Spanish Wells & Russell Island is located about 1/2 mile off of the Northern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas, accessible from Eleuthera mainland by taking a 5 minute ferry.
When making travel arrangements, you can reach Spanish Wells by air or boat. The North Eleuthera Airport is only an hour's flight from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and about a 20 minute flight from Nassau, Bahamas. If you fly directly into North Eleuthera Airport, it just requires a short 10 minute ground taxi and 5 minute ferry ride to get to Spanish Wells from the airport. If you decide to take the large ferry from Nassau, it arrives directly to the Spanish Wells dock (a 2 hour boat ride that departs around 8:00 am from Nassau and arrives around 10:00 am most days to Spanish Wells).
The closest airport to Spanish Wells is the North Eleuthera airport on the mainland of North Eleuthera, airport code (ELH). Use this code when checking out flights from some airline services such as Expedia or Travelocity. Governor's Harbour Airport (GHB) is also located on Eleuthera, and is a little further than the North Eleuthera Airport at about 30 miles south of Jean's Bay dock, North Eleuthera.
Once you arrive to the North Eleuthera airport, you will need to take about a 10 minute cab ride to the North Eleuthera dock called "Jean's Bay". There are usually taxicab drivers available at the airport. From Jean's Bay, you can board a Government ferry boat and take a 5-minute trip to arrive at the Spanish Wells dock (Spanish Wells is about a half-mile in the distance from Jean's Bay). The government ferry routinely makes scheduled runs back and forth during the daytime on the hour or half-hour (approximate cost $8 round-trip person--subject to change). Pinder's Taxi Service from Spanish Wells (highly recommended) is another option, and they provide direct combined ground taxi and ferry transportation from North Eleuthera Airport to the Spanish Wells Dock or vice versa: call Pinder's Supermarket in Spanish Wells 242-333-4068 to pre-arrange. Current cost for this combined transportation (subject to change) is $30 round-trip with a 2 person minimum.
Once you get to the Spanish Wells dock, you can pick up a 2, 4 or 6 seater golf cart. Golf Cart rentals are the primary mode of tranportation for tourists to the island and get you around well to the beach areas, restaurants, grocery stores, and for touring. Harbourside Golf Cart Rentals (one local vendor) is located in an orange building dockside, phone 333-5022. They offer hourly, daily, weekly & monthly pricing. Current weekly pricing (subject to change) is around $225 for a 2 seater, $250 for a 4-seater, and $350 for a 6-seater. Golf cart reservations through Harbourside can be made in advance for your trip.
There is also a local Taxi service on Spanish Wells, Taxi1 @ 333-2444.
From there, you can go to your vacation rental or lodging, or touring, if applicable. If your vacation rental is in Russell Island, it is just a short drive over the Russell Island bridge. You can reach just about anywhere in Russell Island or Spanish Wells via no more than a 10 minute golf cart ride.
AIRLINES (ELH, North Eleuthera airport closest):
Most people fly into Eleuthera from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, or through Nassau, Bahamas.*Please note airlines/schedules are subject to change. Please check with airlines directly in advance to making any final vacation accommodation arrangements. We do not endorse any particular airline.
Larger Airline from Fort Lauderdale or Miami, FL (one hour flight):
American Airlines 800-433-7300
Continental Airlines 800-525-0280
Smaller Airlines (Ft Lauderdale):
Bahamas Express 754-200-0005
Twin Air 954-359-8266
Yellow Air Taxi 954-321-0292
By Air from Nassau, Bahamas to Eleuthera (20 minute flight)
Bahamas Air 800-222-4262
Pineapple Air 242-377-0140
Southern Air Charter 242-377-2014 or 2015.
BOAT FERRY FROM NASSAU TO ELEUTHERA:"Bo Hengy", from Nassau, Bahamas to Eleuthera: (2 hrs) Bahamas Ferries (check schedules for departures/arrivals to Spanish Wells). Ph: 242-323-2166; 242-394-9700
Current standard pricing as of June 2011 (subject to change) is $125 per adult round-trip Nassau to Spanish Wells.
If you want to take a day trip from Spanish Wells to Harbour Island through the Bahamas Ferry (departs around 11:00 am to Harbour Island and returns back to Spanish Wells in the afternoon--check schedules), cost is around $40 per person (subject to change).
