BEACHES OF ELEUTHERA
Hidden Gems of the Caribbean
Beach Facts
Beach Facts
THE BEACHES OF ELEUTHERA vary from the Carribean peace and tranquility of Ten Bay to the popular Atlantic resort cabanas of Pink Sand Beach at Harbour Island. We have not visited all of them, as it would take someone several months of full time play to completely explore these gems, a luxury we haven't been able to afford of late. We did put together a collection of some of our favorites however, which hopefully this will give you a taste of why travel publishers from Fodor's to the L.A. Times rate Eleuthera beaches higher than most others in the world. CLICK on the thumbnail pictures to enlarge; hold the mouse pointer over the picture for a pop-up description. Use our map of Eleuthera for help finding some of the larger beaches, or pick up a copy of The Hidden Beaches of Eleuthera or the 2-piece island map Eleuthera, Bahamas on your next trip to the island for details on smaller hidden beaches. You can also order the Eleuthera map by calling Tabox Geographx in Orlando, Florida at (407) 896-1923.
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DOUBLE BAY BEACH
This 5-mile long white sandy expanse is located in the middle of the island on the Atlantic side between Palmetto Point and Windemere Island (Savannah Sound). It's great for long walks, beach-combing, snorkeling on calm days, and sunbathing. Click here for more information. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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HARBOUR ISLAND
HARBOUR ISLAND BEACH, is also known as Pink Sand Beach because of the light red tiny fragments of seashells and coral that were ground up and washed ashore to make up this two-mile long beach. Conde Nast Magazine rates Harbour Island as having "quite possibly the finest beach in the world." And the high resort prices reflect it! If you're staying in one of the Harbour Island resorts like Coral Sands Hotel, be sure to catch the early-morning sunrise over the Atlantic, then spend your days collecting what's left of the picked-over seashells, riding ponies, playing beach volleyball, or renting a bicycle, boat, or surfboard. You can also catch the Fast Ferry to Nassau daily or inquire about the many fishing and diving excursions available to guests. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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REEF DIVING
Snorkeling and diving is a fantasy in the Caribbean! The water is crystal clear and underwater views are out of this world! The following pictures were taken in the Caribbean at Ten Bay and in the Atlantic at Double Bay near North Palmetto Point. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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SPANISH WELLS
Spanish Wells Beach is probably the largest and prettiest expanse of beach we have ever seen! At low tide, the ocean is quite a walk from the edge of the trees and vegetation - great if you like to spread your wings and run! Spanish Wells is a settlement on St. Georges Island and was a watering hole for early Spanish sailors and home to the caucasian descendants of the original Eleuthera Adventurers. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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TAY BAY BEACH
Tay Bay Beach is also known as Preachers Cave Beach because of its location near Preachers Cave. This beach is small but pretty and fairly private, although you may get a vistor from time to time and the Fast Ferry runs by offshore twice a day. Snorkeling and diving here is not recommended because of the reef - the same one which stranded the original Eleutheran Adventurers at Preachers Cave in 1647. For a better snorkeling beach, go back towards Spanish Wells and ask for how to get to Ben Bay. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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TEN BAY BEACH
Ten Bay Beach is is a small, fairly private beach at the small residential community of Ten Bay, located on the Caribbean side between Palmetto Point and Savannah Sound townships. This beach is ideal for those just learning to snorkel, swim and dive because of the gentle waters, huge flat sandy bottom that goes from very shallow to deep, and the usual Caribbean mix of fish and rays of all kind and description. Beach-combing is great, as is swimming, sunbathing, and renting a boat or kayak from a local. For experienced divers, there are more reefs further out in the Caribbean, around the lip of the bay. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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LIGHTHOUSE BEACH
Located at Eleuthera Point, the southernmost tip of the island, Lighthouse Beach is considered by many to be the nicest beach in the Bahamas. Only a couple of drawbacks - it takes a long time there and the road is extremely rugged. You will need a 4-wheel drive vehicle and a full day to explore if you want to enjoy this trip. Once there, however, you will not regret your decision to come. Beautiful scenery, white sand, and snorkeling areas around the cliffs make this an island experience not to be missed. Be careful swimming and snorkeling here during the changing of the tides, however, since the waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans swirl around the tip and can often be very strong. Also check out the Old Lighthouse at the top of the cliffs, and Lighthouse Bay before the sand dunes. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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SURFER'S BEACH
SURFER'S BEACH on the Atlantic was the most exciting destination for the "Hang Ten" crowd of the mid-to-late 1960's and hosted several world-wide surfing competitions. In the years that followed, however, loss of interest in surfing and hurricanes took their turns ravaging the road to this famous beach until it there was barely any access at all. Recently, however, the road has been cleared, some houses built, and more signs put up to show the way. Surfer's Beach is currently experieincing a mini-revival and may once again be the beach of choice for those in the know. NOTE: You can rent a surf board for about $25-50/day from Pete and Rebecca Courtemanche at Rebecca's Beach Shop in nearby Gregory Town. Tell them you found them on Bahama-Vacation.com. Click on the pics below to enlarge:
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CLIFFS AND ROCKY SHORES
Although there are a lot of beaches on Eleuthera, some stretches of shoreline offer the visitor a different experience. Besides views, these spectacular overlooks sometimes have great snorkeling, diving and fishing. Just be careful; these "iron coastlines" do not give, and falls could be fatal. For great sunsets, snorkeling and views, check out the Caribbean side of Gregory Town. Probably the best example of an "iron coast" is The Cliffs just north of James Cistern. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
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OTHER BEACHES & SCENES
Eleuthera has too many beaches to show or describe in this section. Here is a small sampling of the beaches we've seen, flown over, and explored. Check these pages regularly for updates, as we will continue to add pictures each time we return from the island. If you have any suggestions for places you'd like to see, let us know. CLICK on the pics to enlarge.
