Central Eleuthera: Pineapples, Beaches and History

Central Eleuthera offers a variety of reasons to visit: the Eleuthera Pineapple Farm Tour explores the history of pineapple cultivation, French Leave Beach draws visitors with white sand and water activities, and Governor’s Harbour has a British colonial heritage. There are also opportunities for paddling and several types of fishing. When choosing a vacation rental, consider which of these experiences you want to shape your stay.

Pineapple History and Hatchet Bay Silos

The guided Eleuthera Pineapple Farm Tour explores the history of the pineapple industry on Eleuthera, the complete growing cycle, and cultivation techniques for the Sugar Loaf sweet Eleuthera pineapple. The fruit’s seasonality is also covered. The tour connects cultivation with a concrete picture of how a pineapple develops from growth to harvest.

The tour includes an approximately 40-minute walk through a field about a quarter of a mile long. Along the way, there are views of the pineapple farm and the Hatchet Bay Silos. The historic silos are cylindrical structures built in the 1930s to store animal feed for Levy Farms / Hatchet Bay Plantation. Pineapple cultivation and the silos thus bring together two aspects of local agriculture: today’s view of a pineapple field and the former use of the storage structures. Plan the walk as a separate activity and confirm the tour details before your trip.

Governor’s Harbour and Getting There

Governor’s Harbour is one of the oldest settlements on Eleuthera and has a British colonial heritage. Governor’s Harbour Airport is located a few miles outside the town of the same name and is served by international and local flights. When choosing a vacation rental, you can use the town as a point of reference for your arrival; the specific location of the accommodation relative to the places you plan to visit is also important when choosing where to stay.

Beach, Paddling and Fishing

French Leave Beach, also known as Club Med Beach, is a white-sand beach that is less crowded. It is suitable for snorkeling, walking, and swimming. At Edwin’s Turtle Lake Marine Reserve, visitors can paddle, kayak, or canoe. This offers different kinds of water activities to choose from: a beach visit for swimming or snorkeling, and paddling and boating at the reserve. If you plan to take part in a particular activity, find out in advance what options are available during your visit.

Eleuthera Island Fishing specializes in deep-sea fishing, bonefishing, and reef fishing. These three specialties can help guide you if you want to include fishing in your trip. Ask about currently available options before making specific plans.

Local Cuisine and an Event

The one-day A Taste of Central Eleuthera Food Festival features local Bahamian dishes, drinks, and desserts. A notice from the Ministry of Tourism dated March 12, 2024, described the festival as an annual event. If you want to plan your stay around it, check the event dates before making plans.

When choosing a vacation rental, it helps to organize the experiences discussed here according to your own interests: perhaps the farm tour and its walk through the field will be a highlight, perhaps you mainly want to plan beach activities, or perhaps you’re interested in paddling and fishing. This way, your choice of location is guided by the mix of activities you want each day rather than by a general ranking.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Governor's Harbour, North Eleuthera, Central Abaco, Acklins, San Salvador, South Abaco, Harbour Island, Crooked Island And Long Cay.

For the main travel overview: Bahamas.