Planning a trip to Harbour Island

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 $12 per day, two-seater motorbikes are $30 per day, and four-seater golf carts go for $48 per day. You can also rent kayaks for $40 per day, paddleboats for $40 per day (or $10 per hour), and jet skis for $85 per hour.

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; http://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 $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 242/333-2111.

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

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 $9 per person if you share the expense with four or five other passengers. From the dock, you'll take a 3km (1 3/4-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 $10 per person. If you're traveling alone and are willing to pay the $20 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 $125 round-trip or $80 one-way for adults, and $80 round-trip or $60 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.