After a week of 10am Miami Vices and towels folded into so many animals (aka Sandals - read the full post here!), we were ready to step away and spend a little more time one-on-one. And I found the perfect island for it - Eleuthera! On every beach we were alone, and each beach was more stunning and picturesque then the next.
I had to blink twice every time we pulled around a coral corner and the natural untouched beauty came into view: teal waters that were warm, inviting, and never ending.
It looked like you could walk for miles - and at the private pink sand beach that was steps from our rainbow cottage and completely ours, we did.
The Plane to Paradise
When I saw the plane to Eleuthera, I almost stopped in my tracks. It looked like one of those prop planes. No, not a small plane, but literally a prop plane for a movie or something. It looked fake. People couldn’t actually get on that, could they? Could we? I’m tall!
Turns out, we could - but as soon as you crossed onto the plane, you had to lean over, hold your bag in front of you, and kind of hunch and shuffle down the aisle. It had 15 or so seats, and a concerning lack of doors between the pilots and the passengers. I figured since there were only 8 of us, it wasn’t a big deal.
There was a slight crack in my window, but I tried not to focus on it as I stared, awestruck, at the color of the ocean below me. It was teals and greens and shades of blues I had only seen in photos and Photoshop. We flew into Bahamas a week earlier, but coming across these new waters was something else. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them.
When we finally landed from the world’s tiniest flight tube, I knew we’d found the remote island I had hoped for. We picked our rental car from an extremely friendly local which I found by some heavy Googling since rental car companies don’t exist on the island. I loved this place already.
As we drove down the long sandy driveway to the home I found on VRBO, I crossed my fingers that the check I had sent to Canada wasn’t an elaborate scam. When that rainbow cottage came into view, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and knew we were in for an amazing week.
Remote is BetterIf you’re even considering the Bahamas, consider Eleuthera!
It’s just a (tiny) plane ride away from Florida, and it’s home to some of the most beautiful places I’ve seen on this planet. I recommend that you rent a home instead of staying at a hotel or resort - we LOVED it! I know that's not for everyone though, so if you have specific needs or are looking for that total package, then the resorts are gorgeous as well.
If you’re okay with some small errand-running during your stay, then I suggest looking for a home near some of the attractions you’re interested in and that covers all of your needs - number of rooms, amenities, equipment, etc. I wanted to find a place on a beach, and then I made sure we were close enough to a town so we could buy gas and groceries.
I settled on looking around the township of Governor’s Harbor, which is one of the oldest settlements in the Bahamas and was the most convenient airport to fly into from Nassau. It isn’t a large town, but there are quaint historic buildings, a main grocery store, a gas station, and a few local shops and places to eat.
I definitely recommend renting a car and bringing most of the things you'll need (toiletries, special food, etc.). Beware that most restaurants or specialty items (ice cream, chips and cookies, fancy meats or cheese) are much pricier than at home. They have to get everything by boat though, so if you can easily bring it - do!
For an idea about island supply: we went to buy bread at the main grocery store one day, but they were out because the boat hadn't come in that day. You know, the boat that has all the bread. A bread boat, if you will. Aaaaanyway, it was still the perfect size for what we wanted.
The Best Beaches in Eleuthera
All of them! Honestly though, local attractions are mainly beautiful beaches trying to one up each other, so everyone’s a winner. But here are some of my favorite beaches and why I love them!
Lighthouse Beach [People Count: 0]
At the southernmost tip of the island, the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea and you can see an incredible panorama of ocean. The large coral cliffs are a unique backdrop to an already beautiful beach. There is a little untouched offshore island, and a few small coves scattered along each coast. You get so many different views of the island as it trickles out into the ocean, it’s simply breathtaking! It’s a tricky place to get to though, I'm remembering a good 1-2 hour drive over really rocky coral, miles after we saw the last road or sign. Definitely a beach for adventurous folks, but it’s totally worth it!
French Leave Beach [People Count: 0]
At the location of the old Club Med and one of Eleuthera’s few current resorts, this beautiful stretch of beach is wide, open, and just so expansive! The white sand was almost cool to the touch despite the warm temperatures. Despite it being on the site of a resort (apparently?) we didn't see another soul, as usual. We didn't spend too much time there, but needless to say, a beautiful spot.
