A getaway to the Caribbean is something every good tourist dreams of. And within the Caribbean islands, perhaps Barbados is one of the best and most exotic. Today I talk about its beaches since the whole island is a paradise of idyllic places.
This tiny island in the Caribbean Sea stands as the perfect place to escape the world crisis. It is part of those paradisiacal destinations where we have all dreamed of escaping, a place whose name alone evokes adventures in exotic and fascinating landscapes. And in fact, one thing that cannot be denied is that the beaches of Barbados are among the most beautiful in the Caribbean.
However, it is almost impossible to try to make a selection of the best beaches in Barbados. But I have tried to compile some of them that I visited so that you cannot miss them on your trip. So, I have compiled the 12 Best Beaches in Barbados that I want to recommend.
Best Beaches in Barbados
1. Crane Beach
The Crane Beach was on the other side of the island from the hotel I was staying at. The day I rented the car with some friends, I already knew that this would be one of the best beaches in Barbados. Many people had already recommended the place. Coincidentally, I decided to have a picnic there.
This is a magnificent beach of soft light sand with pink shades, which is popular with honeymooners. It is bordered behind by tall palm trees and bathed by a beautiful turquoise sea. If you want to swim in these waters, you have to be very careful of the presence of strong underwater currents.
The beach is really beautiful, like so many others in Barbados and the Caribbean, but it has something special in store. There is a passage between two stretches of the beach, forming a cave right in front of the sea. It was the perfect place for a lunch stop.
Some of the great sports that I recommend while here are windsurfing, boogie boarding, and scuba diving. The beach is reliably protected, as it is patrolled by police around the clock.
Read More: 14 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Barbados
2. Mullins Beach
From Holetown, a rather chic town due to its hotels and luxury villas, going towards Speightstown, I found Mullins beach, and I had to include it on this list of the best beaches in Barbados.
Mullins Beach is well equipped with everything you need to enjoy your vacation, and its infrastructure can only be envied. There is everything here: tents and sun loungers and cozy restaurants to enjoy the most popular drink in Barbados.
Next to the beach, there are several playgrounds and pastry stalls for children, in which a wonderful selection of ice cream for every taste is sold. So, if you have children and you’re planning a vacation with your family, you will not find a better place to stay than this.
3. Dover Beach
I think Dover Beach is absolutely one of the most beautiful beaches in Barbados, almost within the city limits of St. Lawrence Gap. The town of St. Lawrence Gap is one of the most developed resort towns in the south of the island, so there is an abundance of shops for tourists, where you can buy almost everything you need for a good rest.
This beach is famous for the fact that here, not far from its coastline, the waters of the Atlantic Ocean meet the waters of the Caribbean Sea. Therefore, the sea here often gives swimmers small waves, which children really like to dive into.
There are also many souvenir shops with goods for almost every taste and budget. Vacationers should remember that, in contrast to the Western, so-called “platinum” coast, the southern coast of the island of Barbados is considered to be quite a “party.” Scattered along the coast are dozens of restaurants, bars, clubs, and discos.
The nightlife in the vicinity of the beach, accordingly, is not much different from the nightlife of any popular resort. It is fun and noisy here. However, this does not prevent lovers of peace from retiring at the very edge of the water.
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4. Gibbes Beach
Gibbie’s beach is one of the quietest beaches in Barbados, just adjacent to the famous Mullins Beach. In addition, it is considered one of the least visited beaches in all of Barbados, perfect for relaxing in an atmosphere of complete peace under the Caribbean sun.
The beach is wide and of soft sand, with incredibly calm waters ideal for long swims. In addition, it is perfect for practicing various water sports, including water skiing and for snorkelers.
During the off-peak seasons, it is often deserted, and those who go there can enjoy a completely private paradise. Although there are no restaurants or bars, it is possible to organize a wonderful picnic in the shade of the tall trees. It is also possible to take a walk and reach the nearby beach, Mullins Beach, where all the possible catering activities are concentrated.
5. Carlisle Beach
I had read about Carlisle Bay before leaving, and it looked magnificent from the photos already. The particular thing is that Carlisle Bay is located just a stone’s throw from Bridgetown, the capital.
This beach has a beautiful coastline of almost 5 kilometers with soft white sand, bordered by palm trees. With crystal clear, calm, and warm waters, it will hook your heart and make you want to stay there every day. The kind of place that makes you say “wow,” or even “absurdly beautiful.” In addition, there are numerous tourist infrastructures, exclusive resorts, and beach bars.
The beach has a slopping bottom, ideal for swimming and perfect for water sports such as standup paddle-boarding, kayaking, swimming, jet-skiing, sailing, and much more. It is certainly one of the best beaches in Barbados.
6. Payne’s Bay Beach
I came to Paynes Bay during my tour of the island, and the inhabitants who reside in this area have no doubts, the most beautiful beach in Barbados is this.
It is a splendid long and very wide soft sandy beach, bordered by rich vegetation that gives a pleasant natural shade. This is a perfect beach for swimming and even snorkeling in some areas. Also, due to its length, you can take long walks along its shore.
The turtles are found about 250 meters offshore. Anyone who wants can swim to them and stay among them. There is also the possibility of being able to admire them on board small boats made available by the locals of the island. However, I recommend moving at dawn because around mid-morning, the water is literally colonized by catamarans and swimmers to whom the turtles leave the field free.
