Beaching Southeastern Barbados

With the exception of The Crane, a ridiculously overpriced luxury resort, and Sam Lord's Castle, the old mansion of a pirate which Marriott has converted into a resort, the southeast coast of Barbados is low-key, undeveloped, and a goldmine of fantastic beaches and small villages. For some reason, the beaches here are naturally free of seaweed, and are about the cleanest beaches I've encountered on earth! Explore the back roads by "moke," a hybrid version of a go-kart and a Volkswagen. Watch the sunset from a hammock on a beach of your own. Explore the ruins of an old plantation mansion perched high on the cliffs above a picture-perfect beach. And don't forget to say "Hello!" to the Concorde! One of British Airway's Concordes has chosen the Barbados airport as its final resting place.

Quick Tips:

Avoid Barbados during the high season (winter) because rates will be higher at hotels and rental agencies, and the island will be more crowded. Restaurants are remarkably scarce in the southeastern section, mostly located by the few hotels around, which makes them pricey. Instead, buy sandwiches, liquor, and snack foods at the nearest grocery store. (There's a massive one near Six Cross Roads in the southeast.) Avoid the mega-developments on the West Coast and seek out small establishments on the East Coast near Bathsheba. They'll be cheaper and more memorable.

Best Way To Get Around:

You can get around the main island routes by bus, but it's not very efficient. If you have time to burn on the island, however, a bus will get you to the primary cities for about 50 cents. BUT this will NOT get you to the wonderful, hidden, deserted beaches! Your best bet is to rent a "moke" which is a glorified go-kart made by Suzuki. They're to per day with insurance and provide a delightful way to zoom around the island, open to the ambient air (and the rain! - though most have soft covers). They have a small trunk to store valuables. All rental agencies have mokes, and competition is stiff, but makes sure to call several of them and compare prices before you book. You may also be able to rent a subcompact car for less than a moke, but you won't have the open-air feeling, and the affection of all the locals who wave and shout at you when you pass them by.

The Edgewater Inn is the only place to stay in Barbados. It's impossibly charming, perched on a cliff above the crashing surf of Bathsheba Beach. Because it perfectly fits the intent of this journal, I simply can't bring myself to post reviews of any other accommodations in Barbados. I've stopped staying at other places.

The architecture at the Edgewater is unique, and immediately behind the hotel is the island's only patch of rainforest, Joe's River rainforest. The hotel has an extensive set of balconies and terraces that extend many levels into the rainforest. It's a lovely place to relax in the afternoon or evening, lulled to sleep by the sound of the waterfalls deep in the canyon below. The rooms are basic and spartan, but typical of budget Caribbean accommodations. DO NOT EXPECT resort-style rooms! There is no a/c in most rooms, just fans and windows. Don't expect hot water, though sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised. What you should expect is family-friendly accommodations, to be welcomed and cared for LIKE family from the locals, to have great food and drinks in the restaurant, to have great views from your room (ask for #218, with one of the best views in the Caribbean!), and to be located smack dab in the center of the most picturesque coastline on one of the most beautiful islands in this region. The area is sleepy, with no major development. (Which means no real restaurants except at the Edgewater and a few other hotels in the area, so stock up on food at a grocery store!)

Rates vary from $69 for a double in summer, to $170 for a double in winter. Yes, I know, I don't consider these "budget" rates, either, but for Barbados, they're about the best you can get! The rates for each room vary, because some are nicer than others. 218 is the best, and 212 and 221 are also very nice. Everything else is pretty basic, and consequently cheaper. The resort has a pool, and there is a path down the cliff to the beach, a 5-minute walk.

The Edgewater is the most charming property I've discovered on Barbados. Despite being spartan, it has been voted "Best Small Hotel in the Caribbean" in 2001 and 2002 by Caribbean Travel and Life magazine. It's definitely a place you'll come back to.

Hint: Bathsheba is remote, by Barbados standards. Unless you're JUST coming to sit on the beach for a weekend, you'll want wheels of your own, so rent a car, and get GOOD directions and a good map from your rental agency. It can take an hour to get there from the airport, though it's only about 20 miles.

Editor's Note:The Edgewater Inn came under new management in June 2004, and has been completely refurbished to include air-conditioned rooms and more. It's now called the New Edgewater, and their website has also changed: check it out by clicking here. Photos for this entry do not necessarily reflect its current appearance.

Bottom Bay has been, for the past six years, my favorite beach in all the Caribbean, and I think very few people have been to as many Caribbean beaches as I have, so I should know! Tucked away on the remote Southeast Coast of Barbados, Bottom Bay is a small spit of sugar-white sand, sprinkled with coconut palms, and backed by sixty-foot limestone cliffs. There is one private residence on the far side of the cliff, but it does nothing to obstruct the perfect views from this beach. Sunrise here is spectacular!!!

