How we spent 8 days exploring Eleuthera Bahamas beaches and budget
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 1. 06. 2024
- There are over 135 beaches on Eleuthera, Bahamas. We visited 12 popular beaches and share with you our favourites. There will be a budget breakdown at the end with information on where we stayed and what things cost.
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LINKS:
đ If you like beaches, check out our beach tour of St. Martin/Sint Maarten here âą Saint Martin / Sint Ma...
Airbnb: bit.ly/44zmopE
Car rental:www.justinpindercarrentals.com
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Opening
00:23 - Bahamas - some background
01:13 - Eleuthera map and getting there
02:51 - Eleuthera beach map
03:51 - Rainbow Beach
05:31 - Hidden Beach
06:03 - Surferâs Beach
06:35 - Eleuthera Island Farm
07:06 -Receiverâs Bay Beach
08:15 - Navy Beach
09:33 - Cravings Bakery
10:16 - French Leave Beach
10:49 - Twin Cove Beach
11:14 - Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve
11:58 - Governorâs Harbour
12:55 - Friday Night Fish Fry
13:21 - The Ninja Conch Salad
14:15 - Gaulding Cay Beach
14:58 - Melâs Snack Shack
15:34 - Ten Bay Beach
16:20 - Lighthouse Point Beach
17:49 - Kupcake Lady Dessert Shoppe
18:08 - Glass Window Bridge
18:24 - Preacherâs Cave
18:46 - Preacherâs Cave Beach
19:21 - Sapphire Blue Hole
19:39 - Current Beach
20:35 - Edâs Bay - Bonus beach!
21:00 - Harbour Island
21:57 - Pink Sands Beach
23:09 - Gregory Town
23:59 - Tips and Budget
27:02 - Signing off
MUSIC:
Musicbed
Shelter from the Rain, Nadav, Cohen, Vesky; Lifetimes, Ryan Vetter; Time Fly By, Elephant Motel; The Bright Side, Summer Kennedy; Going Under, Kaptan; Echoes, Chris Mazuera; Honey, The Coast; Interstate, Valr; Geraniums, Will Hearn; For Life, Take-you-out-treat-you-right; Canyon of the Crescent Moon, svvn.
Epidemic Sound
freevectormaps.com/bahamas/BS...
I am a Bahamian living in the US. My mother and grandmother were from Rock Sound and Governors Harbor. I grew up on the island of New Providence. I have never been to the island of Eleuthera myself. Your presentation of Eleuthera was one of the best so far on YT. You have a new sub here.
Wow that means a lot! Thank you so much for your support. I hope you get to visit sometime, and experience it from your familyâs footsteps. That would be very special. â€ïž
My dad was born on Eleuthera and our family is from Rock Sound and Savannah Sound.... I did not visit until I was in my 20s. Itâs amazing....so proud of my rootsđđđđđ
Great music and calming narration. The perfect length to do some light chores around the house while learning about a beautiful island!
Thanks! Happy to have made your chores more enjoyable. Eleuthera is definitely the place to visit for some great R&R.
In my comment on your Saint Martin video I said that I hoped to see future videos on other Caribbean islands. This new presentation on Eleuthera is a delight. I had no idea that so many beautiful and unspoiled beaches still exist so close to eastern North America. The maps, titles, and accompanying narration were particularly excellent.
Gary, thanks soooo much for supporting our channel, we love getting your feedback. Glad you enjoyed the video. Weâre hoping thereâs even more Caribbean islands in our future travels as well!
I loved your video; thank you for posting it. I've been on Eleuthera briefly in the past, on the way to Russell Island/Spanish Wells, and I thought it was beautiful. I'm going to stay on Eleuthera for 8 nights this December and was just browsing CZcams videos of the area. I'll be staying about mid-island. Thank you again for your video--beautifully done!
Thanks so much for the compliments, so happy you enjoyed it. We ran out of time to visit Spanish Wells and hope to do so one day. Mid island is great as you can go north or south without too much driving. Enjoy your December trip!
