Beaches

Barbados’s east and west coasts offer two entirely different beach experiences. On the west coast, where most of the high-end hotels are located, you’ll find the calm turquoise waters of the Caribbean. The less crowded Atlantic coast, on the east, is much more dramatic and romantic; the northeast, with its misty shores and jagged cliffs, has even been dubbed “Little Scotland.” Some of the more scenic beaches in the east include the pink-tinged Crane Beach, Foul Bay (just south of Crane Beach), Bath and Bathsheba, home of the annual Soup Bowl surfing championships. Atlantic waters can sometimes get rough, but Bath is generally considered the calmest, and there are always plenty of people swimming at Crane because of the nearby hotel. If you’re based on the Caribbean side and have time (the drive between the coasts takes about 45 minutes to an hour), definitely try to make it over to the other side of the island at least once. Good options for lunch include Round House (Bathsheba; 246 433 9678) and Atlantis Hotel (Foster Hall; 246 433 9445).

Note: All Bajan beaches are open to the public (of course, some hotel beaches are a little hard for the public to access), but you won’t find any overrun with craft vendors, who must be licensed by the government to sell their wares.