Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- Eleuthera has three airports. North Eleuthera Airport (tel. 242/335-1068), as its name implies, serves the island's northern portion, along with two major towns on offshore cays, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells. Governor's Harbour Airport (tel. 242/332-2321) serves the center of the island, and Rock Sound Airport (tel. 242/334-2177) services the island's southern tier.

Bahamasair (tel. 800/222-4262; www.bahamasair.com) provides daily flights between Nassau and the three airports.

In addition, several commuter airlines with regularly scheduled service fly in from Florida with either nonstop or one-stop flights. Many private planes land on North Eleuthera Airport's 1,350m (4,429-ft.) paved runway. It is an official Bahamian port of entry, and a Customs and Immigration official is on hand. Continental Airlines (tel. 800/525-0280; www.continental.com) flies once daily from Miami and twice daily from Fort Lauderdale. Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com) flies in twice weekly from Atlanta.

Other small carriers include Twin Air (tel. 954/359-8266; www.flytwinair.com), flying from Fort Lauderdale three times a week to Rock Sound and Governor's Harbour, and Thursday to Tuesday to North Eleuthera.

By Ferry -- An inter-island link, Bahamas Ferries (tel. 242/323-2166; www.bahamasferries.com) launch from Potter's Cay, beneath the Paradise Island Bridge, and go to daily points, including Harbour Island, North Eleuthera, and Governor's Harbour. Round-trip fares are US$110 (£55) for adults, US$70 (£35) for children under 12.

By Mail Boat -- A mail boat visits Eleuthera from Nassau, leaving from Potter's Cay Dock every Monday afternoon at 5pm. Weather conditions and the vagaries of the Bahamian postal system sometimes causes this schedule to change. For details about sailings, consult the dock master at Potter's Cay Dock in Nassau (tel. 242/393-1064).

Every Thursday, the MV Current Pride goes from Nassau to both Lower and Upper Bogue on Current Island. It returns to Nassau from Current Island every Tuesday.

The Bahamas Daybreak III departs every Monday, weather permitting, for South Eleuthera, stops at Rock Sound and Governor's Harbour, and then returns to Nassau on Tuesday. On Thursday, it leaves Nassau for The Bluff (a small village in North Eleuthera) and Harbour Island, returning on Sunday. The Eleuthera Express sails from Nassau to Spanish Wells and Governor's Harbour on Monday and Thursday, and returns to Nassau on Sunday and Tuesday.

Getting Around

It's virtually impossible to get lost on Eleuthera -- there's only one road that meanders along the entire length of its snake-shaped form, and you'll stray from it only very rarely. Most visitors take a taxi only right after arriving at the airport or when they have to return to that airport to go home. Taxis meet all incoming flights and are also available at ferry docks. Because cabbies are independent operators, you can't call one central number. Your hotel staff can summon a taxi for you, but you may have to wait a while, so plan ahead. Know, too, that taxis on Eleuthera are battered and expensive; the cost to haul you and up to two companions plus your luggage from North Eleuthera airport, in Eleuthera's far north, to Cape Eleuthera, near the island's southern tip, is around US$170 (£85), and it's a long, monotonous ride. As such, we advise you to select the airport on Eleuthera that's the closest, within reason, to wherever you'll be staying.

You can easily traverse all the settlements -- really, hamlets, in most cases -- on foot. With little traffic on the island, walking is an enjoyable experience here.

You won't find any American car-rental agencies on the island. Usually, your hotel can arrange for a car rental (prices are US$70-US$100/£35-£50 per day). You might end up driving a car that belongs to a local looking for extra cash. The three top contenders for car rentals on Eleuthera include Highway Service Station (tel. 242/332-2077), Hilton Johnson's Car Rentals (tel. 242/335-6241), and Frederick "Fine Threads" Neely Car Rentals 2 (tel. 242/359-7780), whose owner's nickname was begotten because he wears great clothing.