Why a Rental Car Is Important When Vacationing in Eleuthera in the Bahamas

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EleutheraGuidepost Why A Rental Car Is Important When Vacationing In Eleuthera In The Bahamas

Eleuthera Guidepost

Although Eleuthera, one of the family islands of the Bahamas, doesn’t have a very large population (11,165 according to the 2000 census), it’s a fairly large island. It is over 100 miles long. So, if you want to get around to the many beaches and other attractions, a rental car is an essential part of your vacation.

Eleuthera Beaches

With a coastline of over 200 miles, Eleuthera is blessed with a great many beaches. To be able to visit most of these beaches you’ll need to have access to a vehicle.

For instance, let’s assume that you’re in the Governor’s Harbour area and you’d like to go to Lighthouse Beach (one of the best beaches on the island). It’s located at the southern-most point in Eleuthera. The drive would be more than 45 miles. But it is well worth the drive.

All of Eleuthera’s amazing beaches are scattered here and there on the long coastline. And there are many of them that you’re going to want to spend time at.

Ben Bay, at the northern end of the island, is a tropical cove like you see in the movies. Again, assuming you’re staying in the Governor’s Harbour area, the distance to Ben Bay is also about 45 miles but in the opposite direction.

Other Attractions to Visit in Eleuthera

You can also visit other attractions while you’re searching out the many beaches.

Preacher’s Cave is just a short jaunt from Ben Bay.

When driving south to Lighthouse Beach you can stop at the Ocean Hole in Rock Sound. Take along some bread to feed the myriad of fish you’ll find at the Ocean Hole.

Distances in Eleuthera

Because of the length of Eleuthera, a long and skinny out-island in the Bahamas chain of islands, the distances between settlements can be significant.

Traveling from one settlement to another can be quite challenging without a vehicle. You’ll often see people hitchhiking along the Queen’s Highway.

Taxi fares can also add up quite quickly if you choose to take cabs from place to place. If all you want to do is get from the airport to your hotel and back again, then a cab is a good idea. However, if you want to do any exploring at all, you will need a rental car.

The distance from Governor’s Harbour Airport to accommodations in the settlement of Governor’s Harbour is less than ten miles. If you’re not planning to leave that settlement, then taking a taxi is your best bet.

However, if you’d like to see Pink Sand Beach on Harbour Island, the water taxi dock is about 35 miles from Governor’s Harbour. That would be a pretty hefty cab fare.

That’s just a fact of life on Eleuthera The beaches, the settlements, the restaurants, etc. just aren’t very close together.

You’ll have to decide whether or not you’ll need a car during your vacation. If you want to just chill out at your hotel or vacation rental, you might not require a vehicle. If you plan to do even a little bit of exploring, you are going to need one.

Eleuthera Rental Car

Renting a car in Eleuthera is unlike the process you’re probably used to. There are no car rental chains here. If most circumstances you’ll be dealing directly with the owner.

Some require deposits and formal rental agreements, some don’t. A rental may have a full tank of gas, half a tank or very little gas at all.

Prices are dependent on a couple of factors – how long you plan to rent the car and the type of vehicle you want. You should be able to negotiate a better daily rate if you want the car for a week or more.

Odds are you’ll want to explore this interesting island. Be sure not to miss out on all it has to offer.

Finding the Many Fabulous Beaches of Eleuthera in the Bahamas

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SavannahSound Finding The Many Fabulous Beaches Of Eleuthera In The Bahamas

Savannah Sound Beach, Eleuthera, Bahamas

The family island of Eleuthera, in the Bahamas, is almost sixty miles east of New Providence Island (Nassau). This amazing piece of paradise in the Bahamas is almost 110 miles long and yet only two miles wide at its widest point. That means more than 200 miles of coast. And most of that is beautiful, sandy beaches. Be that as it may, actually finding those beaches can prove to be a rather daunting task.

A small number of beaches can only be visited by boat. Many of the other beaches can only be reached using rocky dirt roads cut through the bush. Of course, there are a handful of beaches that can be seen from the Queen’s Highway (the main road running North to South). And a few others that are alongside hotels or restaurants.

Pink Sand Beach, on Harbour Island, is probably the best known of Eleuthera’s beaches. It is lined by the estates of the rich and famous, exclusive hotel resorts and the homes of a few lucky homeowners. A short walk from the water taxi dock, to the other side of this narrow island, will bring you to this beach. It’s easy to find many sandy paths leading to this amazing beach.

On Eleuthera itself you’ll find many beaches just as beautiful as Pink Sand Beach, however, you’ll likely find you’re the only ones on the beach! While some of the beaches are fairly well known, you still may get them all to yourself. A spectacular beach that rivals Pink Sand Beach is Lighthouse Beach found at the very southern end of Eleuthera. The sand and sea just seem to go on for ever and ever. And, while you’re there, you can walk right around the southern tip while you’re in the water!