I agree with the positive comments about your narration. Great job.
I would recommend the three airbnbâs hosted by Kathy, a fellow Canadian, above the beach in Oleander Gardens, Gregory town. The newest one is beyond cool.
đ appreciate the feedback! We will check those places out if we make it back there.
Loved the relaxing pace and tone of this video. thanks!
That's how we roll, thanks for your support on the channel, much appreciated!
This is the best overview of Eleuthera I have seen. Thank you! I will be referencing this for my honeymoon in March. :) Length of clips, music, and speed/tone of narration are all 10/10. This is also the first Iâve heard of the Disney development being built.
Oh wow! Thanks so much for your kind words and support! Congrats on your marriage and enjoy the honeymoon! đ„
Lovely video. You really captured Eleuthera well. Look forward to watching your other videos. Well done.
that's amazing to hear!!! Thanks so much for your support! đ„°
Great video. My wife and I have been to Eleuthera 3 times in the past 18 months. Our favorite beaches so far are Gaulding Cay, and Current (North Beach). Both have amazing snorkeling.
Wow, so lucky! You must really love it too, itâs hard to find so many non-stop amazing beaches on one island.
great video, even though it isn't a beach one of the hilites of our journeys is the queens baths close to the glass window. hope you got to experience that spot.
We were able to visit the Queens Baths but the pools werenât filled much on the day we were there. Maybe next time!
awesome
Yeahhhh!!!!â€â€ thanks for the comment
Wonderful video and a lovely destination. Definitely, lots of beach for everyone.
Definitely no crowds on these beaches, even the âbusiestâ. Glad you liked it!
This was Amazing! This has to be one of the best tour videos I have seen. Well done! I will share this with friends that are wanting to visit.
Thank you so much for those wonderful words and so glad you enjoyed it. Itâs easy when you have that many beautiful beaches to visit đ The island has so much variety and beauty, weâve been to 4 of the Bahamian islands and this one by far has the nicest beaches, which is incredible when they are all gorgeous to begin with.
Well done video with lots of great information.
Hey Mikey, thanks so much for that feedback! It is such a laidback island and so many beaches, we loved it. Glad it was helpful.
Thank you for sharing! Very informational! My husband and I are excited to go next week!
Glad it was helpful, have a wonderful trip!
Very nice video, greetings from Argentinađââ
Thank you very much! We â€ïžArgentina!!!
Didnât know the island were islands and such peace and beauty. Beautiful video thank you đ
Itâs worth the effort to get there if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle and take it slow. Glad you liked the video, thanks so much for your comment. â„ïž
Thank you for this video. I want to visit Eleuthera.
You should! Some of the best beaches weâve been on. Thanks for your support on our channel.
us,too!!
Nice video! I would like to try riding some waves at Surferâs Beach.
You should! No place like it for surfing where youâll probably have the beach to yourself. Make sure you have a jeep to get there đ also winter season generally has bigger waves. Appreciate the comment!!
Great video ! Very much appreciated everything about it. We hv been to Eleuthera many times and always knew there is more new sites to explore. You highlighted these in your video . Thanks đđŒ
Glad it was helpful! For a small island, there is so much to do, we felt like we just scratched the surface. Hope to be back some day!
This is fantastic! Please keep this going!
Thanks so much for your encouragement! â€ïž
I really enjoyed watching this video! It feels like a very comprehensive guide to beaches and local shops. I learned new things even after visiting the island myself
I'm so glad! Eleuthera has so much to see and do considering the small size, I know thereâs much more for us to discover too.
This is an amazing footage, thank you so much for sharing your vacation with the entire world. I especially like the Kupcake Lady Bakery.đ Love her guva duff .
Please visit again.đ§đžđ
Eleuthera is a treasure and so lucky we got to visit it. Oooh missed out on guava duff! Thanks for your feedback!
Amazing video. Many thanlks!
Glad you liked it and appreciate the comment!
