Harbour Island– what I often refer to as “the best kept secret in the Bahamas”– is a small, 3-mile strip of land off the coast of North Eleuthera that’s famous for it’s beautiful pink sand beaches and clear turquoise waters.
Easily the most “private” of the Bahamian islands, Harbour Island is also the crown jewel of the archipelago– and with good reason. The bright pink sand beaches dazzle with shores every shade of blue, green, and aquamarine. Horses gallop through the surf at sunset, and chickens roam freely around the tiny village of Dunmore Town– the island’s main settlement. The vibe is relaxed and slow, there’s a perpetual sea breeze, and time seems to stand still as if the island is a affixed in an ever-permanent state of golden hour.
If you’re looking for a place to travel during the coldest months of winter, moreover, Harbour Island is an excellent choice for a relaxed, sunny holiday, especially if you live on the East Coast and want to travel somewhere warm without having to take a super-long flight. (You can get here in 1 hour from Florida, where you make the connection to North Eleuthera.)
Ultimately, the loveliness stems as much from the island’s ease-inducing culture as it does from the beautiful landscapes. Conch– the sea snail that grows inside those iconic swirly shells– is the local delicacy, and rum cocktails runneth over. The island is also charmingly known for it’s culture of golf carts– they’re the preferred method of getting around, because the island is so small and the weather is so hospitable that there’s really no need for cars (you could walk the length of the island in ~30 minutes).
Locals, European royalty, Billionaire expats, and socialites all commingle on the iconic Pink Sand Beach, which is home to a number of gorgeous, quaint waterfront hotels and restaurants that are often pink, just like the sand on the beach. Each is a small operation that caters to world-class travelers, and we’ve spotlighted a handful of the most special ones, below. The whole coast of Harbour Island looks like a screensaver in the best way, and if you manage to walk it during sunset the view will knock your socks off. It’s totally gorgeous and sublime– an “Island in the Sun”, indeed.
Below, we spotlight the best things to do, see, eat, and where to stay in Harbour Island. Bookmark this list for easy reference later– it’s easy to scroll, and it has everything you need to plan the perfect trip.
Enjoy!
***
Getting Here, Local Currency, and Planning
To get here, fly to the world’s tiniest airport in North Eleuthera and take a water taxi to Harbour Island after landing. Food is reliably good and the beach never gets crowded in even in the perfect travel period before Christmas (early December is a great time to go). Most connecting flights route visitors through Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is a 1 hour flight from North Eleuthera.
You’ll know you’ve arrived when you look out your window and see a long, thin crescent of land surrounded by turqoise, green, and blue water on every side. It’s a gorgeous contrast to the iconic pink sand, which is as delightful underfoot as it is to view from the sky. (If you live on the East Coast, try to book a return flight home between 5 and 7 PM– this way, you’ll get the magnificent sunset view of the sky on the way out, and you’ll be home in time for bed at a reasonable hour.)
No, there is no Uber, but you won’t need it. The island isn’t even big enough for cars and you’ll just need $5 bucks for the Taxi from the airport to the Water Taxi that will bring you over to Harbour Island, and then another $10 for the Water Taxi over, which takes ~8 minutes from North Eluethera.
In Harbour Island, you’re so close to Cuba and Miami, but you’ll feel miles apart from both.
-
Local Currency & Outlet Conversion
Bahamian money is so cool and colorful and aquatic– there are fish on the coins, the Bahamian Dollar id the default currency– but they also accept American dollars everywhere– and the outlets are the same as in the US, which is Standard Type A and Type B outlets with 120 V at 60 Hz.
WiFi on the island can be spotty, but most hotels have it– not that you’ll need it, if you want to do as the locals and spend most of your time on or near the beach. Most things you “need to know” about the island can be answered by someone working at the hotel or any of the local restaurants. People relish in a slower pace of life here; chatting with people perennially at ease is the best part of social interactions on Harbour Island, and makes time feel like it’s moving slower in the best way.
The Best Restaurants + Cute Places to Eat on Harbour Island
***
Harbour Island can be a relatively expensive place to dine (entrees, especially those containing local lobster and all other seafood, can easily run $40-50 per person). Conch is the local delicacy, though you really can’t go wrong with any seafood dish. Oh, and reservations are strongly recommended at most island restaurants; they’re small, so if you have a big party, you should let them know.
And, between the tropical conch salad, lobster quesadillas, fruit and pastry breakfasts, decadent conch fritters, elevated seafood dishes, and one-of-a-kind sticky buns, there’s plenty of food on Harbour Island that’s worth exploring.
Go here for our guide to The 6 Best Restaurants on Harbour Island— and what you should order, where for the quintessential experience.
^ Bookmark that list for easy reference on your trip and you’ll be good to go!
The Best Things To Do on Harbour Island
***
In addition to beach combing, swimming, and lounging by the pool, there are a number of relaxing activities to do on Harbour Island. Here are some of our favorites.
Explore Famous Pink Sands Beach
The island’s main attraction is the iconic Pink Sand Beach, and if you’re here, you won’t miss it. Go for a morning dip to get your Vitamin D, and see how long you can go without wearing shoes… it’s fun, and all that grounding is good for you.
