Visit Eleuthera, Bahamas

Eleuthera is a long and narrow ribbon of pink-and-white-sand beaches, wave-battered rocks and scrub-covered hills.

Even at the widest part, you can stroll across the whole island in less than half an hour; at its narrowest point, it tapers down to nothing, offering views of both oceans’ different shades of water. However, it unspools for 175 km (109 miles), with a long, bumpy road down its spine.

Just a 30-minute flight from Nassau, Eleuthera is known for exceptional fishing, diving and snorkeling, as well as its wealth of postcard-perfect beaches and a handful of luxurious beachside retreats. There’s a small population of farmers and fishermen, who live in pastel-painted cottages, but much of the island is untrammeled by visitors or development.

You won’t find the historic charm of nearby Harbour Island and there isn’t much to do unless you set your own agenda. This is an island for unstructured mornings, long lazy afternoons and balmy evenings walking along the sand.

Things to see and do in Eleuthera

Glass Window Bridge

Towards the northern bulge, Eleuthera narrows down to almost nothing — in fact, the narrow spit of sand that used to be here got washed away and now is spanned by an artificial bridge. The edifice itself isn’t particularly compelling, but it’s one of the island’s most photographed monuments nonetheless.

That’s because this is the place where it’s easiest to see that you’re on the boundary between two bodies of water. On the northeast side of the divide is the deep blue waters of the Atlantic and on the other, you’ll find the tropical aquamarine waters of the Caribbean.

Leon Levy Native Plant Reserve

A sprawling nature reserve populated with local flora, the Leon Levy Native Plant Reserve is run by the National Trust and populated by a wide variety of specimens, from bright-red pigeon plums to shy, nodding Rufus orchards to feathery giant ferns.

A guided tour will help you get your bearings, but you can easily while away an afternoon strolling along the meandering paths lined tropical foliage that’s been carefully labeled. A highlight is the mangrove boardwalk and facility for researching native bush medicinal plants.