An unspoiled island in the Bahamas
Explore the natural beauty, windswept beaches and crystal-clear waters of Eleuthera
Tourism first took off in Eleuthera in the 1950s, but this rugged sliver of an island in the Bahamas is still delightfully "unspoiled", says Eric Lipton in The New York Times. It is serviced by regular flights from the archipelago's capital, Nassau, but has no major resorts and its roads are so quiet, there are no traffic lights.
This year, Disney is opening a "manufactured, self-contained town" for cruise ship customers at the island's southern tip, but that's unlikely to affect the rest of Eleuthera: it is less than a mile wide in most places, but a full 100 miles long. Most visitors stay in rental houses, and hire cars to visit its sleepy villages, its natural wonders and its dozens of beaches.
Taíno people once lived on the island, but it was unoccupied by 1640, when the first British settlers arrived. The capital they founded, Governor's Harbour, is the nicest place to stay today, with its "hillside colonial homes and white picket fences".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Among the best-known sights elsewhere are Cathedral Cave (a limestone cavern where banyan trees grow through holes in the roof), the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (a botanical garden with more than 400 native species), and Sweetings Pond (a protected lagoon known for its seahorses). There are also some pleasant restaurants (such as the Buccaneer Club), and the weekly Friday-night fish fry at Governor's Harbour is a good chance to mingle with locals over Kalik beer, conch fritters, rum babas and more.
Food and other commodities are expensive, and though there are some decent hotels (such as The Cove, and French Leave Resort), Eleuthera is not a place to look for "day-to-night pampering". Come instead to enjoy its slow pace of life and its natural beauty, from the wild, windswept sands of the ocean-facing east coast to the calm, "crystal clear" waters of the west (home to an "insane array" of tropical fish), and the extraordinary and "seemingly endless" stars visible in the pitch-dark night sky.
Sign up for The Week's Travel newsletter for destination inspiration and the latest news and trends.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
If comedy gives lessons, you're doing it wrong
Opinion Jerry Seinfeld wonders if his show would have made it in our moralistic era
By Mark Gimein Published
-
6 unique homes with an A-frame design
Feature Featuring a smart home in Vermont and a wall of windows in Wisconsin
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cynthia Carr's 6 favorite books that explore social issues
Feature The former culture writer recommends works by Ling Ma, Olga Tokarczuk, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Idea of You review: 'impossible escapism' starring Anne Hathaway
The Week Recommends Steamy romcom about a 40-year-old who falls for a boy band singer
By The Week UK Published
-
Expressionists: a 'rousing' exhibition at the Tate Modern
The Week Recommends Show mixes 'ferociously glowing masterpieces' from Kandinsky with less well-known artwork
By The Week UK Published
-
The Buddha of Suburbia: an 'orgiastic odyssey'
The Week Recommends Emma Rice brings Hanif Kureishi's 1990 novel to the stage
By The Week UK Published
-
6 stylish homes in Portland, Oregon
Feature Featuring a wall of windows in Collins View and a historic ballroom in Portland Heights
By The Week US Published
-
Tom Crewe's 6 favorite works that challenge societal norms
Feature The novelist recommends works by Margaret Oliphant, Patrick White, and more
By The Week US Published