@@YYZWanderers you have shown great skills narrating the story of your vacation. Perfectly delivered. I've watched it twice. Relaxing and informative video.
@@freethinkerps9191 â€ïž â€ïž â€ïž wow, thank you.
Beautiful and informative video. Will help greatly in our planning! Thank you!
So happy it helped! We focused on beaches and bakeries on this trip but there still so much we havenât done. Spanish Wells is on our return list (gottq leave some things to do so you can go back!)
Love it! You guys make really great quality videos!
Glad you like them! â€ïž
Great job on your video
Appreciate the support!
Thanks for sharing!
Our pleasure! Appreciate the comment!
Great video. Your voice is really great. Very calming yet strong. Wondering how to get to Edâs bay. Going in July and would like to see Edâs bay. Second time in Eleuthera.
Wow, thanks for the kind words! Of course, I cringe when I hear my own voice. Edâs Bay isnât on the maps as its just a pull out on the main road and some guy made a beach sign and named it. We saw about 2 places that had nice beach spots that you can stop at on your way. Edâs Bay is before these coordinates here as you drive toward Current which is where we swam for a bit and I only saved that pin. Have fun!
maps.app.goo.gl/AC3i1N528vM3b7Mg7?g_st=ic
@@YYZWanderers Here is the story behind Ed's Bay:
Ed Penniman , January 27, 2022
Hi, Iâm Ed. I claimed this bay years ago for fun. Then I came back after the hurricane and found my makeshift sign in the rubble on the beach. Before I return I had a friend with a router make me a real sign like a public park. Anyway, I found a good-sized tree and mounted the sign. On the last turn of the bolt, the head snapped off and the sign is now upsidedown making the location unique. Edâs Bay is located near the area of Current. I am a California painter and love the island of Eleuthera. I stayed many years with my friend Nurse Jean at the Laughing Bird.
A subsequent post by Ed Penniman, June 30, 2023:
Hi Again, Itâs Ed. It looks like I may never return to my beloved island of Eleuthera. As an artist and painter, I followed the painting trail of Winslow Homer to his painting locations throughout the island. I am 81 now and my mobility is getting worse as I am disabled and have been since 1984. I love my old photos of Jumkanoo, my âcousinsâ and all the friends I have made through the years. Winset Cooper, RIP, Mal Wethers the painter RIP, the Twins, Nurse Jean, Kevin Cooper, painter, JB Barry who gave me a signed Bahamas Flag (he was a hero who saved the lives of airline passengers on the tarmac during a hurricane, man, too many lovely souls to mention. On my last trip, I looked up a bunch of people I met as kids in Tarpum Bay. All grown up in their 30s now Iâm not sure many remembered me but I loved giving them photos I had taken when they were just kids in their school uniforms.
@@Blazerfan11Amazing that you found the story behind it!
Very much enjoyed your video - the info, music, and narration was good, and y'all made us chuckle with your funny antics and comments! Appreciated the cost breakdown and tips! I might just get my hubby to go somewhere now! I didn't yet find what time of year it was...
My husband likes to play that dumb shark trick on me and I fall for it every single time. Worth getting here if you like a laid back beach vacay away from the hussle. We were there in mid April this year, weather wasnât too humid or too hot.
@@YYZWanderers yes, I admit, we had to back up the video to catch that shark trick again! And you were such a good sport, too! Thanks for the info and once again, y'all did a very nice, thorough, pleasant job with the video.
Great video! We too have been a few times, stayed at Bird of Paradise next to Tippy's in Governor's Harbour. We love it there! Brining back the kids in 2025. Never did get to Lighthouse. đ
We too wondered what those tubular snake skin things were in the ocean. Mainly Alabaster and Ten Bay. I came to see if anyone posted what they were...lol.
Great video!!! â€
Lol, we never made it to Tippyâs so will be something left to do for us on a return trip. I think the roads will be much better getting to Lighthouse as the development progresses, one benefit I guess. Thanks for the feedback!! â€ïž
đđđ
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Amazing!
