are available in this sleepy, slightly budget-oriented section of Eleuthera. And at the southern end of the island, Rock Sound is home of the fabled Cotton Bay Club, while Lighthouse Point at the southern tip of Eleuthera offers a stunning and secluded beach for privacy seekers.
WHAT TO DO
Bay Street
Hop over to Harbour Island in the northern part of Eleuthera and meander down the historic Bay Street, the former hub of government and culture on these islands. Explore the restored Victorian cottages and decaying buildings from the early settlement days that line the street, including the old jail and ruins of a fugitive pirate's fort now partially buried in the sands.
Harbour Island Information...
Lighthouse Beach
For a taste of unspoiled beauty and seclusion, head south on Eleuthera to Bannerman Town and spend the day on the shimmering pink sands of Lighthouse Beach, named for the stately old lighthouse that rests high on a limestone headland on the island's point.
Eleuthera Beaches...
