Eleuthera: February Break In A Tropical Paradise

Eleuthera

“Eleuthera?” “Where is that?” “I’ve never heard of that.”  These were a few of the many responses I received when I shared my February Break plans with friends, co-workers, and family. 

Well, friends, here goes: Eleuthera is one of the 700 islands that make up The Bahamas and is east of Nassau and south of Great Abaco.  It is only a 55-minute flight from Miami and is known for its PINK sandy beaches and turquoise, clear water.  Seriously…this water is ridiculous.  The island is 110 miles long and only a mile wide at its widest point.  It also has 135 beaches, with the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the Caribbean Sea to the west! 

Each town and beach is unique and has something different to offer.  Both the sunrises and sunsets are absolutely spectacular.  If you are looking for a relaxing, breathtaking, adventurous, and/or romantic getaway, Eleuthera is the destination for you!  It is a true tropical paradise! I left a part of my heart there, and truly can’t wait to go back!

February Break:

Teachers in my school district are extremely lucky in that we are one of the few that still have a week-long break from school in February.  It’s our opportunity to leave the cold, gray northeast to travel to a warm and sunny location.  We work so hard all year, we need breaks! 

After looking up many different locations that were Zika free (there aren’t many in year-round warm places), we happened upon the Bahamas.  We had visited the Baha Mar in Nassau previously, so I started to look into different, more remote islands.  Eleuthera had budget-friendly airfare (we were able to use our points from our Sapphire Reserve Credit Card) and the pictures I stumbled across took our breath away.  

Normally when we travel, we like to stay in a few different places for a few days each, but we chose to have one “home base” and travel around and explore each day.  We stayed outside Governors Harbor, which gave us great access to the entire island, as it is located towards the middle of the very long island. 

Sun, sand, clear turquoise water, 80 degrees, and serenity is my idea of a perfect, relaxing, yet adventurous tropical vacation!

Getting Around

Flight:

There are three airports in Eleuthera: North Eleuthera, Governor’s Harbor, and Rock Sound.  We flew into North Eleuthera, which is the most popular and less expensive airport to fly into.  The boat taxi to Harbor Island (awesome island, more info below) is a 5-minute taxi from the North Eleuthera Airport.  The airport is very small, with a small interior and an outdoor baggage claim.  Across the street, there are three shops, restaurants, and places to buy drinks, which came in handy during a delay back to the states.  

Tip: If looking to purchase alcohol for your trip, I suggest stopping in the liquor store that is across the street from the airport, as it had the best prices on the island (that we found).

Car:

Renting a car is ESSENTIAL! We called Taylor and Taylor Rental Car a few months in advance and reserved an SUV for $70 a day.  That may seem expensive, but it is the going rate for car rentals.  I would recommend reserving an SUV (as soon as possible), as roads off the main road (Queens Highway), are bumpy, sandy, and rocky.  Also, keep in mind that you drive on the left and not on the right in The Bahamas! I was hesitant to rent a car for our entire 7-day stay, as it was costly, however it proved to be essential for exploring.

We were greeted by Dawn at the airport, and she walked us to our car conveniently located right outside the airport doors, where we would drop it back off on our departure day.

Tip: Pay in cash! You will save money, as you get out of paying any credit card fees.

Where to Stay

There are many small resorts and house rentals on Eleuthera.  You will not find an array of large resorts, which is what we loved most about the island. 

We happened upon Mika’s Resort and couldn’t have been happier with our choice.  Four casitas and a penthouse apartment make up this boutique hotel, just 10 minutes north of the main town of Governor’s Harbor.  We stayed in Casita #1, situated 20-30 feet above the beach, facing the Atlantic Ocean and a private pink sand beach.  The floor to ceiling window gave us a view of the sunrise and granted us the natural sound of waves to fall asleep to.  

There is a newly built staircase and platform that gives you access to morning beach walks and snorkeling along reefs found right offshore.  Mika’s many amenities include beach chairs, beach towels, kayaks, snorkel gear, coolers, bug spray, and reusable water bottles!

Our newly constructed casita was perfect and had plenty of space for my husband and me for a week.  Mika thought of everything that her guests would need while on vacation, including high-end beauty products, which she creates.  

We were able to use our efficiency kitchen to make breakfast and pack sandwiches for the day. There is a full-sized kitchen and refrigerator for shared use in the main house, should you choose to use it. The staff was so friendly and helpful, answering any questions that we had.  

Restaurants

Governor’s Harbor:

1684 An Island Restaurant at The French Leave Resort

• $$$
• Experience: sunset, live music, indoor/outdoor seating, romantic
• Food: Grilled/Blackened Grouper
• Reservation

Buccaneer Club

• $$
• Experience: indoor/outdoor seating, live music (some nights)
• Food: Blackened Grouper

Tippy’s

• $$
• Experience: indoor/outdoor seating, live music (Wednesday/Sunday), nightlife, on the beach
• Food: Large list of daily specials
• Reservation (if you want a table….we sat at the bar)

The Deck

• $$
• Experience: on the beach, drinks, lunch, laid back, views!
• Food: conch fritters and burgers (RUM PUNCH)
• Open randomly during the day (closed on Saturdays) – there is a sign on Queens Highway, which will let you know if they are open!