And, pretty much right around the corner from Lighthouse Beach is Princess Cay. Princess Cay may sound very familiar to many people, and with good reason. It’s a stopping off place for Princess Cruise Lines. Even if you’re not a cruise passenger, take the time to check out the small village of local merchants just outside the Princess Cay gates.

Be sure to visit Cape Eleuthera as well while you’re at the southern end of Eleuthera. It’s on the other part of the “whale tail” that forms the southern end of this amazing island. You’ll be amazed at the two man-made beaches at Cape Eleuthera Resort. Along the way, stop at Cape Eleuthera Institute, a environmental research facility that welcomes visitors. Also plan to visit the Island School – right next to Cape Eleuthera Institute and find out about their amazing program for adventurous students.

Only a smattering of beaches are visible from the Queen’s Highway. Some of those are Tarpum Bay Beach, Alabaster Beach, James Cistern Beach and some of the beaches in the settlement of Current. Other beaches that are just off Queen’s Highway and easy to find and access include: Savannah Sound Beach and French Leave Beach (also known as Club Med Beach) in Governor’s Harbour.

However, the majority of the beaches, most of them deserted and spectacular, are much more difficult to find without specific directions. Some of these more hidden beaches include Surfers Beach, Ben Bay, Jacks Bay and more. Happily there is an amazing book that helps you find pretty much ALL of the beaches. It is aptly named The Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera It not only includes precise directions to each of the beaches, including GPS co-ordinates, but it rates each beach as well.

Plan a Visit to the Beautiful Island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas

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SurfersBeach Plan A Visit To The Beautiful Island Of Eleuthera In The Bahamas

Surfers Beach, Eleuthera, Bahamas

For a vacation that’s anything but ordinary, think about visiting the island of Eleuthera. However, it’s not for everyone. If you’re looking for lots of attractions, a busy nightlife and the bright lights of casinos, then Eleuthera is not for you. If what you seek is a slow-paced tropical oasis, then look no further.

Where is the Island of Eleuthera?

Eleuthera is located about 60 miles east on Nassau and is considered an out-island or family island. If you look at a map of the Bahamas, Eleuthera is directly East of Nassau (which is on New Providence island). It’s long and skinny with a distinctive “whale tail” effect at the southern end. Amazingly, it is almost 110 miles long. Most of the island is less than a mile wide. While most of the island is much, much narrower, the narrowest section is found at the Glass Window Bridge.

How Do You Get To Eleuthera?

Amazingly enough, Eleuthera has THREE International airports – North Eleuthera (ELH), Governor’s Harbour (GHB) and Rock Sound (RSD).

Coming from Florida there are several options for flying to Eleuthera. American Eagle (American Airlines) offers flights from Miami to North Eleuthera. Continental Airlines offers flights from Fort Lauderdale Airport into both North Eleuthera and Governor’s Harbour. A small private airline, TwinAir/Calypso, has flights from Fort Lauderdale to all three of the airports on Eleuthera.

BahamasAir also flies to Eleuthera, but from Florida, you’ll need to make connections through Nassau.

There are other choices when flying from Nassau. BahamasAir operates flights to all three of the airports on Eleuthera. In addition to that, SouthernAir can also be used to fly to all three of Eleuthera’s airports. Bahamas Ferries offer high-speed service from Nassau to Spanish Wells, Harbour Island and Governor’s Harbour.

Of course, you’ll need to check all the current schedules for these options.

Vacation Rentals and Other Accommodations in Eleuthera

You won’t find any high-rise hotels or huge resorts on Eleuthera, and that is part of it’s charm. The most upscale resorts are found on Harbour Island – a place that many rich-and-famous choose to have second homes.

The more upscale resorts on the main island of Eleuthera include The Cove, Pineapple Fields and Cape Eleuthera Resort. However, Eleuthera is known for friendly, low-key, comfortable accommodations. Places like Surfers Manor, Rainbow Inn, Duck Inn and Unique Village to name a few.

You also might want to consider vacation rentals. Eleuthera has a wide selection from which to choose. Just do your research and you’ll find something that suits your taste and budget.

The Breathtaking 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. The book supplies ratings for each beach. That way you can decide which ones you want to visit. Appropriately named “The Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera” it’s a valuable resource that you don’t want to be without.

When Should You Visit Eleuthera?

Although you can certainly visit Eleuthera any time of the year, the best months are probably November to April. June to November is hurricane season. While that doesn’t mean hurricanes will hit Eleuthera, it still tends to be hot and humid during that time. Summer also has more thunderstorms. Personally, I love thunderstorms and the ones in Eleuthera can be pretty impressive.

This is just a quick review of everything that Eleuthera has to offer. You may have to work at it a bit to get here, but if you make the effort, you won’t be sorry.