Planning a Trip

Getting There

To reach Harbour Island, take a flight to the North Eleuthera Airport, which is only a 1 1/2-hour flight from Fort Lauderdale or Miami, or a 30-minute flight from Nassau. From the airport, it's a 1.5km (1-mile) taxi ride to the ferry dock. The taxi costs about US$5 to US$9 per person if you share the expense with four or five other passengers. From the dock, you'll take a 3km (2-mile) motorboat ride to Harbour Island. There's usually no waiting because a flotilla of high-powered motorboats makes the crossing whenever at least two customers show up, at a cost of around US$5 per person. If you're traveling alone and are willing to pay the US$8 one-way fare, the boat will depart immediately, without waiting for a second passenger.

Another way to get to Harbour Island is by boarding a speedy 177-passenger catamaran in Nassau. Contact Bahamas Ferries (tel. 242/323-2166; www.bahamasferries.com) for details. You can begin this 2-hour trip at Potter's Cay Dock, which is under the bridge leading from Paradise Island to downtown Nassau. The fare for one of these daily excursions is US$110 round-trip or US$65 one-way for adults, and US$70 round-trip or US$45 one-way for children 2 to 11. This ferry pulls up to Harbour Island's Government Dock, where taxis wait to take you to your hotel.

Getting Around

Upon reaching Harbour Island, most visitors don't need transportation. They can walk to where they're going, rent bicycles (check your equipment carefully before renting -- some bikes rented to tourists are way past their prime), or putt-putt around the island on electric golf carts. Most hotels offer these for rent or at least will make arrangements for a cart or bicycle; usually, they'll be delivered directly to your lodging.

Michael's Cycles, on Colebrook Street (tel. 242/333-2384), is the best place to go if you want some mobility other than your own two feet. The shop is open daily from 8am to 6pm. Bikes rent for US$12 per day, two-seater motorbikes are US$30 per day, and four-seater golf carts go for US$48 per day. You can also rent kayaks for US$40 per day, paddleboats for US$40 per day (or US$10 per hour), and jet skis for US$85 per hour.

Visitor Information

The Harbour Island Tourist Office, on Dunmore Street (tel. 242/333-2621), is generally open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Fast Facts

The Royal Bank of Canada, on Dunmore Street (tel. 242/333-2250), has an ATM. The bank is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30am to 3pm, Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm.

The Harbour Island Health Centre, South Street, Dunmore Town (tel. 242/333-2225), handles routine medical problems. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. The on-call doctor can be reached at tel. 242/333-2822.

Resorts sometimes provide Internet access. If yours doesn't, try Arthur's Bakery, Dunmore Street (tel. 242/333-2285; www.myharbourisland.com/bakery.htm), in the center of town. You can use the computer there or bring your own laptop. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 8am to 2pm; the cost is US$10 for 15 minutes.

You can get prescriptions filled at Briland's Pharmacy, Johnson's Plaza on Dunmore Street (tel. 242/333-3427). It's open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

The police can be reached at either tel. 919 or tel. 242/333-2111.

The post office, on Gaol Alley (tel. 242/333-2215), is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5:30pm.