Pascal’s

• $
• Experience: happy hour, pool, short walk to the beach

James Cistern:

LeoRose Sunset Beach Bar and Grill

Harbor Island:

Queen Conch

• $
• Experience: sunset, laid back
• Food: conch fritters, fried fish

Coral Sands Beach Bar

• $$
• Experience: on the pink sand beach, walk up from the beach, views!, relaxing
• Food: lunch

Sip Sip

• $$
• Experience: on the pink sand beach, views!
• Food: lunch
• Closed Tuesday

Cocoa Coffee House

• $
• Food: coffee and breakfast sandwiches

Rooster Tail Bar and Grill at Valentine’s Resort and Marina

• $$
• Experience: Happy Hour: 4-6

Romora Bay Resort

• $$
• Experience: sunset, live music

Spanish Wells:

Wreckers

• $$
• Experience: took the boat right to the dock, outdoor seating, laid back
• Food: lunch, pizza

Beaches, Beaches, and More Beaches!

I highly suggest buying “The Beach Book”! It includes every one of Eleuthera’s 135 beaches with ratings, directions, and special features. We used this book to plan our excursions and figure out which beaches we wanted to explore. The directions given from the book to the beaches come in handy as many of the beaches are off the beaten path and hard to find!

It would be impossible to mention all the beaches that Eleuthera has to offer.  We visited 13 of them and still didn’t make a dent in the list! We visited the following (favorites are in bold): 

• Ben Bay Beach (North Eleuthera) – By Boat
• Gaulding Cay Beach
• Lover’s Beach
• Holiday Beach
• Surfer’s Beach
• Rainbow Bay Beach
• Jono’s Beach
• Mid Rock’s Beach (Mika’s Resort)
• Between the Rocks Beach
• Lighthouse Beach
  • North
  • Atlantic
  • Caribbean

Things To Do:

Paulie’s Fishing Charter – North Eleuthera

• We chartered for the entire day and the splurge was completely worth it!  ($650 + tip)
• Toured the coast and various beaches of Northern Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, and Russell Island.
• The itinerary is completely customizable.  Activities include (but not limited to): jumping off a bridge, snorkeling in private coves and exploring beautiful coral reefs, touring Spanish Wells, Sand Dollar Beach (a disappearing sandbar with sand dollars), swimming with pigs (YES pigs!), and fishing.
• Bring a cooler.
• There are many boat charters available, but we found that Paulie had the best price and he was so knowledgeable about the islands and the surrounding water.

Queens Bath – By the Glass Window Bridge

• Stunning, breathtaking, unique…words that come to mind when I think of this place.
• Queens Bath is atop high cliffs, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
• Waves crash onto the cliffs and fill in craters, creating natural pools.
• The experience is different every time and can be a bit dangerous if at high tide and windy.

Preacher’s Cave – North Eleuthera (10 minutes from the airport)

• Survivors of a shipwreck sought refuge in this cave back in the 1600s.  
• Continue on to the Sapphire Blue Hole, as they are very close to each other.
  

Sapphire Blue Hole – North Eleuthera (10 minutes from the airport)

• Jump into the stunning blue saltwater! You will have to climb out using a rope, so make sure you are strong enough to pull yourself out!
• This is right by Preacher’s Cave, so do both.  You don’t need to spend that much time at either place. 
  

Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve – Governor’s Harbor

• Stroll through this beautiful preserve and learn about the different plants that are native to Eleuthera.

  

Harbor Island – 5-minute drive to the water taxi from the North Eleuthera Airport

• Take a 10-minute water taxi from North Eleuthera to Harbor Island for $5 (cash). 
• Time tables don’t exist – the taxis leave when they are ready to leave.
• Great for a day or overnight trip! 
• Rent a golf cart ($40) to explore the island’s many restaurants, beaches, and shops. We went to “Dee’s Beach” (next to Sip Sip) and rented chairs and an umbrella for the day. 
• The sand is pink and the water is warm and crystal clear! 

Anchor Bay Fish Fry

• Friday nights in Governor’s Harbor
• A party in the middle of town with eating, drinking, limbo, and dancing in the closed-off street.
• Dinners include fried whole fish, barbecue chicken, pork chops, and sides for $15
• Most tourists get in line around 6:30-7 and locals come a bit later to get food.  They can run out of food quickly, so don’t go too late.
• Drinks: Rum Bubbas – limit 2! They are strong! 
• Conch Ninja – fresh conch salad
• Fresh Conch Fritters

Tips

• Attire is very casual on the main island of Eleuthera. When packing think… sandals, bathing suits, shorts, tank tops, and casual dresses.
• The island is long. Like really long. 3 hours top to bottom. Expect to be in the car if you are looking to explore everything the island has to offer.
• Best gift shop: Island Made Gift Shop
• Buy snorkels.
• Reserve rental car as early as possible – they can disappear quickly.

So In Conclusion…Try Eleuthera

Eleuthera means “freedom” in Greek, which is the perfect name for this Bahamian out-island. As you walk along the pink sandy beaches, staring out at the beautiful turquoise water, you’re reminded of the important things in life. Like the meaning of the island’s name, you feel freedom from the hustle & bustle of normal life.

So as you’re considering your next February, April or summer vacation – make sure you add Eleuthera to the list of the most beautiful, relaxing, and enjoyable places to be in the world.