It is a picturesque settlement on the shores of Loch Carron. It faces east, away from the prevailing winds, and this gives it a mild climate allowing palm trees to grow.
Most of the houses date from the 18th and 19th centuries. It was a planned community based on fishing in an attempt to stem the tide of emigration from the Highlands.
The village is a popular tourist resort, especially since the filming of the TV series Hamish MacBeth which starred Robert Carlyle.
The village has a High School, pubs, a small general store, hotels, and a railway station on the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line.
Nearby is Duncraig Castle, a 19th century stately home which was derelict for many years but in 2003 was on the verge of coming under new ownership.