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For the first post, I wanted to share a little of my June 2018 vacation to the gorgeous Harbour Island, Bahamas. Hope you can feel the beauty!
Welcoming entrance, Pink Sands Resort.
Two words. Pink. Sand. It’s for real. The lovely & laid-back tiny Harbour Island, only 3 1/2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide, tucked in the Out Islands of the Bahamas, is a getaway spot quietly known to Caribbean insiders, fashionable NYC peeps & the very wealthy seeking true peace by its turquoise waters. British Royal India Hicks - goddaughter of Prince Charles - came to the island many years ago, fell in love, settled here with her partner David Flint Wood & built a wonderful home & family. They established a welcoming & sophisticated hotel & restaurant, The Landing, as well as a boutique, The Sugar Mill Trading Company. She also has an eponymous line of women’s clothing, accessories & skincare products & has authored three books on island living.
Cool logo, The Landing.
So then, exactly how does one get to this classy paradise? Turns out there are direct flights from the continental U.S., just over two hours from Atlanta & one hour from Miami. The small airport on the neighboring island of North Eleuthera is the arrival point. Then it is a quick taxi ride to the dock, another quick water taxi & you’re there. Hotels can arrange the transport for you in advance. Called Briland - the island’s original name - by its 2,500 residents, it is a draw if what you crave is one of the world’s prettiest beaches, upscale colonial-style hotels, tropical rum cocktails & great food, combined with actual time & space for pleasant conversations & fun with family, friends & the local islanders called the Brilanders. It is also perfect for a solo escape, when you desire some tranquility & seclusion by the sea. The winter holidays are the peak season here, but other months are also excellent times to visit, as you can get nice deals on hotels & experience the island with even fewer people. There is a hurricane season in the Caribbean to consider, but I was told by locals that visitors are coming for more & more of the year.
Ocean View Club.
The primary mode of transportation on the island is the golf cart. Walking also gets you to most places easily. If you decide you could use a break from peace & quiet, there is plenty of stuff to keep your active side engaged - snorkeling, paddleboarding, sea kayaking, volleyball & riding horses on the beach. You can arrange scuba diving, deep sea fishing excursions & visits to other nearby islands. The Eleven Experience Group, who also run The Bahama Hotel, can hook you up with some epic ventures, if that is what you are after. In-room massages & beach yoga can be arranged through some of the hotels if you have just arrived & are not yet quite ready for epic.
Just chillin’.
Quick swim.
Back to chillin’.
For accommodations, there are several fantastic options. If you happen be acquainted with someone who has a house in The Narrows, a secluded part of the island reached only via a dirt road but dotted with exquisite beachfront homes, that is most awesome. Give them a call. For the rest of us, the hotels are more than fine. Much more. On the beach side of the island, The Coral Sands is a classic, there since the 1960’s & plenty updated. The Pink Sands Resort, just next door, where I stayed, is another great spot. I highly recommend The Dunmore for its casual elegance. The Ocean View Club is exceptional, of effortless beach chic & a must-see. If you don’t stay there, be sure to go for a meal. I just loved my dinner there! A perfect excuse to get out of your swimwear & into your finest casual island resort styles. Charming hotels on the dock side of the island include The Bahama House, The Rock House & The Landing - just gorgeous. Even if you stay on this side, you can still access the beach. Villas are also for rent through India Hicks’ Hibiscus Hill or other venues.
Lunch, The Dunmore.
There is much delicious & remarkably fresh, healthy cuisine to be found on the island. Certainly stop by Bahama Coffee Roasters for your morning cup of joe or a lunch snack. Arthur’s Bakery is also an inexpensive breakfast & lunch spot for locals & families with children. Sophisticated dining is the ticket here, though. When in Paradise... The Landing typically serves breakfast & dinner. The Dunmore serves breakfast, lunch & dinner. The beach restaurant & bar at Pink Sands has a fantastic view any time of day. Coral Sands, Ocean View Club & The Rock House are popular dining spots. Try them all to find your favorite. If you are yearning for a certain wine, check out DaVine Wine Merchants. Drop by the Siren Song boutique at The Coral Sands. At night, sing karaoke with the locals at Daddy D’s, go to the club Vic-Hum for music or just sit back at one of the bars & chat with someone new!
Amazingly delicious sandwich, Coral Sands.
Amazing view to go along with that amazing sandwich, Coral Sands.
What did I do on my first visit to this enchanting little island? I had only three nights & was traveling solo. I decided I mostly wanted to spend as much time as possible relaxing with my toes in the pink sand, looking at the sea, pondering existence. Let me say right here & now that the sand was in truth pink & also quite exquisitely, crazy soft! For science types like me who love to know such things, the blushy hue comes from the shells of microscopic marine organisms called foraminiferans. Because birding the world has been a serious interest of mine for years, I am always on the lookout for species I have not seen before. The tiny Bahama Woodstar, a hummingbird found only in the Caribbean, was the gift this vacay. The hermit crabs, big & small, were also very fun to see.
I ate. I drank lots of fruitylicious rum beverages, almost making it through the entire list on the Pink Sands beach bar menu! I made sure I had an icy cold Kalik, the classic Bahamian beer, while doing absolutely nothing but sitting on my bottom on my beach chaise looking out to the ocean. I walked the full length of the beach over my few days, something definitely worth the time. There are not too many places left on Earth this pristine.
On the night before the Summer Solstice, I went out onto that magically silent stretch of beach & put my toes gently into the crystal-clear water. No one else there. Just me, the clear night sky, the moon, the stars & the sea. Sometimes it is only in these moments of solitude that our souls can connect to the clarity & peace that often eludes us in our hectic lives. The purity & beauty of these times stay within us, deep inside, as we carry on. This was a rare moment I cherish.
Sunrise.
For me, the best things about traveling are exploring & appreciating the natural world, meeting new people, occasionally having surprisingly deep & intimate conversations with perfect strangers & experiencing unexpected synchronicities that assure me there are loving forces out there watching over us. Traveling alone often pushes us to reach out a little more than we might if we were with friends, family or a partner. I was so pleased & grateful for the warmth & kindness of the people I met there. Thank you, Harbour Island!
Click on these links for more information:
Stay & Eat:
- Pink Sands Resort
- Coral Sands
- The Dunmore
- Ocean View Club
- Bahama House
- Rock House
- The Landing
- Hibiscus Hill
Eat:
- Bahamas Coffee Roasters
- Arthur’s Bakery
- DaVine Wine Merchants
Shop:
- Sugar Mill Trading Company
- Siren Song