Eleuthera..the Isle of Freedom. I call it paradise. Eleuthera is one of the Family Islands of the Bahamas. It is a 20 minute plane ride from Nassau and just this side of heaven. Right now I am on a plane coming home from Eleuthera, and the departure is bittersweet. My family and I just enjoyed eight nights on Eleuthera and we were joined by another family as well (their first visit). We rented a home on the beach in Tarpum Bay – a home we used to own. We hadn’t been to the island as a family in almost four years (I was on a girls’ trip – that post to come later) and my kids were eager to remember the place they had spent long winter weeks of their early childhood. It was great to renew our love for this island and her people. In time, I will share a whole lot more about Eleuthera, but I wanted to introduce you to Eleuthera and how we ended up in this amazing place!
Fast forward to this past week (February 2018) and as family and friends, we reacquainted ourselves with this little slice of heaven.
The Family Islands, or Out Islands of the Bahamas, offer the adventurous traveler an opportunity to witness unspoiled beauty; the opportunity to live like locals and kindly insert themselves into a society that is friendly, welcoming, open and kind. A place where you can still walk to the local dock at noon and buy fresh fish from the fisherman there. A place where you can visit a new beach everyday of the year and probably not visit them all – oh and not just ANY beach – I am talking the beach of your dreams beach – with silky white or pink sand, crystal clear blue/green waters and not another soul in sight! No seriously – if peace and solidarity are what you are looking for, I encourage you to visit the Family Islands of the Bahamas – particularly Eleuthera!
The home we used to own, Parlay at Sunset, is located in the pristine fishing village of Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera. “Our” beach has more shells that I thought were in the sea, and every day is an adventure in shell hunting! The water is calm most days and the sandy sea bottom allows waders to enjoy shallow snorkeling or floating for 100 yards or more from shore. It is perfect for kids (and girls’ trips), honeymooners and families looking for something different to explore. The beach at Parlay presents travelers with no shortage of wonders, including sea stars, tropical fish, rays, sea urchins, sea biscuits, sand dollars, sea cucumbers and the occasional black tipped reef shark! We have loved every encounter! And while you could easily entertain yourself at your home away from home with swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding or just lying around in a hammock, Eleuthera has so much more to offer!!!
I could actually write about Eleuthera for what would amount to a doctoral dissertation, but I want to milk this beautiful topic for all it’s worth – so I will leave you hanging with some pictures from my most recent trip and remember, all the pictures on my blog are MY own photos (unless specifically referenced) taken with either my phone or our underwater camera! Knowing this should really highlight the majesty of this amazing heaven on earth!
Stay tuned for what may end up being an Eleuthera series in posts to come – I will tell you all about what Eleuthera has hidden up her sleeves! If you have any questions about traveling to Eleuthera or the Family Islands of the Bahamas, please let me know! I will do my best to help! And if you have wonderful stories of your own adventures, please share them as well!
Mrs. Smith Travels 