Regions in Brief

Rock Sound

Located in South Eleuthera, Rock Sound is a small, shady village, the island's main town and once its most exclusive enclave. The closing of two old-time landmark resorts, the Cotton Bay Club and the Windermere Club, has, at least for now, halted the flow of famous visitors, who once included everybody from the late Princess Diana to a parade of CEOs. No reopenings are yet in sight, but at least that means that you can have many of South Eleuthera's best beaches practically to yourself.

Rock Sound opens onto Exuma Sound and is located to the south of Tarpum Bay. The town is at least 2 centuries old, and it has many old-fashioned homes with picket fences out front. Once notorious for wreckers who lured ships ashore with false beacons, it used to be known as "Wreck Sound."

After leaving Rock Sound, head south, bypassing the Cotton Bay Club, and continue through the villages of Green Castle and Deep Creek. At this point, you take a sharp turn northwest along the only road leading to Cape Eleuthera. Locals call this Cape Eleuthera Road, though you won't find any markings other than a sign pointing the way. If you continue to follow this road northwest, you'll reach the end of the island chain, jutting out into Exuma Sound.

Now relatively deserted, Cape Eleuthera was once home to a chic resort and yacht club that drew some of the movers and shakers from America's East Coast, including President Richard Nixon. Some of the top golfers in America played its Bruce Devlin-Bob van Haage 18-hole course, which winds its way along the water. They're all gone now, but the white-sand beaches -- three of them -- remain splendid, and locals claim the deep-sea fishing is as fine as it ever was.

A "Hole" in the Ocean -- The Ocean Hole, which is about 2km (1 1/4 miles) east of the heart of Rock Sound, is said to be bottomless. This saltwater lake that eventually meets the sea is one of the most attractive spots on Eleuthera. You can walk right to the edge of the water. Many tropical fish can be seen here; they seem to like to be photographed -- but only if you feed them first.

Essentials -- Rock Sound itself boasts a shopping center and a bank -- with an ATM -- in addition to its airport, but not a lot else. Many residents who live in South Eleuthera come here to stock up on groceries and supplies.

A doctor and four resident nurses form the staff of the Rock Sound Medical Clinic (tel. 242/334-2226). Office hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm; after that, the doctor is always available to handle emergency cases.

If you need the police, call tel. 242/334-2244.

Tarpum Bay

If you're looking for an affordable vacation on high-priced Eleuthera, head here. This charming waterfront village, some 15km (9 1/4 miles) north of Rock Sound, is good for fishing and has a number of simple, inexpensive guesthouses. This tiny settlement with its many pastel-washed, gingerbread-trimmed houses is a favorite of artists, who have established a small colony here with galleries and studios.

Gaulding's Cay, north of town, has a lovely beach with great snorkeling.

Windermere Island

Windermere is a very tiny island, connected by ferry to "mainland" Eleuthera. It is midway between the settlements of Governor's Harbour and Rock Sound.

This island couldn't be more discreet. "We like to keep it quiet around here," one of the staff at the presently closed Windermere Island Club once told us. Regrettably, that wasn't always possible for this once-deluxe and snobbish citadel. When Prince Charles first took a pregnant Princess Diana here in the 1980s, she was photographed by paparazzi in her swimsuit. Much to the horror of the club, the picture gained worldwide notoriety.

Even without its posh hotel, Windermere Island is worth a day trip. Major construction may soon be launched, so this once-sleepy place should start waking up by 2008. Savannah Sound, with its sandy sheltered beaches and outstanding snorkeling, is particularly appealing (bring your own gear). The beaches here are excellent for shelling and picnicking, and offer good bonefishing, with some catches more than 10 pounds.

West Beach, a good place for sunning and swimming (great for children), is about a 10-minute walk from the shut-down Windermere Island Club. The beach is on Savannah Sound, the body of calm, protected water separating Windermere from the main island of Eleuthera.

Visitors can enjoy a number of activities, from bonefishing to windsurfing. The dock master at West Beach is well qualified to guide and advise about bonefishing, or perhaps you'd like to go deep-sea fishing for white marlin, dolphinfish, grouper, wahoo, Allison tuna, and amberjack. Since there is no permanent outfitter, you have to ask around locally about who can take you out.

Palmetto Point

On the east side of Queen's Highway, south of Governor's Harbour, North Palmetto Point is a little village where visitors rarely venture (although you can get a meal there). This laid-back town will suit you if you want peace and quiet off the beaten track.

Ten Bay Beach is one of the best beaches in The Bahamas, with its sparkling turquoise water and wide expanse of soft white sand. The beach lies a 10-minute drive south of Palmetto Point and just north of Savannah Sound. There are no facilities, only idyllic isolation.

Hatchet Bay

Forty kilometers (25 miles) north of Governor's Harbour, Hatchet Bay was once known for a British-owned plantation that had 500 head of dairy cattle and thousands of chickens. Today that plantation is gone, and this is now one of the sleepiest villages on Eleuthera, as you can see if you veer off Queen's Highway onto one of the town's ghostly main streets, Lazy Shore Road or Ocean Drive.

The Current

The inhabitants of the Current, a settlement in North Eleuthera, are believed to have descended from a tribe of Native Americans. A narrow strait separates the village from Current Island, where most of the locals make their living from the sea or from plaiting straw goods.

This is a small community where the people often welcome visitors. You won't find crowds or artificial attractions. Everything focuses on the sea, a source of pleasure for the visiting tourists, but a way to sustain life for the local people.

From the Current, you can explore some interesting sights in North Eleuthera, including Preacher's Cave, where the Eleutherian Adventurers found shelter in the mid-17th century when they were shipwrecked with no provisions. (Note that your taxi driver may balk at being asked to drive there; the road is hard on his expensive tires.) If you do reach it, you'll find a cave that seems like an amphitheater. The very devout Eleutherian Adventurers held religious services inside the cave, which is pierced by holes in the roof, allowing light to intrude. The cave is not far from the airport, in a northeasterly direction. Another sight is Boiling Hole, which is in a shallow bank that seems to boil at changing tides.

Spanish Wells

Called a "quiet corner of The Bahamas," Spanish Wells is a colorful cluster of houses on St. George's Cay, 1km (2/3 mile) off the coast of northwest Eleuthera. Here you'll find sparkling bays and white beaches, sleepy lagoons, excellent diving, and a fine fishing colony.

You can walk or bicycle through the village, looking at the houses, some more than 200 years old, which have New England saltbox styling but bright tropical coloring. You can see handmade quilts in many colors, following patterns handed down from generations of English ancestors. Homeowners display these quilts on their front porches or out their windows, and they are for sale. No one locks doors or removes ignition keys from cars.

Getting There -- To reach the island, you can fly to the airstrip on North Eleuthera, from which taxis will deliver you to the ferry dock. Regardless of the time of day you arrive, a ferryboat will be either waiting for passengers or about to arrive with a load of them.

A ferry (tel. 242/554-6268) runs between Gene's Bay in North Eleuthera to the main pier at Spanish Wells. The ferries depart whenever passengers show up, and the cost is $10 (£5.30) per person round-trip.