Experience Harbour Island

Overview

The quaint, seaside town of Harbor Island in Eleuthera is known as ‘Briland’ to its residents. It is often referred to as the ‘Nantucket of the Caribbean’ and is beautifully decorated by colorfully painted New England-style architecture. This island really is as pretty as a picture with its alluring beaches and prepossessing aqua-blue waters. Its charming accommodations come in the form of intimate resorts, cozy inns, and ultra-luxurious oceanfront cottages. This stretch of coastline is filled with wild beauty, surrounded by a cluster of cays and sandbars with beaches layered in its famous pink sand. Harbour Island is an extremely popular vacation destination and home to one of the best beaches in the Bahamas according to the experts. 

Things to see and do

Wander around Dunmore Town the island’s main settlement where most of the attractions are found. This picturesque town with its charming streets lined by pastel-colored colonial buildings housing historic homes, boutique shops, colorful galleries, and charming cafes. Everything is within walking distance including plenty of restaurants and accommodations. There are no vehicles (except for locals) allowed on the island so explore at a leisurely pace and soak up the laid-back authentic Bahamian atmosphere. 

Take a Golf Cart ride around the island. Harbour Island is small measuring just 3 miles long and 1 mile wide so golf carts are one of the main modes of transportation for visitors to see the sights. 

Spend your day at the the renowned and beautiful Pink Sand Beach which stretches for 3 miles with a width of 50-100 feet. It is considered one of the very best beaches in the Islands of the Bahamas and is consistently featured in Travel Magazines and awarded among one of the best beaches in the world. This breathtaking beach stretches along the eastern shore of the island and the sand gets its pink hue from microscopic coral insects called Foraminifera that are mixed with white sand and create a unique sight and color. 

Go Diving or Snorkeling in the stunning vibrant coral reefs that surround Eleuthera. These waters offer exceptional diving opportunities with famous sites like The Devil’s Backbone which is a large coral formation off North Eleuthera, a notorious area for shipwrecks. The Current Cut is a narrow channel with strong currents regularly reaching 10 knots, it's rated one of the ten best dives in the entire world. 

Bonefishing and deep-sea fishing are famous in Eleuthera, with reef and spearfishing also being very popular. There are many guides and charters available on Harbour Island for you to plan your fishing trip.

Spend a day island hopping through the idyllic archipelago of Eleuthera, there are many opportunities for these types of excursions to the beautiful offshore islands in the Bahamas. Passengers can take a scenic cruise over the calm crystal clear waters, hop off to explore, relax at the beach, enjoy a picnic, or go swimming and snorkeling in the mesmerizing waters. There are options to go to Pig Beach and feed the resident pigs which is a fun and memorable experience.

Shopping

Wandering around the colorful, sophisticated boutiques on Harbour Island is a charming pastime where visitors can pick up custom woven tote bags, one-of-a-kind clothing, shell souvenirs, and more from shops dotted around the island. There are iconic wooden shacks found along the port and the beaches with some great offerings including unique beachwear. Dunmore Town has plenty to offer for shoppers including the exclusive establishments of India Hick’s The Sugar Mill and Coral Sands Hotel boutique where you can pick up Barbara Hulanicki’s famous silk scarves.

Beaches

Historic Harbour Island is most renowned for its pale pink sand beaches. Pink Sand Beach is one of the top-rated beaches in the world featured in The Travel Channel’s “World’s Best Beaches” and has won other titles and awards over the years. Pink Sands Beach stretches for 3 miles blanketed by the incredible super soft pink sand, the beach measures 50-100 feet wide and runs along the eastern side of the island on the Atlantic Ocean side. The beach is protected by a vibrant coral reef making the water an alluring shade of turquoise great for swimming and snorkeling. The pink sand glows a spectacular color when the sun is setting on the horizon. Other than Pink Sands, Harbour Island boasts three small beaches; Girls Bank, Round Head, and North Beach.

Cuisine

Harbour Island is home to some of the best restaurants in the Bahamas. The tiny island has a lot to offer when it comes to cuisine, fine dining, casual dining, and beachfront dining. The menus are plentiful with plenty of freshly caught fish and seafood including the famed conch dish of the Bahamas. Diners can enjoy fine dining options at The Landing, Runaway Hill, Valentine’s Marine, Rock House, and Queen Conch, most are set amongst tropical surroundings with unforgettable views. Enjoy the local eateries in Dunmore Town such as Arthur’s Bakery and Seaview Takeaway have some delicious food on offer with local experience.

Nightlife

The best way to spend your evening in Harbour Island is to seek out a serene spot to capture a stunning sunset on one of the beaches or from a beachside bar with a tropical cocktail. Many of the islanders and visitors go to bed by 9 pm. The weekends tend to be the busier nights of the week with bustling bar scenes in downtown Dunmore, along the beaches, and at many resorts. Daddy D’s is one of the hottest nightclubs on the island in the center of town, this is the place to dance the night away. Gusty’s is just up from Bay Street, a local watering hole with ice-cold brews, dance music, and sand on the floor. Vic-Hum’s is a local dive bar and tourist attraction on Barracks Street with a ping pong room, a great rum punch, and authentic decor. Try a Goombay smash the drink of the island, the perfect way to end a long day of soaking up the sun, sea, and sand.