The Best of Harbour Island – Harbour Island, located ff the eastern coast of Eleuthera Island. Harbour Island is a small island known for having one of the best beaches in the Bahamas, and is most famous for its 2.5 miles of hard packed picture perfect pink sand beach. Enjoy warm, clear ocean waters with excellent diving, fishing and boating. The outlying reefs provide safe swimming and snorkeling and there are plenty of boat and equipment rentals, along with charter boats for fishing and diving. Visit The Best Beaches in the Bahamas Guide for information on all of the Grand Bahama beaches, or visit us on Pinterest.
Harbour Island Weather – When to Visit Harbour Island
The weather on Harbour Island is perfect. Harbour Island enjoys a tropical savanna climate with a dry Harbour Island Bahamas weather is truly magnificent all year round. With the exception of an occasional rain shower in the late afternoon, it’s sunny 340 days out of the year. And, in late winter and spring there is hardly any rainfall at all. The temperature averages 74°F in the winter, 78°F in the spring and fall, and 83°F in the summer. With little difference in temperature from summer to winter there’s no off-season, which means it’s never too hot or too cold to visit Harbour Island.
Officially the hurricane season is from June through November but don’t let that impact your travel dates. Hurricanes are very rare in the Out Islands and are much more likely to pass to the west and head towards the US.
The ocean water along the shoreline of Harbour Island ranges from 74°F in the winter to 88°F in the summer. Even during the months of January and February the water rarely goes below 72°F. With an average temperature of 80°F, the water is perfect for swimming, diving and other water sports 360 days a year.
Best Harbour Island Beaches
Pink Sands Beach
Pink Sands Beach runs for more than 3 miles along the Atlantic side of Harbor Island. Home to luxury resorts and the quaint town of Dunmore, Pink Sands Beach is among the most unusual and best beaches in the world, rated number one in “The Telegraph’s” list of “The World’s Ten Best Beaches for Luxury Travel” in 2008, and named among the “Best Beaches in the World” in 2013 by Travel + Leisure.
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Girl’s Bank Beach, Lone Tree
One of the most photographed images captured on Harbour Island is the Lone Tree on Girl’s Bank Beach. What resembles a tree that once grew on the beach actually is a huge piece of driftwood that washed ashore during hurricane Andrew in 1992 and has since become a Harbour Island icon. At the end of the storm, the tree was found in an upright position, providing the great photo opportunities.
Best Harbour Island Restaurants
Runaway Hill Restaurant
Runaway Hill Inn restaurant is oceanfront dining that fuses fresh local cuisine with imported ingredients offering nouveau Caribbean exotic to ensure you a fantastic dining experience. Casual elegance defines the restaurant said by many to be the best that Harbour Island has to offer. Reservations recommended but walk-ins are welcome pending availability. Tel: 242-333-2150 Web: Runaway Hill Restaurant
Valentines Boat House Restaurant
You will have your choice of savoring your meals on our open-air deck on the water or dine in air conditioned comfort and enjoy of our dramatic waterfront view. From our kitchens come bistro favorites and elegant seafood fare. Come evening, you never know who you’ll be rubbing elbows with as our bar draws a jet-set crowd of island hoppers. Tel: 242-333-2142 Web: Valentines Boat House Restaurant
The Landing Restaurant $30 & Over
The Landing restaurant serves a contemporary menu based on local produce and freshly caught local fish and seafood. With an emphasis on fresh and quality ingredients, their chef of 15 years, Madelene Pedican, ensures consistently top reviews. Tel: 242-333-2707 Web: The Landing Restaurant
Rock House $30 & Over
Savor delicious cuisine and handcrafted cocktails in paradise. Situated in the Main House, the Rock House restaurant is renowned for its exquisite fare and exceptional wine list. For dinner, request a table with sunset views across the bay, the beautifully appointed Chef’s Table, or a romantic poolside setting. Tel: 242-333-2053 Web: Rock House
The Dunmore Restaurant $30 & Over
Enjoy a laid back evening in a 60s-era dining room showcasing vintage photos of the Bahamas or on their breezy oceanfront patio. The Clubhouse serves up casual fine dining with a blend of contemporary Mediterranean cuisine. Fresh seafood, tropical fruits and local ingredients lend sumptuous island flavors that capture the Bahamian spirit. Tel: 242-333-2200 Web: The Dunmore Restaurant
Best Harbour Island Nightlife
Vic-Hum Club
Vic-Hum Club, owned by “Ma” Ruby Percentie’s son Humphrey, occasionally hosts live Bahamian bands in a room decorated with classic record-album covers; otherwise, you’ll find locals playing Ping-Pong and listening and dancing to loud recorded music, from calypso to American pop and R & B. Mick Jagger and other rock stars have dropped by. Tel: 242-333–2161
Beyond the Reef
The party starts at this waterfront bar at sunset and extends well into the evening. Drink specials are available all day and you can find great Bahamian food at any one of its neighboring vendors. Tel: 242-333–3478 Web: Beyond the Reef
Daddy D’s
From the outside, the average visitor would never realize the excitement that occurs nightly in Daddy D’s, one of the hottest nightclubs in the islands! Featuring colorful lights, beautiful people, and the beats that keep your toes tapping. Tel: 242-359-7006 Web: Daddy D’s
Gusty’s Bar
If you visit Gusty’s any time before 10 pm, you really shouldn’t call yourself a partier! Featuring cold brews, hot dance music, and a sandy floor that serves to remind you that your stay in paradise just became a whole lot cooler, this club never says never when it comes to fun! Tel: 242-333-2165
Coral Sands Beach Bar
This Beach Bar sits high up, overlooking our magnificent beach. You can see out on the ocean for miles. You won’t find a more breathtaking spot for lunch or drinks. Beach Bar Chef Ken Gomes has created a stellar menu of the freshest and most irresistible appetizers and entrees, and a wine and cocktail list like no other. Tel: 242-333-2320 Web: Coral Sands Beach Bar
For guests visiting Harbour Island the main mode of transportation is by golf cart. While you can take in the island on foot, a golf cart really is a more efficient way to buzz around. The hotel you are staying at will be happy to make a reservation for you and I suggest doing this ahead of time, and it is really an easy way to get around the island. It’s a small island, approximately 3.5 miles long and only 1.5 miles wide, and is located just off the northern tip of Eleuthera, separated by a narrow channel.
