Travel Guide Harbour Island

The small island of Harbour Island, 3 km northeast of the main island, is a must and has some of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago. The picturesque village of Dunmore Town, which was the first capital of the archipelago, borders the coast opposite Eleuthera. On the other side, the long Pink Sand beach, with its 5 km of pink sand, white powder enhanced by tiny pink coral debris, faces the Atlantic Ocean. Recognized as one of the most beautiful jewels of the archipelago, it is internationally known and listed in the hit parade of the most beautiful beaches in the world.Familiarly called "Briland" by the locals, Harbour Island has an unspoken reputation as a jet-set resort, which enjoys relative anonymity, due to the price level and the small size of the island. From the crowned heads to the stars of the rock and jazz scene, to the elite of the top models, there are countless illustrious visitors to the island, some of whom own houses. Today, some 20 billionaires, most of them American, reside here.Huge clusters of private property surround the island at both ends. Harbour Island has some of the most exclusive hotels in the archipelago. At the tropical Who's who of chic sand, Briland holds a special place.The small village of Dunmore Town, which today has some 1,800 souls, has managed to preserve a colonial atmosphere of elegance and nonchalance. It dates back to the era of Lord Dunmore (1787-1796), a corrupt governor who owned a holiday home there. In the 1800s, Dunmore Town became the second largest city in the Bahamas archipelago, with three sugar refineries and a shipyard that no longer exist today. Its Creole architecture, dating from the late 18th century, gives it the charm of a postcard setting. The wooden cottages in pastel or deep colours, enhanced by galleries with columns and wooden mantling painted in white and serrated in the gingerbread style, stand out boldly against the intense blue of the sky. Gardens with impeccably green lawns burst forth with bougainvillea, hibiscus and other exuberant flowers in brilliant colours; red, pink, blue, green, yellow, all the shades of the rainbow are declined here. The narrow and steep streets go on the gentle hill overlooking the port and the bay. Everything here, right down to the favourite means of transport - the golf carts - contributes to the impression of a dolls' village setting.Dunmore Town has no less than seven churches from which streams of gospel music flow at the end of the day and on Sundays. On the Lord's Day, the villagers in their Sunday best are crowded into the churches.From December to August, the small island literally lives to the rhythm of tourist arrivals. There are few moments of respite for hoteliers, restaurateurs, the inhabitants themselves and the few nocturnal bars, whose activity is at its peak during periods of high American attendance. It is only between September and October (or even November) that calm returns: most tourist infrastructures close their doors, and the town takes on the appearance of a village from another time. The nightlife fades, and the inhabitants take it easy on their doorsteps, commenting on the day's events in the dim light of the street lights. Small makeshift stalls spring up in front of the houses, a deep fryer simmering above a cooking hob connected to a large gas cylinder, offering tempting local specialties. Farther away, domino players are bent on noisily slamming their chips on a shaky table. Harbour Island is itself a testimony to the times, and long strolls allow you to discover all the magic of this very special island. A walk in the late afternoon, when the bay shimmers in the setting sun, is particularly recommended; the facades of the wooden houses then take on their most beautiful colours and the shades of the flowering hedges become more shimmering. Among the curiosities, you can take a peek in the churches, or even attend a musical rehearsal or a typical service that testifies to the local religious fervour. Stroll along Bay Street. Bay Street is the artery that surrounds the bay; on the other side are the oldest houses on the island, a few shops and restaurants. It is also a place to take a walk on the beach. There is the modest, but no less charming basketry market on the island. The picturesque wooden cottages. They follow one another along the bay and one will notice the modest Loyalist greywood cottage dating from 1797. Less dashing but more venerable than its neighbours, it retains a certain historical nobility and boasts to be, on glossy paper, one of the most immortalized on Harbour Island. Queen Conch. one of the stands at the Straw Market, which has an unspoken reputation for making the best conch salad on the island, prepared on demand. As for the fishermen, especially lobster fishermen, you'll see them on the boardwalk, offering their morning catch right out of the water to restaurateurs and tourists. Church of God of Prophect. Very original, this church has an orchestra that plays drums and guitar... electric!St. Catherine's Cemetery. Paradoxically, this is a place that is far from being nostalgic and is very dashing.Saint John Anglican Church. Dating from 1768, it is the oldest in the Bahamas.Fantasy Corner. Corner of Dunmore Street and Clarence Street. It's a spectacular and tiny piece of land planted with multiple license plates and signs of all kinds, which does not lack a certain poetry. Attention, it is specified that for any photograph, a fee of 50 cents must be paid, which will go to the church; unfortunately, we do not know where to leave the obole.