Harbour Island, a magical island known by the locals as “Briland,” is alive with color, passion fruit sangria, and soft, flour-like pink sand beaches surrounded by beautiful turquoise waters. It is both incredibly remote and unique due to its small size, how difficult it is to get to, hopping nightlife and unbeatable aquatic life. Due to this remoteness, the island attracts an international crowd of celebrities and well-seasoned travelers who come for the understated charm, and the relaxed, casual pace of the island.
The island is only 3 ½ miles long and ½ mile wide, therefore ocean views are hard to escape and the island is easily explored on foot. Even with all of my worldly travels and beach hopping, I have never seen such vast, breathtakingly perfect and pristine beaches, as there are on Harbour Island. It truly is a paradise!
HOW TO GET THERE
You must fly into North Eleuthera where you then can take a quick taxi ride to the dock, and then a 5-minute water taxi trip across the bay to Harbour Island.
WHERE TO STAY
The island is full of beautiful private hotels, cottages, homes and villas, which are for the most part all available for rent. If you are a boater, you are not alone, as one of the most popular ways to see/stay on the island is by boat, and there are a number of gorgeous lively marinas that are studded with huge glistening yachts.
While on the island I have stayed on either a yacht in the marina or in one of the homes in the narrows, however everywhere you could possibly stay on the island will exceed your expectations, trust me! Not visiting by boat, or interested in renting one of the homes on the island? Here are a few beautiful and exclusive hotels that I know you will love!
1)Ramona Bay Resort and Marina
2) Valentines Resort and Marina
3) The Dunmore
4) Coral Sands
5) Pink Sands
WHERE TO EAT
Because the island is so tiny, every restaurant is phenomenal, with outstanding presentation, color, flavor and overall experience. There are a fair number of restaurants to choose from with uniquely different menus, and all are in close proximity to one another. A few of my favourites are:
Breakfast: Arthur’s Bakery for some of the best coffee on the island.
Lunch: Sip Sip where literally every single thing on their menu is unbelievable, but you especially cannot miss out on the Lobster Quesadillas paired with fresh Passion Fruit Sangria. Acqua Pazza has excellent burgers and is overlooking a beautiful marina. For lunch on-the-go or to pick up and take back to your house/hotel or the beach, Queen Conch makes the best conch salad on earth – prepared right in front of you.
Dinner: The Rock House and The Landing are two of my favorites, with local produce and freshly caught fish and seafood.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
On Harbour Island you can: visit Lone Tree, walk the full length of Pink Sands Beach, come for Junkanoo, experience a day of deep sea fishing, and explore all of the small shops in the laid back town, including Shine, A&A Hidden Treasures (with straw bags, bowls, etc. made by the locals) and Sugar Mill (where you will fall in love with India Hicks’ line of beauty products – look for the gold beetle).
You can also give all of the water activities a try, including snorkelling, paddle boarding, scuba diving and glass bottom kayaking. There is so much ocean life to be explored, with everything from nurse sharks to bone fish!
I highly recommend Harbour Island for the prefect girls island getaway!
By We Are Travel Girls Contributor Brigitte of IndulgeWithoutBulge.com
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