I love seeing the Bahamas getting love on this site! We’ve auctioned so many phenomenal properties in the Bahamas with our most recent being on Eleuthera Island. There’s a certain time in the evening when photographers can capture the most amazing vivid photos. The Bahamas is definitely on my wishlist and I’m certainly adding Harbour Island to the list of Bahamas destinations to visit.
Great Kevin. Sounds like you kinds of know the area already! Time to vacation to Harbour Island!
Hi, I think the Lone Tree on Girl’s Bank Beach is a really interesting palace for taking photos also I like to see Pink Sands Beach, I have never seen pink sands beach and I would love to see it and take a lot of photos. Thanks for your beautiful post.
You are very welcome Liam. Yes it is beautiful, pink sand beaches are wonderful. Definitely different. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave me comments.
Hi, I’m amazed of how well written this is!
Thanks for the good information, this really helps me find that one place I’d like to go. I see there are much of the good places you reviewed, so I’ll dig a bit deeper.
I’ll definitely read the rest of the blog and I really hope to find something that suits my preferences, because I’m a little bit picky 🙂
Great Luka! Yes, I am a bit picky too, but you can’t go wrong with Harbour Island! Thanks for visiting Beach Travel Destinations.
Wow, I really need to get here! Visited the Bahamas one time (Bimini) and just remember how white the sand and clear blue the water was – would love to see the pink beaches here. “Tropical savanna” sounds like a neat type of climate for an island and also really nice that it sounds like it’s pretty safe from hurricanes. I’m hoping to get SCUBA certified one day soon and will add this to the list of places to visit.
Oh yes, you’d love to scuba dive here for sure. But they do get hurricanes. You’d want to travel outside of the hurricane season, or plan your travel knowing there is not a hurricane headed towards them.
Hey,
Thank you very much for this valuable and detailed tour guide about Harbor Island. And a good clear description has been given.
When I first visited the Island, I was amazed with its famous three-mile-long pink beach that runs the entire length of the island on its eastern side.
The beach is protected by an outlying coral reef that makes the turquoise clear water one of the safest and most alluring swimming and snorkeling spots in The Bahamas.
It’s a great tourist attraction.
It is a great tourist attraction. Especially if you like beaches, snorkeling, good food, and culture. I am glad you enjoyed the Best of Harbour Island.
I think Harbour Island is a great place to visit someday and considering stable temperature
you mentioned in the article and the boat and fishing seems very interesting and
The restaurants look affordable and interesting. And seems there are a lot of great hotels
to choose from. Looks like a great place to vacation to. I am narrowing my list!
Just add it to the bucket list and check off each destination when you travel 😀 Yes, you can visit Harbour Island any time of year, and it is beautiful. You will love the best of Harbour Island!
I don’t know Harbour Island but it seems to be a cool destination! And I’ve also dreamt of going to the Bahamas for special holidays. But it seems to be exclusively dedicated to diving and it’s not my favorite activity. I enjoy being lazy on the beach, but I also like hiking for example. So I’ll go there to go on the beach, in bars, and restaurants!
Yes, you do not need to be a scuba diver to visit Harbour Island. Heck, I don’t particularly care to scuba dive either. I’ve tried it, but prefer to lounge on the beach or paddle on my paddle board.
Once again, thank you so much for the amazing review, and this time over Harbour Island. As I had mentioned before, I have been looking for nice places to take my fiancée once we go on our wedding. Harbor Island definitely looks like one of the places I should consider. I have never seen sand with a pink tint to it. I think this would be so romantic and fun to walk around the beach in. I know my fiancée would love that as well, as it’s different and unique and pretty
Oh, Harbour Island would be a wonderful choice. Definitely a great destination for your honeymoon. Please let me know if I can help in any way with the planning. I think you and your fiancée will truly enjoy!
Thank you very much for this post about best harbor island. I love to travel but I have never been to Harbor Island. But it is very beautiful here. I like very much. And you have even shown the best restaurant. Thank you very much for that too. And its night life is also very attractive. I will definitely go and see. Keep posting like this.
I will do and I am glad you are enjoying your visits to Beach Travel Destinations. The Best of Harbour Island is a place you definitely want to add to your bucket list in my opinion.