Plan A Vacation To Eleuthera In The Bahamas
If you want your vacation to be different from the normal resort-type experience, then Eleuthera awaits. However, know in advance that it’s not for everyone. If you’re looking for nightlife and casinos, then Eleuthera is not for you. If you hope to spend time just relaxing and enjoying an amazing tropical location in a friendly, slow-paced location, they this is the right place.
Just Where is Eleuthera
Eleuthera is a Bahamian Family Island, sometimes referred to as an out-island, about 60 miles east of Nassau. When you look at a map of the Bahamas, it’s a long, thin island with a “whale tail” at the southern end. It is actually almost 110 miles long, yet only 2 miles wide at its widest point. The majority of the island is much narrower than that. The narrowest part of the island can be found at the Glass Window Bridge.
Ways To Get To Eleuthera
Eleuthera is home to THREE international airports – North Eleuthera (ELH), Governor’s Harbour (GHB) and Rock Sound (RSD).
When departing from Florida there are a number of options for flying to Eleuthera. American Eagle, which is part of American Airlines) has regularly scheduled flights from Miami to North Eleuthera. Continental Airlines flies from Fort Lauderdale to North Eleuthera and Governor’s Harbour. TwinAir/Calypso (a small private airline) flies from Fort Lauderdale to all three airports on Eleuthera.
You can also get to Eleuthera via BahamasAir, however, you’ll need to make connections through Nassau.
From Nassau you have a few more options as well. All three airports are serviced by BahamasAir. SouthernAir also offers flights from Nassau to all of Eleuthera’s airports. You can also opt to take the Bo Hengy, a high-speed ferry, from Nassau to Spanish Wells, Harbour Island and Governor’s Harbour.
Naturally, you’ll need to check the schedules for all of these options.
Accommodations in Eleuthera
You won’t find any high-rise hotels or huge resorts on Eleuthera, and that is part of it’s charm. You’ll find the priciest resorts on Harbour Island. This is also where the rich-and-famous have some homes.
You can also find a few deluxe resorts on the main island of Eleuthera – The Cove, Pineapple Fields and Cape Eleuthera Resort. However, the majority of hotels on Eleuthera are low-key, laid-back and comfortable. There are many such hotels in Eleuthera. A few that come to mind are Surfers Manor, Rainbow Inn, Duck Inn and Unique village.
For a more private, home-away-from-home experience, there are several vacation home rentals available. Just do your research and you’ll find something that suits your taste and budget.
The Amazing Beaches of Eleuthera
Eleuthera has more than 50 fabulous beaches, but many of them are hard to find and if you’re only here for a short visit, you might miss some of the best ones.
While a few can be seen from the Queen’s Highway (the main road running North and South), many are down dirt roads that don’t look like they’ll lead you to a beach.
There are pink sand beaches, white sand beaches, pebbly beaches and ones where you can find some fabulous shells. Most of the are also deserted, so expect to have an amazing beach all to yourselves, once you’ve found it.
The more famous beaches of Eleuthera are Pink Sand Beach on Harbour Island, Surfers Beach, French Leave Beach, Cotton Bay and Lighthouse Beach, to name just a few.
What’s the Best Time to Visit Eleuthera
It’s wonderful to visit Eleuthera any time of year, however, you’re likely to encounter the best weather from November to April. Summers tend to be hot and humid with a lot more rain and even the possibility of tropical storms or hurricanes. The summer season also produces more thunderstorms. I’m actually a big fan of thunderstorms and the ones in Eleuthera can be pretty amazing.
We have only scratched the surface of all that Eleuthera has to offer. Even though it takes a little more effort to visit Eleuthera, it’s well worth the trip.