There are no facilities at Bottom Bay. And it can be quite hard to find! From the main island road headed east from the airport area, you'll pass the turnoff for Sam Lord's castle, a mile or so later the road will jog left around a telephone pole, and a faded sign will point left to Bottom Bay. Ask a local if you get lost. The road ends at a parking area next to Bottom Bay House, a private estate. Park on the road and follow the old stone steps down the cliff to the beach. Palm trees invite a hammock, which you should not come to Barbados without.

This beach is never crowded, and I usually have it all to myself. On weekends, however, there may be some locals there. There's a nice interesting sea cave in the cliffs at the back of the beach.

WARNING! The water here isn't very safe for swimming! The sand pitches off steeply just inside the water line, and there is a strong undertow! This is a beach for snoozing and musing. I challenge you to find a more perfect beach in all the Caribbean that isn't crawling with hotels and tourists!

It is possible to get to this area by bus. Ask the drivers at the bus terminal in Bridgetown which bus is going to Sam Lord's Castle. Take the bus past the Castle (actually a Marriott hotel) and tell the driver you're going to Bottom Bay. He'll let you off in the village of Bottom Bay and you can walk downhill to the beach.

Most of the picturesque and quiet beaches in Barbados aren't good for swimming. Enterprise Beach, while being a bit more crowded, offers that placid, clear, warm water for which the Caribbean is famous. It's kind of out-of-the-way, as well, and there are no hotels lining it, so the crowd is mostly locals and expats. The only water I enjoy swimming in more, anywhere in the Caribbean, is in Negril, Jamaica. Enterprise is a great afternoon outing, and there are usually some food vendors around if you get hungry. Follow the coastal road west from the airport, using the South Point lighthouse as a reference. Stay as close to the coast as possible, and you'll come upon the beach near the village of Enterprise.

Crane Beach is perhaps the most celebrated beach in Barbados, which is good reason to avoid it. It's nothing special. Lovely sand and lovely water, yes, but backed by a massive, expensive resort, and populated with snooty tourists. Should you decide to visit, the access road which avoids the hotel is narrow and difficult to turn around, but from the end of the access trail you can turn left and visit a much more lovely and deserted beach, just steps from Crane.

Cave Bay is just a 5-minute walk south of Bottom Bay, and should always be visited in conjunction with it. Though the beach isn't as perfect as Bottom Bay, the cliffs above it are the location for a centuries-old stone mansion from the plantation era. I've tried desperately to buy this gorgeous old home, to no avail. The owners wish to leave it to moulder and brood, unrestored, on the cliffs above the beach. Which is fine, because it really adds to the atmosphere.

Carefully explore the old mansion! The boards which were the floor have long since rotted away.

A grand set of stone steps leads to the beach below, which is a bit rocky and rough for swimming. But it is long and sprinkled with coconut palms, and the cliffs are fun to explore. The water here seems warmer than it does at Bottom Bay, and the far right side of the beach is great for wading, as it is shallow and very sandy.

I think most people hear the name Foul Bay and stay as far away from it as possible, which is a good thing. It's an incredible beach, very long, very wide, and very pretty, backed by those ever-present gray limestone cliffs that typify the southeast coast of Barbados.

Foul Bay is better for swimming than most southeast coast beaches, but the surf is still very rough. Lots of locals keep their boats on the left side of the bay. The fishing is great here, and you can watch them haul in their catch toward the end of the afternoon.

Foul Bay is so massive that I don't believe it could ever be crowded. I hear that weekends bring lots of locals, but the beach is well over two miles long and at least a quarter of a mile from water to cliffs, so there's plenty of room for everyone. There were signs of camping in the trees near the cliffs, and I can't imagine a more perfect beach for camping. Just make sure you know what a manchineel tree looks like, and don't camp under it, or the poisonous sap will have you itching for weeks!

Founded in 1742, Codrington College is the oldest Anglican theological college in the western Hemisphere, and predates virtually all the institutes of higher learning in the Americas. It is located on a hilltop high above the sea, and makes the PERFECT sightseeing trip on a rainy or cloudy day. It is unlikely that you'll run into any tourists here.

The college is still active, but now exclusively prepares its students for ordination as priests, instead of providing the full spectrum of academic studies it used to.

You can wander the ancient grounds, enjoy the lovely old buildings, or the reflecting ponds filled with water lilies. Attempt to determine the time using the college's ancient sundial. Or, if classes or mass are not in session, ring the old bell.

This is a supremely relaxing and meditative spot, and the impossibly green lawn between the church and the cliffs to the ocean provides one of the best views I've seen in the Caribbean.

You really need a car to access the college, which is located on the road from Sam Lord's castle to Bath. Admission to the site is free, but there is a donation box present. Please enjoy the grounds to your heart's desire, but keep in mind that it is a seminary, and be respectful of any religious ceremonies that may be happening in the church.