Many people are surprised to find out that just a mere hour and change flight from the Florida coast they can visit this natural wonder of the beach world, Lighthouse Beach, which sits at the very southeastern tip of Eleuthera. While getting to Eleuthera is fairly easy, just take a direct flight from Atlanta, Florida, or Nassau, New Providence in the Bahamas, the ground trek to Lighthouse Beach can prove to be a bit daunting. That’s because the beach, or beaches as it were, are well hidden at the end of a long 2 mile jungle road. It’s not just any 2 mile road, either. If Glass Window Bridge to the north of the island can be considered the narrowest place on Earth then maybe the road to Lighthouse Point might be the bumpiest. Decades of erosion have left long deep ruts with Volkswagen sized holes that are big enough to swallow a small child. Because of the road condition those last two miles can take anywhere from 35 to 50 minutes depending on how much ground clearance your vehicle has and the driving nerves you possess. It’s not uncommon for visitors to simply abandon their vehicle and hike to the beaches although we don’t recommend doing that. The road is long and barely wide enough for one vehicle in most places. It should not be used as a parking lot if that can be avoided.

After passing a large inland body of water aptly named Big Pond, you will come to the first southern shore beach area, which has been nicknamed Lighthouse Beach Caribbean, by, ummm, me. It’s a beautiful stretch of cool pink sand! The brilliant turquoise waters of the shallower sound side of the island lovingly lap at her shores. Many visitors are content to stay right there, but there’s so much more to see. With one parking area at the beginning of the beach, and a second one next to a wooden bench just before the sandy hill leading to the Atlantic side beach, there’s plenty of room to spread out. Since this beach is considered so special, ironically, it’s often the beach that has the most visitors even if it is one of the harder ones to reach. But, Lighthouse Point has much more to offer and plenty of additional areas to explore.

If you continue to drive past the bench up and over the hill be very careful. The road is little more than a soft sand trail wide enough for one vehicle and with deep ruts. It’s easy to bottom out or get stuck in the sand. With no help nearby you might be there for quite a long time if that happens. If you don’t have experience driving in sand or you don’t have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, don’t even take the chance. Park at the bottom of the hill and take a leisurely stroll up and over the hill. If you’re more adventurous, look for the trail that can be found just past the beach and in the direction of the series of cays. Hike from there up to the abandoned lighthouse building.

The Atlantic side beach is gorgeous! It stretches for more than 6 miles before you would run into a piece of land requiring you to take a little swim to the next beach around the bend. There is plenty of reef to explore on this side of the island if you are interested in snorkeling although the reef, at least the last time I visited, was not healthy and mostly devoid of life. Do pay attention to the current and wind direction as it’s easy to get blown out to sea if you venture too far from shore.

But, what about the lighthouse? I thought this article was going to answer whether or not there is really a lighthouse at Lighthouse Beach!

Once you are done exploring the beaches then find the roped off cutout steps that are carved out of the spectacular limestone outcroppings at the tip of the beach. Climb those steps and take in one of the most incredible elevated views you will ever experience. From that vantage point you’ll be able to observe two oceans colliding between the main body of land and the first cay. It’s truly awe-inspiring! The cays themselves resemble a series of stepping stones for some ancient giant or perhaps Poseidon himself. Venture farther up the path to what remains of the ruins of the old lighthouse and notice the tall poll next to the last remaining building. Yes, the actual light from the lighthouse, or what remains of it (see the end of the video to see what it looks like now) is still standing. I’ve never been able to find out much more history about this place or when the lighthouse ceased to function. It stands today as a testament to times gone by when it’s beacon of light helped ancient maritime sailors avoid tragedies at sea.

There are numerous other little hiking trails each one leading to another spectacular view, lookout ledge or hidden beach. I strongly recommend making a day out of the adventure. Pack all the food, drink and sunscreen you will need and spend the day enjoying and experiencing the majesty that is the Lighthouse Beach. We may not have this view for much longer as the land has been purchased by the Disney Corporation and they have plans to turn it into something other than what it is today. If that happens then the likelihood of being able to visit Lighthouse Point will probably only be possible by boat or by embarking on one of their cruises. It’s a future that I don’t like to even imagine, but a possibility nonetheless.

Make sure to pick up a copy of The Beach Book, Eleuthera, Bahamas edition for explicit driving directions to Lighthouse Beach and be sure to Like and Share our Facebook page below!