It certainly is a special place! Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated. Cheers!
This Video is AMAZING!!
Appreciate the kind words, helps when every beach is pretty amazing!
@@YYZWanderers haha, yeah. The whole windward side of the Bahamas from abaco the turks is outrageous
I enjoyed your video very much. I was stationed on the Naval Facility there on Eleuthera in the early 1960s. My wife and I went back again 30 years later on a vacation trip. Eleuthera is indeed a beautiful island and the people there are very welcoming and friendly.
Very cool! My overactive imagination is in overdrive, it must have been like the movies working at the facility! Thank you for your service and glad you were able to go back and see the island again! Itâs a special place.
I spent a year there. I had an old BSA motorcycle helped me to really enjoy my time on that beautiful island. Receivers Beach was just down the hill from the Naval Facility. We had many great parties there...Great memories!
0kâ@@davidwilliams8589
Nice coverage. Eleuthera is a favorite. Did you make it to Spanish Wells?
We were going to stay there for a few days but didnât work out. Saving something for next time so I have a reason to go back. Appreciate the feedback!
If you want a real vacation to escape this crazy hustle and bustle of life go on a vacation to any one of our islands. It is peaceful, no crime you can leave your door open. Beautiful Bahamas. Only thing I would tell you is that it could be expensive with food, but you can carry like some snacks with you and the mosquitoes, bring your spray, minor set backs for a Beautiful vacation, Beautiful People. Enjoy
Very true words! I love the small community feel that Eleuthera has.
Lovely video, thanks! Which month did you go?
Mid April for 2 weeks, sunny skies, not too humid. In other words, perfect beach weather! Appreciate the feedback!
Thanks! Iâm planning to go on February, I really hope it will be so peaceful as in your video â€ïž
When you visited French Leave Beach did you visit/see the ruins of the Club Med Eleuthera that was located there? Family vacationed there in the early 90's- employed a lot of people and had large chartered jets flying into the nearby airport, but resort was destroyed in a later hurricane and Club Med decided not to rebuild. All the club's water sports were at a facility on the harbour side.
Interesting that you enjoyed Current Beach so much as the nearby Current Cut is nerve wracking for sailors and boaters with its fast moving dangerous currents.
Those boats transiting the Devil's Backbone have a very specific twisting route to follow to avoid many coral obstacles just below the surface. Some boaters hire a local captain to drive the route.
We didnât bother exploring the ruins but Iâve seen some videos on it, doesnât look like much. Interesting about Current Cut, now I understand the name of it! We just waded in the water, not too far from shore. Come to think of it, the water was moving fast for the shallows. I think it was the combination of seeing the stingray, shallows and quietness of it that made it special for us. Wish I was back already! Thanks for your informative comment.
Hello!!do you recomend to stay just here in eleuthera or few days in nassau also?
DependsâŠif you have to take 2 planes to get to Nassau, a couple days there might be a nice stop enroute to Eleuthera. If you are looking for a couple days of busier beach experience, more nightlife etc then thatâs Nassau. We havenât been there in quite a few years so canât speak to how it is now, other than government travel advisories for it on crime levels which can be avoided eg donât stay out late in town, donât wander down dark alleys, the usual. Eleuthera on the other hand is super quiet but if you like searching out beaches, getting away from crowds, then you wonât be bored. You can enjoy both if you have the time. If you have just a week, may not be worth splitting it up. Food for thought to help you decide.
Please..show the Shells you collected. And were you able to take them off the island ?? Thx.
Hey Nancy, I love collecting beach shells and glass too, Canada allows small quantities of sand and shells but I believe you canât bring back harvested conch shells (with the hole at the top of the shell, only abandoned shells). I didnât bring conch shells back as I wasnât sure. Receiver beach had lots of baby conch shells, about 4-6 inches. I took a pic of my shell collecting and posted on my instagram channel so you can see them as I am not able to add pics here. The link is here but if it doesnât work, just head to Instagram from the links in the âAboutâ section in our YT channel page or search for YYZWanderers. Happy shelling!
instagram.com/p/CstVbFhg0oo/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
@YYZ Wanderers Thank you ! I Love traveling and visiting new beaches..part photography and part shelling.
