Eleuthera, Bahamas

Bahama's Out Islands have no resorts, no cruise ships, and no large crowds. Eleuthera, which stretches for almost 100 miles (161km) but is at most two miles (3km) wide, is the most popular of the group. Eleuthera, and especially its satellite, Harbour Island, just a short water-taxi ride away, have long been the holiday haunts of the fashionable set, sporting luxury hotels and fine restaurants that cater for trendy and wealthy visitors. Some of the more famous visitors in the past have included thePrince Charles and Princess Diana, Robert de Niro, and the industrialists Arthur Vining Davis, Henry J. Kaiser, and Juan Trippe. While the island used to be home to many glitzy resorts, these were all shut down after the Bahamas became independent in 1973, and the island subsequently became much more relaxed and low-key. The main entertainment here is sunbathing, swimming, snorkelling, shell-collecting and fishing. The scenery can be enjoyed through a meander along the coast, passing scenic headlands and wandering through villages dotted between dozens of pristine beaches. There are a few notable natural sites along the coast, including Glass Window Bridge, the Hatchet Bay Caves, Surfer's Beach and Ocean hole, amongst others. Some of the beaches on Harbour Island have unusual pink sand a result of the kinds of shells that make up the beach sand. Once the capital of the Bahamas, Harbour Island is home to Dunmore Town, whose flower-lined streets and colourful New England-style buildings are popular with tourists in the Bahamas. Harbour Island's main attraction, though, is the spectacular pink sand beach that takes advantage of the protection of a coral reef for tranquil waters and excellent swimming. The accommodation on Harbour Island caters mostly to wealthy travellers, especially along the "zillionaire's row" development.