This Under-the-Radar Caribbean Island Has Reef Sharks, Beach Bungalows, and a Different Kind of Dive Resort

You spend the day diving bottomless blue holes. Discovering thick finger coral and hobnobbing with reef sharks, eagle rays and regal seahorses. Then you get out of the water and find the perfect sunset on a totally uncrowded white-sand beach. 

I remember the first time I visited Cape Eleuthera, way down at the southeastern corner of the long, thin island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas. I felt it. I absorbed it. The property was like its own distinct corner of the earth, pristine, quiet. With a few well-placed Christmas lights, I’d have surely found myself inside the old Corona commercial. 

Sure, the decades move and new rooms pop up (and new restaurants debut), but the soul of this peninsula remains the same; it’s got that palpable sense of wonder, of seclusion, of fantasy. It’s the sort of place that blissfully, impossibly never changes. 

Except something at Cape Eleuthera has changed. And it’s mostly beneath the water. 

You see, Cape Eleuthera was already one of the most legendary places to stay in The Bahamas. 

A New Kind of Dive Resort 

But now Cape Eleuthera is something else — a world-class dive resort. The already excellent dive operation is now even better — it just got PADI five-star accreditation, the dive shop has a brand-new look and it’s also added state-of-the-art Scubapro equipment. 

It’s part of a new push to remind travelers of the spectacular diving you can find in Eleuthera, and it’s quickly turning the boutique resort in southern Eleuthera into a pilgrimage spot for divers. 

That’s a big lift for diving in The Bahamas, and adds a new option for those looking for an alternative to the live-aboard diving experience, where you never leave the boat, the quarters are usually cramped and space is at premium. 

Why Stay on a Boat Your Whole Vacation?

Because at Cape Eleuthera, it’s the best of both worlds: you get the high-level diving with the comfort of literally thousands of acres of space, bungalows right on the sand, endless beaches and all the creature comforts. 

“We can offer so much more than live-a-bored,” says Cape Eleuthera’s Kat Dubowitz, spelling out the difference. . 

That includes some very cool experiences, like the resort’s Sharkschool program, which gives you an immersive week of diving and learning about these mysterious creatures. 

The Cape, as fans and locals call it, also has programs for larger groups: if you’re a dive instruction and bring a group of eight or more divers, your stay and dive are complimentary. 

The idea is to turn Cape Eleuthera into a haven for diving in The Bahamas — a country that has some of the world’s best diving but only a handful of really top-quality dive resort destinations. 

A Different Kind of Dive Resort 

It’s that combination — the chops for serious divers, and the resort amenities above the water — that make this a pretty hard-to-beat combination. At many Caribbean dive resorts, something gets lost in the transition from accommodation to dive destination. Here, you’re getting a terrific resort whether or not you’re carrying a tank. And that means that if you are here for the diving, you’re getting a deeper, richer, more enjoyable experience. 

You get the range of accommodations: the villas right on the edge of the marina, the cottages, the toes-in-the-sand bungalows on Sunset Beach. I’ve stayed here several times, and you can’t go wrong no matter which area of the resort you choose — what you’ll always get is a beach that’s practically all yours, upscale interiors, and something else: the knowledge that you’ve discovered one of those in-the-know, off-the-radar, deliciously secret destinations.  

You also get Harbour Pointe an outstanding beach restaurant, cocktails and the freedom to roam around for miles and miles, seeking out your corner of this untouched quadrant of The Bahamas. 

It’s a different kind of dive resort — and the most exciting dive resort in the Caribbean right now. 

How to Get to Cape Eleuthera 

Eleuthera has three airports, in the north, south and central portions of the island. The closest one to Cape Eleuthera is Rock Sound, where you can fly from Fort Lauderdale on Makers Air. American Airlines flies from Miami to both North Eleuthera (about 2:15 drive time) and Governor’s Harbour (one hour and 15 minutes’ drive, and $425 roundtrip on Google Flights depending on which dates you choose).

You can also fly to Rock Sound on Bahamasair out of Nassau, which has flights from, well, just about everywhere. The flight from Nassau takes about half an hour. 

Rooms at Cape Eleuthera (can find more here) go for about $555 for a beach bungalow right now, and about $650 in one of the waterfront villas (with kitchens and waterfront patios).