The island is a typical destination for relaxing by the sea and easy day trips inland. What are the best activities in Barbados and what is there to do there?

Beaches and swimming

Barbados is renowned for its white sandy beaches and azure sea. Most tourists head to the island specifically to swim in the sea, which is undoubtedly the main activity. Although Barbados is commonly referred to as part of the Caribbean, in reality only the Atlantic Ocean washes its shores, as it lies roughly 150 km east of the main chain of Caribbean islands.

Find the best beachfront hotel

Literally all the local beaches are covered infine white sand, only occasionally mixed with small pebbles or shells (mainly on the less-visited east coast).

What are the best beaches in Barbados?

You’ll find beaches almost all the way round the island, though they vary quite significantly depending on the specific stretch of coastline.

The west and south coasts

Narrow sandy beaches line practically half of Barbados, from Speightstown to Silver Sands. The beaches stretch through densely populated, flat areas and are flanked by villas or resorts almost the entire length of both the west and south coasts.

However, at regular intervals between the houses, there are public access paths, always marked with a sign reading ‘Public Access to the Beach’.

The beaches on the west and south coasts are the most popular; here you’ll find plenty of completely deserted spots as well as larger, livelier beaches with sun lounger hire, restaurants and bars.

Among the best-known beaches in this part of Barbados are, for example, Carlisle Bay (Pebbles Beach), Folkestone Marine Park, Maxwell Beach and the stretch of beaches around The Richard Haynes Boardwalk the Hastings and Rockley areas.

The sea on the west coast is the calmest; in the south, the waves tend to be larger, but it is still safe for swimmers and ideal for bodysurfing.

The south-east coast

For a different kind of beach, head to the south-east, from the airport towards the easternmost point of Barbados, in the vicinity of Diamond Valley, Harrismith and Long Bay.

The beaches here lie in small, open coves beneath rocky cliffs up to 15 metres high. They are very picturesque, and most are lined with groves of coconut palms.

The surface of the local beaches is once again made up of fine white sand, occasionally with a layer of seaweed. The beaches in the south-east tend to be half-empty, with only a handful of visitors. Services here are provided solely by local residents, who sell coconuts or rent out sun loungers.

If we had to choose the most beautiful beach in this part of Barbados, we would pick Bottom Bay Beach.

The east coast

This part of Barbados has a dramatic and very desolate feel to it. Long sandy beaches alternate with rocky and stony stretches, and the hilly east coast looks both majestic and photogenic.

The local beaches, the most famous of which is The Soup Bowthe one in the town of Bathsheba, are, however, more for admiring than for swimming. The waves here tend to be large and the rip currents dangerous.

Are all the beaches public?

Many beaches are occupied by large hotel resorts with their own bars, sun loungers and gated access from the mainland.

By law, however, all beaches in Barbados are freely accessible to all visitors along their entire length. This means you can visit even the sections of beach adjacent to hotel resorts without any worries, even if you’re staying at a completely different hotel.

What facilities are available on Barbados’ beaches?

The beaches at hotel resorts and near larger towns are well equipped with comfortable sun loungers, parasols and fully stocked bars or restaurants. On larger beaches (mainly on the west and south coasts), you’ll usually also find free toilets and public showers.

Outside the resorts, the beaches tend to be more natural in character. However, you’ll usually come across sun lounger and parasol hire stalls and more or less makeshift refreshment stands on the beaches. It’s not a good idea to rely on beach stalls, though, as you won’t be able to buy anything to eat nearly everywhere. So always take a sufficient supply of food and drink with you.

The cost of hiring two sun loungers and one parasol ranges from 15 to20 usd on most beaches. Payment is always by cash only, in either US or Barbadian dollars.

The beaches in Barbados benefit from natural shade provided by mature trees, which can be found almost everywhere.

Try some Barbadian rum

The ideal conditions for growing sugar cane – Barbados’s largest export – have contributed to the island’s tradition of rum production.

Genuine rum originated in the Caribbean, and it is in Barbados that you’ll find the world’s oldest rum distillery. Mount Gay has been producing rum here continuously since 1703.

Visit the distilleries and find out all about rum production on the island. The best tour is offered by the largest company Mount Gay. Tours of the romantic-looking estate St. Nicholas Abbey in the rural north of Barbados are also popular.

As well as tastings at the distilleries, you can buy rum in any shop or bar. How much will you pay for a bottle and how much for a cocktail? Take a look at the section on Money and Prices in Barbados.

Snorkelling

Barbados is an ideal destination for snorkelling, even for beginners. The local coral reefs guarantee a huge variety of marine life, and in several places they’re easily accessible directly from the beach without having to pay for expensive boat trips.

Snorkelling in Barbados may not offer quite the same spectacular conditions as you’ll find in the Red Sea, Indonesia or Palau, but within the Caribbean it certainly ranks among the top snorkelling spots.

We’d recommend the two most beautiful snorkelling spots:

• Folkestone Marine Park – extensive coral reefs right by the beach in a protected zone where boats are not allowed to enter
• Carlisle Bay – six shipwrecks easily accessible from the beach (200 metres from the shore at depths of 3 to 30 metres)

Snorkelling equipment can be bought in large supermarkets (Massy) or at some beaches, where it is also available for hire (around 15 usd per set per day).

Visit the botanical gardens

Although, upon arrival and after travelling to your hotel in the southern and western parts of the island, Barbados may strike you as a densely built-up place without a trace of nature, you need only drive 25 km from Bridgetown towards the centre of the island to find yourself in a hilly region full of rainforests.

And it is here that you’ll come across several small but breathtaking private botanical gardens, where you can discover both local and exotic flora from tropical regions and enjoy a moment of peace and quiet.

Here are the three best gardens in Barbados: Flower Forest Gardens, Andromeda Botanic Gardens, Hunte's Gardens.

Book a car in Barbados

Surfing

Surfing is one of the most popular water sports on the island. There are several surf schools in the Bridgetown area, such as:

• Barrys Surf Barbados
• Ride The Tide Surf School Barbados
• Zed’s Surfing Adventures

The conditions here are ideal for surfing all year round.

The Soup Bowl, on the east coast of the island, is undoubtedly the most popular spot amongst experienced surfers.

For less experienced surfers, the west or south coasts are more suitable, particularly the southernmost part of Barbados around the town of Oistins, where the waves can be quite large.

Diving

If you have no experience of diving, you can take beginner’s courses at local diving centres (e.g. Barbados Blue Watersports at the Hilton Hotel). Before your first dive in the sea, an instructor will train you in the swimming pool. If you get hooked on diving, you can also take the PADI international diving exams.

Most divers head to Carlisle Bay, where there are shipwrecks on the seabed, some of which lie at depths that cannot be reached whilst snorkelling.

Generally speaking, however, Barbados is not among the best destinations for diving. There aren’t that many coral reefs around the island, and those that are there are easily accessible from the shore for snorkelling.