coppertone80

We've decided to stay on Eleuthera for a week in August. Where is the best place to stay and what are the best beaches. We want to be somewhat near a few restaurants and grocery store if possible. Would like to take a day trip to Harbour Island. Any other day trips to other islands suggested? Our budget is $4000 excluding airfare. Thanks!

blamona

Without knowing budget, hard to recommend

I stayed at Pineapple Fields and loved it. Across the street from Tippys, the best restaurant on island and a nice beach. The restaurants at Cove and Coco di Mama are good too.

Many beaches to explore, you might want to buy "The Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera". Club Med Beach (aka French Leaving) is spectacular. Do miss Window Bridge.

PF is at Governors Harbour, kinda half way, so exploring is easier. You can day trip to Harbour Island, use another day to go north, another to go south.

lynnmefort

It depends whether you want to live in a Bahamian community or whether you want to live in an all white enclave and resort. I prefer getting a true sense of any country I visit, so I like living in a local community. For that, I would recommend a website: www.culmercottage.com. This stand alone house is in Tarpum Bay, centrally located on the island.It is fully equipped.
However, a fancy lovely resort with infinity pools and a lovely beach is Sky Beach (www.skybeach.com). This is much more expensive, has an attached restaurant and is about 35 miles north of Tarpum Bay, 6 miles north of Governor's Harbour.
There are good restaurants scattered all along the island: Ship to Shore by Deep Creek, Shantziis in Tarpum Bay, the three mentioned above, Sky Beach and The Beach House just past Tippi's. There are lots of Mom and Pop eateries too.
Every beach is beautiful and there are many. Don't miss Lighthouse Beach at the southern tip or Ben Bay and the Glass Bridge in the north.
When I go I drive north to Spanish Wells, stay over night there (less expensive), rent a golf cart and visit their beaches and ship yard, then I ferry over to Harbor Island and spend 3/4 of a day, and drive back to Tarpum Bay.
The Bahamian people are warm and friendly. The island is very safe and slow paced.
It's a great island and you will love it no matter where you stay.

mnag

Many folks rent villas on Eleuthera. I would check out homeaway and vrbo. There are several in Gov harbor, N. Palmetto. Double bay is a bit more south but not too far away and has many nice homes.

svjb

Check out The Eleutheran Magazine 2012 for lots of information on Eleuthera

http://issuu.com/smgbiz/docs/theeleu...olor=%23222222

Lynn_Bourdon

I can recommend Spanish Wells, the lobster fishing centre of the Bahamas. We spent last January there, renting a house through VRBO. The beach was just beautiful, had it to ourselves. People so friendly. Fun bombing around in the golf cart - island only two miles long and half a mile wide. No sign of commercialism. Very safe community. Great grocery store, medical centre and charming little shops and cafes. Felt like stepping into the past! Took a 10-minute ferry over to mainland Eleuthera to the liquor store, until we were introduced to Buddha, the bootlegger, who is better stocked! Total relaxation. And the BoHengy (fast ferry) stops most mornings at the dock on its way to Harbour Island, so you could go there for the day.
Going back next year to have some more lobster!

coppertone80

I love love the looks and reviews on Sky Beach Resort. What is another resort that compares to sky beach, if there is one? They don't have availabilities during the times we're going. I'm looking for a smaller resort to stay at vs vrbo.

ttmadison

We are going to Eleuthera mid-June for a week. Previously, when my daughter was younger, we visited Paradise Island's huge Atlantis resort and also took a day boat trip out to the Exumas. We were more impressed by the Out Islands than Nassau, so we wanted to stay on an out island known for good snorkeling on our next trip - so we picked Eleuthera.

This time, with my adult daughter and her boyfriend are coming with me. We will be staying at a VRBO villa in North Palmetto Point, a few miles southeast of the Governor's Harbour airport. Our villa is right on the beach and the photos and description sound great. No one is behind us either since there's a lake out back. The villa has two master suites each with their own bathroom, so it will provide privacy for us during our stay.

Currently we are corresponding with the pleasant American owners who live in Chicago. They have a caretaker for their villa who picks up guests at the airport, shows them around the villa, assists with anything including car rentals and groceries or meals or fishing trips, and even rakes the beach in front of the house before your arrival so it's white and clean without seaweed or rocks.

Our villa comes with a well-stocked gourmet kitchen, BBQ grill, beach towels and toys, as well as snorkel gear. We will be bringing some food with us (people cannot bring fresh fruits or vegetables, fluid or raw dairy products, or home-prepared food, but wrapped frozen meat/poultry is okay) because groceries in the Bahamas are expensive and the choices are limited.

Eleuthera has three airports, with the northern one being the busiest with the most connections. However, if you are staying in the center or south of the island, you might wish to fly in to one of those airports instead since it will be a long drive if you arrive at an airport further away and there is no public transportation.

There are nonstop flights on United Express from Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) to Governor's Harbour and North Eleuthera airports and from Miami to North Eleuthera on American. I didn't check who flies to the southernmost airport.

If possible, you might want to skip flights going through Nassau because people say that it takes more time for immigration and customs there than at the small Eleuthera airports.

However, if you do fly in to Nassau, there are flights to Eleuthera on Bahamas Air and Pineapple Air, almost the same price per flight, per direction with a small discount for booking roundtrip vs. one way. You have to book those separately since these airlines won't show up on an airline ticket search, the same way Southwest Airlines has to be booked separately.

If it's not out of our way, we could check up on something for you while we're there and then give you more information upon our return late June. Let me know, okay?

kellybeaches

ttmadison, can you tell us what villa you're staying at? Please post a trip report too!

geanster

Is a rental car necessary?
What about taxis cost from elh to pineapple fields?

Looks like a great place. Thanks.

geanster

I got a little more information from Pineapple Fields. They suggest flying into Governor's Harbour and taxi is around $35 each way. I'm still researching so any other information about that area is welcome!

Bougain1

Try one of our affordable 2 bed vacation rentals. Comfortably furnished. One located in Rainbow Bay, just across the street to an absolutely gorgeous Caribbean beach, or the other location in Russell Island, near Spanish Wells on the water, off the northern tip of Eleuthera.

A car rental is recommended for the Rainbow Bay area to get around, and a golf cart rental for Russell Island.

http://www.eleuthera-bahamas-vacation-rentals.com

BeachGirl247

A car rental is necessary in my opinion after staying in North Palmetto (Governor's Harbour) in vrbo rental. You will enjoy having a gorgeous beach almost to yourself, going in to town, driving up to North Eleuthera to visit Harbour Island for the day, stopping at CoCodiMama's and enjoying their music and cocktails with a view and exploring the beautiful beaches of Eleuthera.

This might be helpful to give you a feel for Eleuthera. It was a couple of years ago that we went:

http://www.fodors.com/community/cari...eleuthera-.cfm