Ten Bay Beach [People Count: 3 - a family snorkeling]
A white sand beach where you can walk for what feels like miles before the water gets waist deep. The water was so warm because of how shallow it is, and we saw other people for one of the only times! There are other nearby rental homes, so I would assume that this was their "private" beach for their stay. A great place to relax, snorkel, and lay on a sandbar.
Beach by Windermere Island [People count: 0]
This little beach was tucked between a row of trees and Windermere Island, creating almost a completely enclosed cove. It was shallow, calm, and a beautiful place to sink your toes into the sand.
Poponi Beach: [People count: 0]
Lined with the leafy shade you've been waiting to pull a chair under, this cute little beach was where we ended one of our days and watched the sunset. There was some remnants of a little pier, which had turned into a little reef world alive with crabs, fish, and other creatures. A perfect end to our day!
Other Beaches: Cocodimama, Lover's Beach, Winding Cay [People Count: 0, seriously.]
Each one more beautiful than the next, there are coves, shady beaches, and strips of sand like you've never seen. Everywhere we went, I thought we were in a postcard.
Other Eleuthera Attractions:
It turns out there are other things to do on Eleuthera besides lay on really beautiful beaches, but if that's all you want to do - I don't blame you!
Friday Fish Fry
If you’re on Eleuthera on a Friday, their weekly Fish Fry is a must! It’s a local favorite, and their chefs cook up the most delicious BBQ and sides on the island. There’s music, local families, and travelers from other homes and resorts, and it’s just a great place to mingle, meet new people, learn about the island, and eat great food! It’s on a small corner in Governor’s Harbor, you could almost miss it. But it’s right on the water and across from some old historic buildings and churches, so it’s a cute area to walk around and enjoy the inevitably gorgeous weather. Saying that though, we definitely got rained on one night, but it was still a beautiful night!
Glass Window Bridge
A famous spot, this is one of the few places in the world where you can witness both the dark blue waters of the Atlantic right and the bright teal waters of the Caribbean. Seeing the two next to each other made it hard to believe the other. It get's it's name from a small "window" underneath the bridge where you could see to the other side, but some storms and waves over the years may have altered it. This little strip of land is only about a mile wide, so it´s narrowness and stability are sights to be seen! There are rocky cliffs leading down to each ocean, but it's not super accessible. The best views are walking along the bridge and peering down on both sides (while holding onto something!)
Ocean Hole
This unexpected natural pool was one of the most unusual places I’ve ever seen! It is a seemingly never-ending bottomless “lake” of sorts, that actually connects underground to the ocean. Locals believe the brackish water has healing powers, and many tropical fish and even turtles are found within. We were encouraged to jump in by a local man who seemed to be the hole’s guide, who was able to swim and stay underwater for over 3+ minutes. We actually got worried one time he went down for so long! There was another family there with a few kids who were both excited and too nervous to jump in, but once my husband did, so did they. It was a really cool experience because the water looked so different than the beaches we were just at - it was dark, cool, and just felt a little different than the sea.
Where We Stayed
For anyone looking for an amazing place to stay, we rented one of the two cottages available at the Cayo Loco property. Less than a 10 minute drive from Governor's Harbor airport, the homes are on a pink sand beach that is close enough to a local pool bar for drinks and a bite, but otherwise as private as can be.
It was steps and a staircase away from miles of your personal snorkeling heaven, with some of the prettiest reefs we've ever seen. It came with access to a paddle board, kayaks, and there were chairs under a thatch umbrella already set up on the beach for lounging.
The self-sustaining property was like most others on the island, being that it runs on collected rainwater (so long showers aren’t encouraged), and the island’s sole generator. But the property's builder and manager is close by if you need anything during your stay - and they're wonderful!
There was an extremely helpful page on their website explaining what was available and possible on the island.
The short of it? The power could go out, but you’d get to see the most beautiful sunsets you could ever imagine.
I’ll let you know a secret: it’s worth it.
Read here for the first part of our honeymoon at the luxurious and totally different Sandals Royal Bahamian - a stunning, adults-only, all-inclusive resort.
Have you been to Eleuthera? What about a place you couldn’t believe was real? Let me know where in the comments below!
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