Harbour Island has often been called the Nantucket of the Caribbean and the prettiest of the Out Islands because of its 3 mi of powdery pink-sand beach and its pastel-color clapboard houses with dormer windows, set among white picket fences, narrow lanes, quaint shops, and tropical flowers. The frequent parade of fashionable celebrities -- supermodel Elle MacPherson has a home here, and Michael Bolton and Nicolette Sheridan got engaged at the romantic Pink Sands resort -- and the chic small inns that accommodate them has earned the island another name: the St. Barths of the Bahamas. But residents have long called it Briland, their faster way of pronouncing "Harbour Island." The best way to get around is to rent a golf cart or bike; or hire a taxi, since climbing the island's hills can be quite strenuous in the midday heat. Some of the Bahamas' most attractive small hotels, each strikingly distinct, are tucked within the island's 2 square mi. At several perched on a bluff above the shore, you can fall asleep with the windows open and listen to the waves lapping the beach. Harbour Island is reached via a 10-minute ferry ride from the North Eleuthera dock. Fares are $5 per person in a boat of two or more, plus an extra dollar to be dropped off at the private docks of Romora Bay Club. The ferry also occasionally charges more for nighttime rides.

Old trees line the narrow streets of Dunmore Town, named after the 18th-century royal governor of the Bahamas, Lord Dunmore, who built a summer home here and laid out the town. The community was once second in the country to Nassau in terms of its prosperity. It's the only town on Harbour Island, and you can take in all its attractions during a 20-minute stroll. Stop first at the Harbour Island Tourist Office (242/333-2621), in the yellow building opposite the ferry dock. Get a map and ask about current events. Across the street is a row of straw-work stands, including Dorothea's, Pat's, and Sarah's, where you'll find straw bags, hats, and T-shirts. Food stands sell conch salad, Kalik beer, coconut water, and fruit juices.

On Dunmore Street, you can visit the Bahamas' oldest Anglican church, St. John's, built in 1768, and the distinguished 1848 Wesley Methodist Church. Both hold services. On Bay Street, Loyalist Cottage, one of the original settlers' homes (circa 1797), has also survived. Many other old houses in the area, with gingerbread trim and picket fences, have such amusing names as "Beside the Point," "Up Yonder," and "The Royal Termite." Off the eastern Atlantic shore lies a long coral reef, which protects the beach and has excellent snorkeling. You can see multicolor fish and a few old wrecks.

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