Not only is the sand pink, but many of the buildings in town are, too. Exploring on foot or shopping for picnic items is a lovely way to move your body after lunch, or before an afternoon nap in the shade.
On Sundays, you’ll notice locals (particularly older ladies) heading to church in their Sunday Best– including fabulous, floppy hats, which is beautiful sight to behold, if your stay crosses a weekend. Horses frolick in the surf at sunset, too– one of the island’s many adventure opportunities is riding one!– and the golden PINK sunsets are lovely, iconic, and not to be missed!
Sunrise, similarly, is serene and contemplative. Lay out a beach blanket and stretch with the sunrise– or enjoy your morning drink from the shelter of your hotel and let the morning light in while the waves crash foamy across the sand.
Shop at Dilly Dally Bahamian Gift Shop
Dilly Dally is a funky local shop at the junction of King and Dunmore Streets is a great place to buy local honey and local Bahamian salt, among so many other classic local souvenirs (keychains, soaps, etc). They also stock practical items from flip flops to rash guards to reef-safe sunscreen.
The store’s name is a reference to local directional slang– a local sign reads “dilly dally dis way”, “dilly dally dat way”, “up dere”, “down dere”, etc, depending on which way you’re coming from. I got a UPF rash guard here years ago that is still one of my favorites for water sports to this day!
Walk around and explore the island on foot (Or on Golf Cart)
Exploring Harbour Island on foot or by Golf Cart is, in a word, essential. There’s so much dappled pink, purple, and orange bougainvillea growing everywhere, and also hibiscus blooming left and right, that you would be remiss not to stop and admire the signature fauna of the island.
Alongside coconut trees and swaying palms, we love the secluded views down sunny pathways leading the Pink Sand Beach, the island’s signature coast– but there are also a number of charming meanders you can make around Dunmore Town, the island’s main village, where the buildings are small, quaint, and colorful as the locals are kind and relaxed. (And you’d have to be, to live in a place like this!)
Random chickens roam in an out of the bush and the beach, so there are ample opportunities to make literal “why did the chicken cross the road” jokes– and the late afternoon sunlight dapples the intriguing flora and fauna that grows locally– so it’s worth paying attention just to these subtle elements of beauty. If you’re lucky, you might even see a giant red cluster of pods growing on trees scattered about town– those, my friends, are pistachios. 🙂
boating, fishing & watersports
Harbour Island is an epicenter for boating, fishing, and water sports– but because the native population is small, there aren’t an overwhelming number of tour excursions to choose from.
Ask your hotel concierge if you’re interested in arranging a water-based adventure, and they can hook you up with the current offerings. Popular choices include boat and fishing pole rentals, horseback riding on the beach, scuba diving with rays, bone fishing in secret coves, kite srufing, and guided snorkeling adventures at any of the island’s off-shore reefs, which you need a boat to access.
^ Also, remember to use reef-safe sunscreen to protect the local ecosystem!
Get Famous Raisin Bread at Arthur’s BAkery
Arthur’s Bakery is an island instution known for it’s iconic raison bread, the stickiest sticky buns in the world, and super boozy rum cake (like, don’t eat the rum cake if you don’t drink alcohol…). Mosy your way down here for coffee and pastries in the early morning or late afternoon for the quintessential experience.
It’s very casual, and there’s some seat on site, but my favorite way to enjoy the bread is to simply buy a loaf and bring it in a picnic basket to the beach, where you can enjoy warm rips of the bread in the shade overlooking the sea. It’s somehow more delicious and primal that way. Ideally, bring a cold beverage and cheers your partner with it. 🙂
Sample The Conch Fritters at Queen Conch
Queen Conch is a bare bones, walk-up seafood bar run by locals who specialize in making authentic conch fritters, red conch soup, conch salad, and other local seafood delicacies. If you’re curious about conch and want to try it, this is the place to get the most authentic experience.
It’s a family-owned seafood shack, so you’ll eat right on the docks and likely see the pile of shells on the shore below the dining deck– from all the fresh-shucked conch. It’s a nice reminder that everything you eat here is, of course, sourced directly from the ocean. Ideally, go off-peak lunch hours like after 1 PM, when the dining deck isn’t very crowded. It’s a small place, but people love the novelty of the conch-centric menu since this is a delicacy hard to find outside of the Carribean islands.
Where To Stay on Harbour Island
***
A brief spotlight on the best, coolest places to stay in Harbour Island.
-
Coral Sands Beach Club – $
The cozy Coral Sands Beach Club is a great mid-price option for those who want a luxurious experience that won’t totally break the bank. We love the colorful, nautical rooms– featuring charming illustrations of the town, and Molten Brown skincare products– and sipping coffee from the small, breezy room terraces overlooking Pink Sands Beach.
The beautiful breakfast terrace is all pink and green, with stylish mid-century furniture and epic monstera plants overlooking pool area, which in turn overlooks the ocean. The poolside bar does a mean pina colada, and we love the homemade bread they serve at breakfast.
At night, you can hear ocean waves from your bed– even if you sleep with the windows closed. It’s fabulous! And reading by the pool in the lounge pods is lovely, as well.
