If you’re looking for a different kind of vacation this year, take a look at Eleuthera. Be advised, though, that Eleuthera is not for everyone. If night clubs and casinos are what you’re looking for, then Eleuthera isn’t for you. However, if you want to relax while surrounded by amazing tropical scenery then it this is the place.

Where is Eleuthera

Eleuthera is a Bahamian Family Island, sometimes referred to as an out-island, about 60 miles east of Nassau. When you look at a map of the Bahamas, it’s a long, thin island with a “whale tail” at the southern end. It is actually almost 110 miles long, yet only 2 miles wide at its widest point. Most of the island is much, much narrower and the narrowest part is at the Glass Window Bridge.

How To Get To Eleuthera

Eleuthera is home to THREE international airports – North Eleuthera (ELH), Governor’s Harbour (GHB) and Rock Sound (RSD).

Departing from Florida there are several choices for flying to Eleuthera. One choice is American Eagle. They fly from Miami to North Eleuthera. Continental Airlines has several flights going from Fort Lauderdale airport to either North Eleuthera or Governor’s Harbour. A small, private airline – TwinAir/Calypso – leaves from Fort Lauderdale and visits all three Eleuthera airports.

BahamasAir is another one of the choices, however, you’ll need to connect through Nassau.

From Nassau you have a few more options as well. BahamasAir operates flights to all three of the airports on Eleuthera. SouthernAir also offers flights from Nassau to all of Eleuthera’s airports. For something a little different, you can choose to take a high-speed ferry from Nassau to Eleuthera.

Be sure to check the schedules for each of these options.

Lodging Options in Eleuthera

Part of the appeal of Eleuthera is its lack of large hotels or resorts. The most expensive resorts are on Harbour Island where many of the rich-and-famous also have homes.

On the main island of Eleuthera the upscale resorts include The Cove, Pineapple Fields and Cape Eleuthera Resort. However, most of the accommodations are low-key and comfortable. That includes such places as Surfers Manor, Rainbow Inn, Duck Inn and Unique Village, to name a fewV

Eleuthera also has many vacation rentals to choose from, ranging from small one-bedroom cottages to three or four-bedroom villas. Just do your research and you’ll find something that suits your taste and budget.

The Fabulous Beaches of Eleuthera

Eleuthera has over 50 terrific beaches along its shoreline. However, many of them are tough to find.

However, there is a great book available that can help guide you to pretty much every beach on the island. This book gives you valuable ratings for each of the beaches. That will help you decide, if your time is short, which ones to visit. Appropriately named “The Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera” it’s a valuable resource that you don’t want to be without.

The Best Time to Visit Eleuthera

The winter months – November to April – are probably the best time of year to visit Eleuthera. Summers are usually hot and humid with more rainfall. Summer is also hurricane season. Thunderstorms are also much more likely in the summer. Personally, I love thunderstorms and the ones in Eleuthera can be pretty impressive.

This is just a taste of what Eleuthera has to offer. It’s a little off the beaten path but well worth the effort.