Before you can set up a chair on the beach and enjoy those turquoise waters, you need to figure out how you will travel to Spanish Wells. Paradise isn’t always easy and you will be taking a combination of plane, car and water taxi to get to our little island…but it is worth it once the picturesque dock comes into your view. Depending on your time frame and your other destinations, there are a couple options for finding your way there.

First, let’s break the options down into two options to get to the airport closest to Spanish Wells, North Eleuthera: flying to Nassau then on to North Eleuthera or Spanish Wells, or flying directly to North Eleuthera from the United States then heading to Spanish Wells. Because it is a little simpler, we will look at the second option- travelling from the U.S. directly to North Eleuthera then to Spanish Wells.

The best way to look for flights to go into North Eleuthera is to use our favorite flight search engine, Google Flights. Follow that link, and you will find the most ideal search tool you could possibly have for booking any flight, not just one to the sunny Bahamas. Google Flights lets you input many variables to get the most ideal flight in terms of budget, departure and arrival points, and dates. You can choose multiple airports in both the departure and arrival fields, but for this search enter in any airport convenient for your departure and the arrival as North Eleuthera, Bahamas (airport code “ELH”).

From there you can choose dates in a way that will get you the cheapest fare. If you open the calendar to choose departure and arrival dates, below each date are prices and the cheapest will be highlighted in green. If your dates are flexible, it is great to book the flight first then find accommodation so you can get the cheapest flight possible. If not, it will still show you what the cheapest flight is on your days from whichever airport(s) you chose as your departure. Your search should look something like this:

Now that you have found your cheapest flight directly into North Eleuthera, the only thing you will have to worry about is getting to Spanish Wells via a van taxi and a water taxi. But we will discuss that once we have finished discussing the options for travelling to North Eleuthera or Spanish Wells via Nassau.

To get to Nassau, you can use the handy dandy Google Flights, however, you should also head over to Southwest’s website to search what flights they may have from your area to Nassau as they service many routes from the U.S. into Nassau’s airport (code “NAS”). Google Flights does not include Southwest in their search, so that is why the distinction is being made. Southwest is great because their fares can be cancelled very easily, with the possibility of getting a full refund or a full trip credit depending on the fare you choose…and there are NO change fees, only pay the difference in airfare. It is especially convenient for families or someone who is taking a long trip, as the first two bags per person are FREE on Southwest. You can also use their "Low Fare Calendar" for flexible dates to get the best deal. Safe to say, we love them, especially because the points system is liberal and simple to use. So, the more you visit, the better!

Once you are in Nassau, we can further distinguish your choices to travel from Nassau as directly to Spanish Wells, or to North Eleuthera then to Spanish Wells. I know, it sounds confusing, but let’s talk about the first option, taking the ferry that docks right in Spanish Wells from the port at Nassau.

The ferry is about a two hour ride, but great if you want to feel the wind and the sea spray in your hair while gazing out at turquoise waters and looking for a glimpse of dolphins swimming next to the ferry! This option is ideal if you are staying in Nassau or on Paradise Island to enjoy the amazing Atlantis for any time before heading to Spanish Wells.

The second course you can take is flying from Nassau to North Eleuthera, then taxiing to Spanish Wells. This will be the best if your flight goes into Nassau and you want to get over to Spanish Wells the same day, without leaving the airport. Once you arrive on your international flight from the U.S., you will go through immigration then go to baggage claim and customs. If you want to impress all of your travelling companions, once in the immigration hall, head all the way over to the left-most line (near the windows). That is the one for the “family islands” connections and will save you a considerable wait in the “normal” line. You can grab your own bags, but the trip over to the domestic terminal is a ways so you may want to ask one of the nice men with the baggage carts to help you, but ONLY if you are willing to tip $5-10 depending on your party.

The airline we have found the most economical and dependable to fly to North Eleuthera from Nassau is Pineapple Air. They have several flights every day that fly to North Eleuthera. You will have to pay $1/pound for any baggage weight that is over 40lbs per person, but it never amounts to much. While waiting at the domestic terminal, check out the traditional Caribbean food, grab a beer or a daquiri from the bar and wait for your flight. But don’t get too distracted, once they call your flight, you have a short amount of time to get to the gate before they take everyone to the tarmac. It is easy to ask for that second drink and miss the boarding call, we know from experience! You will walk outside and feel that beautiful tropical heat before climbing the stairs to the plane. Beware, it is a tiny plane and very loud but perfectly safe…just always wear your seatbelt!

You will take a quick half hour flight to North Eleuthera, landing and deplaning as quickly as they take your bags out of the hold. Now, we are at the same point we were at flying directly into North Eleuthera from the U.S., needing a taxi from the airport to Spanish Wells. If you are staying with us, our property manager will book you on Pinder’s Taxi. For a maximum of $30 per person depending on how many people are on the trip, they will transport you to Spanish Wells safely and efficiently. They will pick you up in a van at the airport, load your bags and drive you to the docks on the northern tip of Eleuthera. From Jean’s Bay there, you’re put into a water taxi and take a short trip to the docks of Spanish Wells where our property manager will be waiting for you with your golf cart and a wave!

While the day may be a little long, the reward will be sweet and absolutely worth it. If you are ever confused with all of the planning, we are here to help. Just send us an email to info@byhrentals.com and we will do our best to assist you.

Keep a look out for more posts reviewing restaurants on the island, mapping out adventures and more!

Love,

Travelling to Spanish Wells

The Enders Family

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