For the lunch break, you can access the hotel, which is located on the beach or in the less expensive places that are nearby. Access to the beach is guaranteed from several points distributed along the road. To reach it, you can also take buses that run frequently.
7. Heywoods Beach
Heywoods Beach is located on the west coast of Barbados and is one of the best beaches in Barbados that is well equipped. It has good infrastructure and excellent service, and this is not surprising when you consider that two of the largest hotel complexes on the west coast of the island are located next to Haywoods Beach. These are the Port St. Charles and Almond Beach Club.
The prices here are reasonable, so there are quite enough people who want to enjoy their rest in these hotel complexes. If there are too many holidaymakers on the beach, both complexes close the beach for their guests to swim and sunbathe in comfort. This means that with the influx of tourists to the hotels and cottages of the complexes, those who stay in other hotels nearby will have problems accessing the beach.
Fortunately, such a massive influx of tourists on the beach is not always there. And therefore, the beach is always open to everyone. I recommend trying snorkeling, water skiing, and even playing golf. There is a private course right on the beach.
I should also add that it is very good to have a rest here with children, as there are small natural “baths” here on the shore, filled with salty seawater.
8. Accra Beach
Accra beach is one of the longest beaches in the Hastings and Rockley area, a stone’s throw from where I was staying at the hotel, also the southwest coast of Barbados. The beach is right in front of the namesake “Accra beach hotel.” It is also equipped, but rather chaotic because here they do many water sports, especially jet skis and the like.
The coast is of soft white sand, behind which there is a large parking lot with some stalls under huge shady trees. It is very popular, especially for families with children who love to bask in the sun lying on the sun loungers. The quietest part of the beach is the western end, where there are also some hotels, while the eastern end is livelier, where there is a beach bar.
The waves here are moderate to medium, making it a great place for windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, and surfing. For this reason, it is good to swim not too far from the shore. However, on the westernmost part, the waves are very small thanks to the presence of a breakwater in the water.
9. Bathsheba Beach
This picturesque fishing village on the east coast is the surf capital of Barbados and is where most of the water sports championships take place.
The beach is characterized by a beautiful wide coastline of soft blinding white sand, which stretches along a jagged coast of impressive rocks. The peculiarity of the coast is that it is dotted with huge rounded boulders, which are nothing more than rock formations detached from an ancient coral reef.
Bathsheba beach doesn’t offer any structure if you want to spend the day, but it has everything the surfer needs: a place to rent a board, parking, and shower to take the saltwater after the surf. However, the beach also attracts sunbathers who want to have fun and relax in the natural pools and reefs that form along with it.
The beach is very quiet and almost deserted, making it become among the best beaches in Barbados to rest and relax. The movement will only come and go by surfers at sea.
10. Miami Beach
Also known as Enterprise Beach, Miami Beach is located on the south coast of the island, just outside the town of Oistins. It is, in fact, counted among the most beautiful beaches in Barbados also for its conformation, where the sea is very calm, and there are perfect corners where to lie in the sun with a towel or relax directly in the water.
It is a beautiful beach of soft light sand with pink shades, bathed by extraordinarily turquoise and transparent waters. The coast is very wide and long, rarely crowded during the week, while on weekends, it becomes very popular with locals, who love to have picnics and spend their vacation days here.
Although the sea is always calm, sometimes it becomes rough and dangerous. Therefore, it is important to avoid swimming near the rocks, especially at high tide.
The beach is well equipped, as you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas. Also, you can enjoy the convenience of numerous benches with tables behind the coast, under the shade of large trees.
11. Silver Sand Beach
Situated at the southernmost tip of the island of Barbados, between Grantley Adams International Airport and Bridgetown, Silver Sands Beach is another of the best beaches in Barbados.
I think this beach has everything that the most discerning vacationer could wish for. Silver Sands Beach can rightfully be called an ideal place for both beach and outdoor activities. There is everything for water sports, diving and surfing are quite popular.
If you just want to relax and enjoy a calm and enjoyable vacation in Barbados that will revitalize your mind and body, there is something here to take care of you. The infrastructure of a beach holiday here is excellent, the service is excellent, and the nearby cozy hotels will make you enjoy your time here. Picturesque places, clear sea, gentle sun, and an atmosphere of comfort and hospitality, this is what Silver Sands Beach is.
12. Needham’s Point Beach
Needham’s Point Beach is located on the south end coast of the island, at the southernmost part of Carlisle Bay.
Needham point is home to three distinct beaches: the northernmost one, which locals call Pebble Beach due to its gravelly shoreline, the southernmost known as Drill Hall Beach, and the one in the center, perhaps the most beautiful of all, which is called Needham’s Point Beach.
The latter is characterized by a beautiful coastline of soft white sand, which is always calm, making it an excellent place to swim and snorkel. The large Barbados Hilton Hotel also overlooks Needham’s Point Beach.
The Pebble Beach is perfect for swimming, while the Drill Hall Beach is a sandy beach but somehow rough, making it ideal for bodyboarding or for novice surfers. In addition, the whole area offers various tourist services, as well as a small recreational park with picnic benches, swings, and a beautiful sea view.
Where to stay: Best Hotels in Barbados Lowest Price Guarantee