Twin Coves, on the Atlantic side of the narrow finger-shaped island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, is a beautiful spot. Uncrowded, he has two crescent-shaped pink sand beaches and calm waters protected from the pounding waves by offshore sandbars.
But the real magic comes when you step into the crystal clear waters.
Just below the surface are large outcrops of coral reefs that are home to an insane number of tropical fish. Tens of thousands of tropical fish, some swimming solitary and others all at once in huge schools, come and go, all wary but welcoming to snorkelers.
As I floated above this aquatic wonder with my two daughters flapping excitedly nearby, I was reminded once again of the extraordinaryness of Eleuthera. Despite being just 110 miles east of the capital, Nassau, the island is unknown to most travelers to the area. Bahamas.
Eleuthera boasts miles of mostly deserted beaches, winding boardwalks, turquoise waters, and other natural wonders, but there are no large resorts or high-end shopping facilities. Eleuthera is 110 miles long, but in most parts it is less than a mile wide. It has only 10,000 residents and no traffic lights.
For more than 20 years, my family and I have been trying to avoid the crowds in the Caribbean by visiting inaccessible places such as Vieques Islands in Puerto Rico, St. John in the US Virgin Islands, and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. I have visited various islands. It is accessible by direct commercial flights from most parts of North America.
Rugged and unspoiled, Eleuthera is probably the most remote of all these places, and that’s why we like it so much.
Pineapples flourished.The resort was not
The island has an interesting history, with the first European settlers arriving in the 1640s seeking religious independence. They named the place Eleuthera, derived from the Greek word for “freedom,” and established the port of entry of Governor’s Harbor on the island’s west coast. There are still colonial-era homes and white picket fences on the hillside.
In the 1800s, the island became one of the world’s leading pineapple producers, with only a few pineapple farms remaining. pineapple festival It is held every June on North Eleuthera Island.
American tourists began arriving in the 1950s, when Pan American World Airways founder Juan Tripp built a resort he named Cotton Bay Club, but it soon folded.
A series of similar resorts were built and failed, which explains why the island has failed to attract mass tourism to this day. Yes, off-island people like my family still come to Eleuthera, but the amount is not enough to turn us into just an economic transaction and the island into an over-tourism cliché.
Although the island is home to other settlements such as Gregory Town, Alice Town, and Rock Sound, Governor’s Harbor in the center of the island is by far the best place to stay, with a rural village feel. There are enough restaurants and other stores to meet your needs.
A change is coming to this island. Starting in 2024, Disney Cruise Line will open a self-contained, self-manufactured town for Disney Cruise customers on the southern tip of the island, at a location known as Lighthouse Point. The move will create new jobs for island residents, but is not expected to have a significant impact on Governors Harbor or elsewhere on the island. In addition, for more than 10 years on South Eleuthera, Four Seasons Resort. But nothing has materialized yet.
there are many beaches
Our morning started with a walk from our rented house over the dunes, through tall grass and inkberry bushes, and onto an empty beach where the waves crashed.
We then rented a car, packed a picnic lunch, and took the Queen’s Highway (Eleuthera’s main road running from north to south) to explore other parts of the island. More like a country road than a highway, this quiet road serves as the backbone connecting the community to dozens of beaches.
French Leave Beach is probably the most famous. With its deep pink sand and strong Atlantic breezes, this beach has a wild vibe. The sea is in charge here.
Other favorites include Receiver’s Beach, just north of Governors Harbor. The children named this beach Shell Beach because of the large, intact shells spread out on the pristine sand. The water here is almost permanently calm and shallow. This is the Eleuthera Bay side, with sandbars along the shore creating water so clear it almost looks like glass.
Surfers Beach, near Gregory Town in the north, has some of the roughest waters, making it a popular hangout for boarding tourists and residents, but on the day we stopped there we found only calm waves. did. And very small crowd.
One long-time visitor said, I wrote a book to explain We rate all 135 beaches on the island, evaluating their accessibility, snorkeling, shellfish, swimming, and other features.
low-key tourism
One afternoon we climbed into a strange but wonderful world cathedral cave, the porous limestone was eroded by water, forming large underground spaces. The cave, about the size of a basketball court, is illuminated by sunlight shining through a large hole in the ceiling. Banyan trees grow from the bottom of the cave toward the sky. Tourism is very modest on the island, there is no entrance fee and there is not even proper signage on the Queen’s Highway to indicate the location of the cave.
To the north, Gregory Town is home to Jacqueline Russell’s pineapple and tropical fruit farm, where we took a 45-minute tour. (Adults $25) Later that week we visited the following locations: Leon Levy Native Plant ReserveA botanical garden with 410 native species, organized around a series of trails, ponds, and a wooden hilltop tower with expansive views of central Eleuthera. ($11 for adults, $8 for children) The island is also home to Sweetings Pond. National parkIt is one of the richest natural areas, surrounded by mangroves and farmland. concentrated population Seahorses of the world.
Unemployment and poverty are problems on the islands.non-profit organization One Eleuthera Foundation operates a farm in the Rock Sound area of the island, and is growing a variety of vegetables as part of an effort to train locals in farming practices to rebuild what was once a large agricultural economy on the island. is cultivated.Visitor You can volunteer to work on the farm or participate in other activities of the Foundation.
Food, accommodation, and the Milky Way
This combination of quiet town, natural area, and windswept beach was perfect for my family, but if you’re looking for day-to-night luxury, this might not be the place for you. . In fact, “Eleuthera. It’s not for everyone” is the island’s unofficial slogan.
When you enter the main store in Governors Harbor (which is also a gas station, hardware and general merchandise store), certain fruit, vegetable and ice cream shelves will be empty until the ferry from Nassau arrives on Tuesdays and Fridays. There is a possibility. To replenish the town. (Grocery prices may be higher due to the large amount of transportation.)
However, there are other options as well. island farmWe grow many vegetables ourselves, bacchus, a gourmet market and small restaurant on the hillside.of Little Governor’s Harbor Bakery Johnnycakes cornbread, raisin and coconut breads are sold fresh from the oven daily (Johnnycakes must be reserved in advance). supermarket Further south is a village known as Rock Sound.
As for dining out, Friday night fish fries in Governors Harbor bring visitors and residents together over kalik beer, rum baba, snapper fish, barbecued chicken, and conch fritters sold by individual vendors. . Stay to enjoy the late night music scene and visit the island’s beach bars. TippiesEnjoy conch fritters, chowder, classic island drinks and live music on the ocean’s edge.
But our favorite meal is buccaneer clubserving traditional seafood and island fare, including $30 conch and mahi-mahi. dinner Popular options include peas and rice for $40 and a bowl of conch chowder for $15). It’s located on a hillside above Governors Harbor and has its own ice cream shop next door.
Most people who visit the island rent a home, and there are plenty of options, especially around Governors Harbor. Hotel options include: french leave resort, It’s home to a cluster of luxurious cottages and a restaurant that offers one of the best spots to watch the sunset. cove, in Gregory Town. Rental cars are expensive and generally worn out. However, exploring the island is an important part of your trip, so it is definitely necessary.
The highlight of our evening was nothing for sale. We just looked up and looked at the stars. When the skies were clear, the vast space overhead unfolded into a surreal spectacle, and the Milky Way galaxy, unimaginably distant, seemed to stretch into infinity and was clearly visible to the naked eye. .
It reminded me why we seek out places like this. The natural world is much bigger than us, and islands like Eleuthera put it all into perspective. The hardest part was accepting that I had to pack up and go home for the weekend.
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