1. It's a fabulous summer destination. With dependable Atlantic breezes, tiny Harbour island—a tropical Nantucket, just a few miles from Eleuthra. And it's low season until mid-December, which means not only uncrowded beaches but also house-rentals prices and hotel rates are much lower than they are during the winter.
2. It's bling-free. Almost alone among the best islands in the Caribbean—Saint Bart's, Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos—tiny Harbour Island is not the place to go if your idea of a great vacation is shopping duty-free Rolexes. The day's big buying moment comes when picking up fresh rock lobster tails at the dock—10 pounds for about $75.
3. Everyone's invited to the party. Who say's anyone over 40 doesn't dance? On Harbour Island, everyone plays together, hitting the same bars and clubs—Gusty's, with a sand dance floor; funky Vic-Hum's, where the dance floor doubles as an open-air basketball court; and the Sea Grapes, where no stands still when the junkaroo bands get going.
4. The pink sand beach. Made from coral, it's one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The turquoise waters of the Atlantic are dive-right-in warm, too.
5. Jalepeño bread and other delicacies. Folks head to Arthur's bakery in the morning for coconut bread, sticky rolls, and cheese-and-jalapeño bread that's perfect with barbecued fish. Other great things to eat on the island include the fresh conch salad at the Queen Conch stand near the harbor, the epic cheeseburger at Sip Sip (where the crowds goes for lunch) the grilled tuna steak at The Landing, and the cappellini with rock shrimp at The Rock House.
6. No traffic. Harbour Island is car-free; everyone gets around on electric golf carts.
7. It's a peaceable kingdom. Founded by British Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution and African slaves who once worked on Eleuthra's pineapple plantations, Harbour Island is that rare Caribbean island where everyone's lived together harmoniously for centuries.
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