We have brought Conch shells back to the US. You have to put them in checked bags. Other than that, we have not had issues with bringing them in the US. Just be sure to check and make sure they are in fact empty. I felt horrible when I found out that a hermit crab had tucked deep in the shell.
Good morning; With which camera did you film your vacation? THANKS
I used the Panasonic S5-II for Eleuthera for the first time and itâs a great camera for video. The best thing for me is the stabilization. All the videos prior to that were shot with a Fuji XT-3. I upgraded because the Fuji was damaged when hiking the Fitz Roy in Argentina.
hank you for your comeback. I want to invest to be able to film in good conditions (perhaps not as good as yours). What movie did you film with the Fuji?
Sincerely
Jerome@@YYZWanderers
The videos on this channel were all shot with the XT-3 except for Eleuthera and the one after it (Canadian National Exhibition). A newer Fuji XT-5 is out now. If you're looking for a camera that is more video centric, and want to consider Fuji, then there's the X-H2. The Panasonic S5-II is very video centric and as such won't be as good if you like taking lots of photos (same goes for the XH-2). And of course, there's Sony, which is outstanding for video but their price points seemed too high for me, especially when the Panasonic S5-II came our earlier this year. One thing to note is the sensor size is smaller on the Fuji (APS-C) vs. Panasonic (full-frame), but that doesn't mean one is better than the other. But it does have an impact on certain aspects such as weight. Full-frame lenses will always be heavier and bigger than smaller sensor camera lenses, so this could be an important consideration if you need to carry your gear all day or back pack/camp. Happy to nerd out on any questions you might have if you're looking at a new camera!
Enjoyed your video!! My family has been going to eleuthera since the 60's. I haven't been in years but my husband and I are planning a trip back. Are you able to share how you spent 2600$ usd on food? I know it's expensive there but that seemed really high. Just curious as we begin our budget. Thank you for sharing your trip! đ
Hi, the budget we showed at the end of the video breaks it down (check the chapter links to go directly to it). It excludes food as that is variable for many people so $2600 was for accommodations, flight, car rental. The voiceover may not have been clear. Imported items are expensive eg 1lb ground beef was $16, a can of average tomato sauce was $9 but some items are reasonable eg basics, local produce. Thanks for asking and have a great trip! Always fun to see a place after a long time away.
@@YYZWanderers ohhh. Thank you for clarifying we totally read that wrong! Wow. Thats actually a great price! And at that price for beef we could go without. Thanks again for responding. đ
We have gone several times in the past 2 years. The food averages around 100-150 a day for two if you go out. We found that it was easier to go out because we spend so much time in the sun. We literally make breakfast at home, and then pack our gear and go out snorkeling, swimming, or hiking. Since it is warmer, we tend to stay away from packing food. We also do not want to carry too much plastics, and garbage. There are obviously different price ranges of restaurants, these are mostly your typical drink/ food fair. For a nicer dinner, easily expect to pay $200 with tip or more for food. However, I am yet to find bad food on the island when they prepare it. Grocery store quality is far different though.
@@tyekeppler726 that's a great point about garbage - there is no recycling on the island so we were careful to use reusables and our airbnb had an ice cooler. We also took our used toiletries, empty plastic containers back with us to minimize the plastics on island. It's heartbreaking to see so much roadside garbage.
Iâm looking for a place to go in the Bahamas , this island could be it! How is the snorkeling?
We didnât snorkel too much but there are lots of calm beaches and sandy flats for easy shore entry. The water is also incredibly clear. We heard seeing turtles is common while snorkelling there as well.
i heard food there expensive, not sure if you tried any restaurants and what you think of them?
