Lighthouse Beach Eleuthera: Blush-Rose Sand, Two Seas and the Old Lighthouse

The path ends and the beach opens in a long curve of soft, blush-rose sand, with the surf of the Atlantic on one side and the quieter water of the Exuma Sound on the other. At the far end a weathered lighthouse stands on a limestone headland above the waves. Lighthouse Beach sits at the southern tip of Eleuthera, and a visit here is a long unhurried afternoon of walking, shelling, picnicking and looking out to sea.

Lighthouse Beach on Eleuthera · Illustration

Is visiting Lighthouse Beach worth it?

Yes, if you like beaches that ask a little effort of you and give a lot back: couples, picnickers, photographers, shell hunters and anyone who would rather walk to a place than be delivered to it. The path in is somewhat difficult, and the payoff is well worth it, so this is a beach for people ready to go the extra distance rather than for a quick stop with a towel.

What sets it apart from other beaches on the island is the setting at the very bottom of Eleuthera. Two bodies of water meet here, so you can play in the Exuma Sound and the Atlantic almost at the same time.

Add the pink-tinged sand, the hidden caves on one side, the open ocean views on the other and an old lighthouse on a dramatic rock, and a single stretch of shore holds several different moods. It is also a place to linger. Pack a picnic basket and an entire romantic afternoon passes without anyone checking the time.

If your idea of a beach day is a bar, a chair and a menu, this is not that. Lighthouse Beach rewards a slower kind of traveler, one who likes to wander, poke around the rocks and sit with a view.

What to see at Lighthouse Beach

The blush-rose sand

The beach is known for endless miles of unspoiled, soft, powdery sand with a faint rosy tint, the kind of color that shifts with the light. In the morning it looks pale and almost peach, and as the afternoon goes on it deepens toward pink.

Nothing much interrupts the sweep of it, which is the point. You can walk in either direction for a long while, leaving the only footprints, and the beach feels like it belongs to whoever happens to be on it. Bring a hat and settle in wherever the view suits you.

Two bodies of water in one stop

The Exuma Sound side has several hidden caves and offers good shelling. Snorkeling is great just a walk off the beach, so it is worth carrying a mask if you have one. Walk the shoreline slowly, glance into the rock hollows and watch what the tide has left behind.

A short walk away, the Atlantic side is a different world: open horizon, rolling surf and wide views, including Half Moon Cay on the water. Standing between the two coasts, you feel how narrow and exposed this end of the island is.

The old lighthouse and its window

At the end of the beach, an old lighthouse crowns a dramatic limestone promontory above the ocean, and visitors can climb up to it. Its worn stone and its position at the edge of the island are what make it so photogenic, a beacon built for ships that now watches over walkers.

For a photo, stand at the window. It frames the sea and the sky in a natural border, and you do not need any fancy equipment to take a picture people will ask about afterward. If you are camping overnight, the rock structure gives great protection from the elements.

Hours, tickets and rules

Lighthouse Beach is a natural shoreline with an old lighthouse on a headland, not a ticketed attraction with a gate and a counter. The visit is about the walk, the sand and the view, and what you do there is open-ended: sunbathe, shell, picnic or climb up to the lighthouse.

The climb to the old lighthouse on the limestone promontory is part of the visit, and visitors can make it. The path in is somewhat difficult, so the approach is part of the experience too. Picnicking and sunbathing are both mentioned as ways to spend the day here. If you plan to camp overnight, the rock structure provides great protection from the elements.

For information about the beach, you can contact the Eleuthera Tourist Office at (242) 332-2142 or by email at [email protected]. They are the contact named for visitors with questions about Lighthouse Beach.

How to get to Lighthouse Beach

Lighthouse Beach is at the southernmost point of Eleuthera, on the Atlantic side of the island. Eleuthera itself is a long, narrow island lying 50 miles east of Nassau, so the trip starts with getting to the island and then heading toward its southern end.

The island is traced by the Queens Highway, which runs for 110 miles along Eleuthera, giving a sense of how stretched out the island is. Lighthouse Beach lies at the far southern end of that length, which makes it a destination in itself rather than something you pass on the way to somewhere else.

The last part of the trip is on foot, and the path is somewhat difficult. That matters for how you plan the day: arrive ready to walk, wearing shoes that suit uneven ground, and leave yourself time to enjoy the beach once you get there. The walk in is also part of what keeps the shore so unspoiled.

Do not confuse Lighthouse Beach with Lighthouse Point, a separate place on Eleuthera that opened exclusively to Disney Cruise Line guests on June 6, 2024. The two have similar names, so know which one you are heading for.

When to visit Lighthouse Beach

The best time of day is when the light is low. Early on, the sand looks pale and soft, the surf is quiet and you may have a long stretch of beach to yourself. Late in the afternoon the rose tint deepens and the lighthouse takes on a warm glow, which makes it the time for photographs from the window.

Because the beach is open to the sky with little cover, the middle of the day feels strongest in the sun. A hat, a shady spot among the rocks and a long picnic stretched across the afternoon all make sense. The beach is also a good place to stay for the evening light if you are comfortable with the walk out.

As for the season, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so a visit in those months falls inside it, and a trip between December and May falls outside the official season. Eleuthera was severely damaged in 1992 by Hurricane Andrew, which reminds you that the island is exposed to the ocean. Plan with flexibility if you travel in the season. On the island’s calendar, an annual Pineapple Festival is held in Gregory Town, a pleasant companion event if your dates line up with it.

Tips for your visit

Pack as if you will be away from everything for the afternoon. A picnic basket is the classic choice here, and the beach is a great place to spend an entire romantic afternoon. Bring a hat, sunscreen, plenty of water and a bag for shells you do not plan to keep.

Sturdy footwear suits the path, which is somewhat difficult. If anyone in your group has trouble with uneven ground, think about whether the walk suits them before you set out. A mask and snorkel are worth bringing, since snorkeling is great just a walk off the beach on the Exuma Sound side.

Start with the Exuma Sound side for the caves, shelling and snorkeling.
Cross to the Atlantic side for the open vistas and the view toward Half Moon Cay.
Finish at the lighthouse and take your photo from the window.
Leave time for a long picnic on the sand between each stop.

To round out the day elsewhere on Eleuthera, the 25-acre Leon Levy Native Plant Reserve has an environmental education centre, a calm contrast to the wild southern shore. If you want a more specific plan for the beach itself, the Eleuthera Tourist Office can be reached at (242) 332-2142.

Good to know before you go

The U.S. State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and says most crime occurs in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama.

Lighthouse Beach is a remote, natural place, so bring what you need for the day and take your trash with you. The Atlantic hurricane season is under way until the end of November, so trips in that window deserve flexible plans and an eye on the forecast. Beyond that, a picnic, a hat, good shoes and a sense of adventure are all you need for one of Eleuthera’s most memorable afternoons.

Sources

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Lighthouse Beach (https://www.bahamas.com/natural-wonders/lighthouse-beach), checked October 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Eleuthera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleuthera), checked October 10, 2026
U.S. Department of State, The Bahamas Travel Advisory, Level 2 (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 10, 2026
NOAA National Hurricane Center, Climatology (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked October 10, 2026