City break in Harbour Island. Active leisure ideas for Harbour Island - attractions, recreation and nightlife

When talking about Harbour Island, the first thing that would come to mind is that real gem of beach vacation; a place which every self-respecting tourist definitely must visit. It’s all about the world-famous Pink Sands Beach, of course. You can’t easily get there either by foot – as the island is just 5 km² – or by a golf cart. Moreover, you can ask locals or any tourist to show you the direction. And yes, it’s true, the sand on the beach is actually pink. It’s not lightning or a fake trick to attract more tourists. The colour is like this because of fragments of corals and chitin of the local kind of planktons and tiny organisms which were washed at the shore. They had been mixing with usual sand for many centuries, that is why it’s so pink now.

All those pieces of corrals and shells not just affected the sand’s colour but also its elasticity and rigidity. The sand on Pink Sands Beach is extremely soft so it’s so easy to walk or run on it. What is more, the beach is highly popular not only among people who enjoy swimming in the sea but among yoga and fitness instructors who prefer to hold their classes right on the seashore as well. Despite the great popularity of the beach, still, you would always easily find a free space there. It’s just because most tourists spend only a couple of hours there and then leave. In addition, Pink Sands Beach is really large so space is not a problem.

However, if you’re looking for a tranquil place, you can find it in any local bay all around the territory of the island. Remember that most of the beaches here have no special facilities. Those who’re fond of snorkelling or just keen on magnificent views should definitely visit Briland's Blue Hole. You can see corals right near the sea surface, starfish, and a great variety of other underwater creatures there. Harbour Island is a perfect place for diving, too. The island is surrounded by coral reefs. They protect the island from strong winds and air and water temperature swings and, what is more, it’s a home for diverse local creatures starting from different coral reef fish to sharks. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Local sharks are not that big and they usually don’t attack people. Thrill-seekers even take a risk and feed these marine predators. Nevertheless, you would get a lot of impressions doing diving even without meeting so dangerous species. Both sophisticated divers and beginners would find something peculiar to see: there are various tropical creatures, fancy corals, underwater caves and grottos, sunken ships of different time periods and all other kinds of the local beauty. Even though the island is not so big, here you can rent diving equipment as well as take real diving lessons by the end of which you would get a true international divers' license. So, if you’d always wanted to try yourself in this activity, you’d a have a great opportunity to finally do it here on Harbour Island.

Anyway, it’s not essential to go underwater to see local inhabitants. The water here is quite clear so you can simply do snorkelling to enjoy the reefs close to the surface. You can learn how to sail a sailing yacht here too. And if you’re already an expert, then you can go to the harbor in Dunmore Town, rent a sailboat and go on a barge around the adjacent islands. If you prefer fishing, you’ll also find here what to do. You can rent all the equipment you need including a boat in the capital city. Besides, there are nice instructors among locals who would share their experience with you with great pleasure.

You can also go to a local areas tour. You’ll also be able to swim in an open sea. Or you can take a ferry to Eleuthera and relish its clean beaches and spectacular views. Also, don’t forget to get a relaxing walk around Harbour delighting local exotic plants, and small sink lakes which are the only terrestrial sources of fresh water, as there are no rivers on the island at all. If you’ve already spent a great number of hours just walking and got really tired, go to a spa salon. There are lots of them in Dunmore Town so you can just go there and relax. Moreover, there are some night clubs in the capital too, even though not that many.