A sort of Bahamian Plymouth Rock, Eleuthera Island (pronounced Ah-leu-thra) was the first permanent settlement in The Bahamas, founded in 1648. A search for religious freedom drew the Eleutherian Adventurers from Bermuda here, to the "birthplace of The Bahamas." The long narrow island they discovered and colonized still bears the name Eleuthera -- Greek for "freedom." The locals call it Cigatoo.
These adventurers found an island of white- and pink-sand beaches framed by casuarina trees; high, rolling green hills; sea-to-sea views; dramatic cliffs; and sheltered coves -- and they're still here, unspoiled, waiting for you to discover today. More than 161km (100 miles) long but merely 3km (2 miles) wide (guaranteeing that you're never far from the beach), Eleuthera is about 113km (70 miles) east of Nassau (a 30-min. flight). The population of 10,000 is largely made up of farmers, shopkeepers, and fishermen who live in old villages of pastel-washed cottages. The resorts here are built around excellent harbors, and roads run along the coastline, though some of them are inadequately paved.
Eleuthera and its satellite islands, Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, offer superb snorkeling and diving amid coral gardens, reefs, drop-offs, and wrecks. Anglers come to Eleuthera for bottom-, bone-, and deep-sea fishing, testing their skill against the dolphinfish, the wahoo, the blue and the white marlin, the Allison tuna, and the amberjack. Charter boats are available at Powell Point, Rock Sound, Spanish Wells, and Harbour Island. You can also rent Sunfish, sailboats, and Boston Whalers for reef fishing.
Eleuthera rivals the Abacos in popularity among foreign visitors, although boaters are more drawn to the Abacos and the Exumas. Along with the Abacos, Eleuthera has the largest concentration of resort hotels outside of the major developments of Nassau/Paradise Island and Freeport/Lucaya.
We love gorgeous Harbour Island, with its charming Dunmore Town, even more than New Plymouth or Hope Town in the Abacos; it's almost a Cape Cod in the Tropics. Of the 10 destinations recommended in this section, Harbour Island gets our vote as the number-one choice.
Spanish Wells is another small island just off the north end of Eleuthera. Spanish galleons put sailors ashore to fill the ships' casks with fresh water after long sea voyages -- hence the present-day name of the island.
Eleuthera, the Comeback Kid -- In the heyday of Pan American Airlines and its founder, Juan Trippe, the Cotton Bay Club in Eleuthera was the chicest enclave in The Bahamas. (Once a household word in America, Trippe was a relatively forgotten figure until his character appeared in The Aviator, Martin Scorsese's film about Howard Hughes.) The Cotton Bay Club was hailed as the place where the Who's Who of America went barefoot in the sand. But it folded and has been a ghost of itself, in spite of its picture-perfect white- and pink-sand beaches. The good news is that change is on the way. Expect some small luxury hotels to be launched up and down the length of Eleuthera. Some openings are set for 2008, including Starwood's 600-hectare (1,482-acre) Cotton Bay Villas. Stay tuned.