Yes, as almost everything is imported, both restaurants and groceries are expensive especially for us when converted to Canadian $. Eg a can of ordinary spaghetti sauce of questionable expiry date can be $6-10 USD (ack!) We ate out for some lunches, average $50 for 2. Fish fry is fun, $25 for a fish dinner. Local fishermen can be a good option for fresh fish but we never made it at the right time. I heard on a facebook group that many folks pack their groceries. Some basics would be good to take if you have a kitchen. Beer is reasonable, about $4-5 a bottle at the liquor store - best one is in the Rock Sound plaza where the best grocery is also located but a long way to go if youâre not staying there. Didnât make it out to dinners as we werenât inclined to drive at night and none were close by.
Can I ask where you stayed at during your time at Eleuthera? Iâm planning a trip to the island :)
Of course! In the video description, we have a link to the airbnb. Itâs priced as a good value since it isnât oceanfront but you do get a distant view and it is well taken care of and clean. Have a great time!
which beaches best for snorkeling?
Youâll have to probably take a boat out because there arenât any coral reefs close to shore. On the calm side, itâs mostly sandy bottom. Thereâs little fish here and there but not a lot. Rainbow beach has some rocky ledges at either end of the beach & easily accessible. Twin beach has a rocky area too for fish activity. Gauldingâs Cay at high tide around the little island. Waves are strong on the Atlantic side so didnât see anyone snorkelling on those.
This is an excellent video! Very well shot, and edited. We are planning our 2nd trip to Eleuthera for 2024. Could you tell me where you rented your vehicle from? The prices you list on your budget breakdown are about what I would expect, however the current quotes I'm getting are a lot higher.
Also, what beach (or beaches) did you find some sea glass? I hope to be a beach comber when I retire =)
Thanks.
Thanks for the compliments! Car rentals are a tricky one - I literally got quotes at every single one. We ended up using Justin Pinder car rental $80/day SUV and it was a very smooth process. He takes a $200 security deposit via paypal but returned it within an hour of returning the car. The jeep was in good shape as well. You may know that collision insurance is included and mandatory in the price everywhere in the Bahamas, so no need to use a cc for insurance reasons. Some cc may not cover Eleuthera, only North America. No liability coverage either (rentalcover.com may cover?) Kean Stubbs was also my other option and Taylor&Taylor had a deal for $70 /new ford explorer but had to book early and a bit big for us. These rates were April 2023. Just check the cancellation terms and fee to use cc or surcharge for pick ip location eg diff airports. Some take a fee to cancel. We paid cash. As for the fun stuff, not much glass but lots of tiny pink shells at Rainbow beach and small conch shells at Cocodemama. Just make sure there are no holes on the conch shell which means the snail left on its own (vs caught). Have fun!!!
We've used Kean the 3 times we've been.
I just stumbled across this video, we're not fling back until 2025 and I'm so bummed now. Best place ever! Great video! Visit Tippy's!!! â€
What time of year did u visit?
Last 2 weeks of April. It was quiet on the island, didnât rain at all.
I watched another video of the same island I guess you only show the good side the other video was an honest assessment of all the trash junk cars etc
I think I found the video you were referring to. It looks like they stayed in the heart of Current, which we didnât get to see and where they saw the rusted cars and garbage washed up by the ocean. The areas we visited and I would say the majority of the island was not dirty with illegal dumping. Most communities have a central garbage collection area. Even Lighthouse beach had a public garbage bin at the parking area and yes you can see bits of debris washed up by the ocean but not in a big way. There are also volunteer groups who do garbage collection from the beaches. I hope you didnât get the impression that the entire island was a dump because it is not at all. Thanks for your comment, Iâll be more aware of pointing out any potential concerns in general.
this is similar like the Florida Keys
Youâre right in that the Bahamas is just east of the Keys. Eleuthera isnât as developed as the Keys though. Key lime pie in FLA is the best!
The Florida Keys was settled by Bahamians.... specifically white Bahamians. The infrastructure and buildings are modeled after the traditional homes in The Bahamas