Miles of glistening pink and white sand beaches, serene colonial villages and rolling acres of pineapple plantations make Eleuthera Island an island of the most casual sophistication. The cool laziness of Eleutheran life and dusty-yet-drenched colours of the island give it the feel of a giant illusion.
Much of the island’s architecture and way of life were influenced by Loyalist settlers in the late 1700s. With its two companions, Harbour Island and the community of Spanish Wells, Eleuthera Island has long been a favoured destination among smart travellers seeking a bit of quiet charm.
Tiny Harbour Island (occupied almost completely by the community of Dunmore Town) reminds many visitors of a miniature Bermuda with its Georgian architecture and fabulous beaches of coral pink sand.
Picture yourself gliding by the pink and white beaches, the sheltered coves, the breathtaking bluffs and charming anchorages. You’ll agree: Eleuthera/Harbour Island is simply a sailor’s dream.
Eleuthera Sight-seeing and Tourist Attractions
Preacher’s Cave
Preacher’s Cave, on the North end of the island, has both a natural and historical appeal. It was in this large, blue-shadowed cave that the Eleutheran adventurers sought shelter after shipwrecking nearby. They had fled Bermuda in search of religious freedom, and it was in this cave that they held their first services in what would become their permanent home.
Windermere Island
The waters surrounding Windermere Island, prized for their jewel-like depth and clarity, are a favorite playground for the rich and famous. At one time, its visitors included Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The island is linked to Eleuthera by a five-mile bridge.
Hatchet Cave
Once a haunt of pirates and buccaneers (and it looks like one, too) Hatchet Cave is a towering, mile-long chamber rich in stalactites and stalagmites
Harbour Island
Harbor Island, at the northeastern end of Eleuthera, is the site of the oldest settlement in the Bahamas, Dunmore Town. It was here that the founding residents, the Eleutheran adventurers, established the hemisphere’s first republic. The colonial-era atmosphere of the town is incredibly intact. Among its attractions are the Hill Steps, which the settlers hand-carved.
Gregory Town
Best-known for its great food and exotic tropical drinks like its famous pineapple punch, Gregory Town is also gaining recognition because of its rock star resident, the vocalist and guitar-wizard Lenny Kravitz.
Glass Window Bridge
Glass Window Bridge, originally the site of an extraordinary natural arch linking the Exuma Sound to the Atlantic, is one of the most impressive sights on Eleuthera. Unfortunately however, the natural formation was washed away in a hurricane in 1965, but the location itself is still immensely scenic. To watch the ragged, deep blue waves of the Atlantic crash and swarm across rocks toward the Sound is truly mesmerizing.