Ultimately, Coral Sands Beach Club has great on-site dining and cozy digs. It’s just a nice vibe without being over-the-top. Enjoy your morning beverage overlooking swaying waterfront palm trees and you’ll quickly get the idea.
-
The Landing – $$
The Landing is an Old World classic that is easily the most traditional place to stay in Dunmore Town. This is a great hotel for history buffs and architecture lovers. While it isn’t located right on Pink Sand Beach, it’s a delightful 5 minute walk to it. (As they say on the island, “All Roads Lead to Pink Sands Beach.”)
Plus, you’re closer to other town-based shopping, coffee shops, restaurants, and small galleries when you stay here– but again, Harbour Island is so small that you can pretty much walk anywhere in 3 minutes, any time.
Most interestingly, The Landing doesn’t have any televisions or phones in the rooms to distract guests. The emphasis here is on old fashioned relaxation– and from your perch on the sunbathed deck, reading or sipping coffee under the cascading bougainvillea, you’ll be sure to experience it.
Above all, the biggest perk to staying here is access to the delicious on-site restaurant, which is easily the best place to have a hot breakfast on Harbour Island. Avocado toast with runny eggs, anyone?
-
The Dunmore Hotel & Resort – $$$
The Dunmore Hotel & Resort is a gorgeously luxurious beachfront hotel and resort that is popular among the island’s well heeled visitors. From the world-class fine interior design to the palatial waterfront opulence, it’s a gorgeous place to rest and relax– whether it’s lunching barefoot, playing on the greenery ensconced tennis courts, or taking a charter to a private island beach for the day.
The Dunmore is so quintessentially fabulous that they’ve even adopted the credo “swim, eat, read, repeat”– and that pretty much says it all about the vibe. It’s super relaxed and paradoxically high-end, ideal for those who want a world of luxury wrapped up in a single hotel. The service here is bar none, the beach is right there, and the oceanfront dining is excellent. (Think: refined, candle-lit dinners in a Riviera-style Clubhouse, right on the beach.)
They also have lovely private residences for families or groups traveling together, who want to stay close but spread out; inclusive of glimmering seaside pools and breezy outdoor spaces bathed in dappled sunlight. It’s a dream!
-
The Ocean View – $$$
The Ocean View is a gorgeous, artsy boutique hotel that features an eclectic mix of accommodations under one management– including tent cottages, beach shacks, and individual rooms that vary in size. With a family home culture at it’s core, the minimalist rooms offer easygoing luxury that has been in the same family for over 50 years.
If you’re looking for a luxury suite or a nice place that also offers smaller kid rooms, this is one of the best hotels for you. (You will pay steeply for the convenience, but you get what you pay for on Harbour Island, and this resort is no exception.)
Here, enjoy unpolished charm with a little quirk– rooms feature modern amenities like Wifi, A/C, and Nespresso machines, but also curiously curated bookshelves, bathtubs overlooking the beach, and simple, farm-to-table meals made using local seafood and produce from the hotel’s farm across the bay in Eleuthera.
Other Useful Things to Keep in Mind
Some charming + helpful details about life on Harbour Island.
***
- The Pigly Wigly in town is the place to go for groceries, fresh produce, bread, water, and local beverages like mint coconut water and coconut mango milk. They only have a few items on each shelf, however, since it’s a small operation so inventory is limited.
- There are 2,000 inhabitants on Harbour Island, which is small even for the Bahamas. Locals call it Briland, which is the old island name– that’s why you see “Briland” written everywhere on signs, etc.
- Many of the buildings in Dunmore Town are pink, to match the pink sand. It’s totally adorable!
- When it’s time to go to church on Sundays, all the locals dress up in their Sunday Best, including big, floppy hats, colorful full-skirt dresses, and floral printed outfits that stand out in a crowd. It’s quite the spectacle and a charming, subtle detail of island life that feels incredibly quaint and other-worldly. If you’ll be staying on the island on a Sunday, be sure to go for a walk around town during the mid-day hours to catch a glimpse of the action.
- You might see chickens running around the island, wild– sort of like how they do on Kauai, Hawai’i. (It’s an island thing.) That’s normal, and they are not dangerous– though I wouldn’t try to touch them. Respect wildlife by leaving them alone and simply appreciating the birds from a distance.
- The airport here is super tiny! It’s actually hilarious how small it is. About the size of a classroom, in fact. Don’t expect many amenities while you wait (there’s minimal food, just a few snacks in a small convenience store; you might not even find soap in the bathroom, I regret to report). Many people grab a drink at the bar up the road while they wait for their flight.
- Finally, if you’re lucky enough to catch a sunset flight off of Harbour Island (it’s usually one of two daily departure times), be sure to look out the window as you ascend. Taking in one of Harbour Island’s iconic pink sunsets is a dazzling way to say goodbye to the island! (That’s a picture of one, above.) Enjoy your trip!
***
Related: Looking for more island getaways? Visit our critically-acclaimed Travel Well section for more quirky, bespoke guides to some of the world’s most gorgeous destinations, from Santorini, Greece to Martha’s Vineyard to the Island’s of Hawai’i and beyond.
Leave a Reply