The family island of Eleuthera, in the Bahamas, is almost sixty miles east of New Providence Island (Nassau). This amazing piece of paradise in the Bahamas is almost 110 miles long and yet only two miles wide at its widest point. That gives this island over 200 miles of shoreline, much of it beach. However, finding all the beaches of Eleuthera can be quite a challenge.

There are rarely any visitors to the few beaches that can only be reached by boat. Many beaches lay at the end of a rocky dirt road. There are, of course, a few beaches that can be seen and reached from the Queen's Highway and a handful that are easily reached from a hotel or restaurant.

Perhaps the mostly widely known beach in Eleuthera is Pink Sand Beach on Harbour Island. That amazing beach is home to some amazing estates, a selection fabulous resorts and a few private homes. When you arrive at the water taxi dock, just walk to the other side of the island. It's easy to find many sandy paths leading to this amazing beach.

The main island of Eleuthera has several beaches just a beautiful as Harbour Island's Pink Sand Beach, with the added bonus that you're likely to get the beach all to yourselves. You may even get a lot of privacy on the better known beaches. Lighthouse Beach, our favorite beach at the southern tip of Eleuthera, is one of those beaches. It almost feels like there's no end to this beach. Right from in the ocean, you can walk around the southernmost tip of Eleuthera!

And, pretty much right around the corner from Lighthouse Beach is Princess Cay. If that name sounds kind of familiar, it should. It's a popular port of call for many of Princess Cruise Lines Caribbean cruises. You'll find a small gathering of local merchants near the gates to Princess Cay. It's worth the visit to check out some local crafts.

While visiting the southern part of Eleuthera, take the time to drive to Cape Eleuthera as well - the other part of the "whale tail" that forms the southern end of the island. You'll want to be sure to spend some time at the two man-made beaches at Cape Eleuthera Resort. On the way to the resort you can also stop in to the Cape Eleuthera Institute, a facility that promotes a connection between people and the environment. Also visit the Island School that offers a unique experience for the adventurous students.

Some Eleuthera beaches that can been seen from the Queen's Highway (the main road running North and South) are: Tarpum Bay Beach, Alabaster Beach, James Cistern Beach, Rainbow Bay beach and a couple of beaches in Current. Beaches that are easily accessible from the main road include Savannah Sound Beach and French Leave Beach (aka Club Med Beach).

However, the majority of the beaches, most of them deserted and spectacular, are much more difficult to find without specific directions. Some of these more hidden beaches include Surfers Beach, Ben Bay, Jacks Bay and more. Happily there is an amazing book that helps you find pretty much ALL of the beaches. The book is appropriately named The Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera. It not only includes precise directions to each of the beaches, including GPS co-ordinates, but it rates each beach as well.