20 of the best · Barbados
The Best Beaches in Barbados
The calm Caribbean beaches of the west coast, Carlisle Bay’s shipwrecks, the lively south coast, Crane Beach and Bottom Bay in the south-east, and the surf and boulders of Bathsheba.
Our 20 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in Barbados
Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Barbados.
-
The city beach with shipwrecks
Carlisle Bay
A wide bay of calm water and white sand on the edge of Bridgetown, with a marine park of shipwrecks to snorkel.
Bridgetown, St. Michael, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
The Platinum Coast at its finest
Paynes Bay & Sandy Lane Beach
Paynes Bay and Sandy Lane Beach, the calm, golden heart of the St. James coast.
Paynes Bay, St. James, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Atlantic surf below the cliffs
Crane Beach
A dramatic beach of pale sand and Atlantic rollers below the cliffs of The Crane in St. Philip, reached by public steps.
Crane, St. Philip, BarbadosExplore View on map
The full list: Beaches, A–Z
Show all 20 places on a map
West coast 9
Calm Caribbean water.
-
A family beach north of town
Batts Rock Beach
A small family beach at Black Rock, just north of Bridgetown.
Black Rock, St. Michael, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
A long town beach
Brownes Beach
A long, soft-sand beach on Bay Street at the northern end of Carlisle Bay, close to Bridgetown.
Bay Street, St. Michael, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
The city beach with shipwrecks
Carlisle Bay
A wide bay of calm water and white sand on the edge of Bridgetown, with a marine park of shipwrecks to snorkel.
Bridgetown, St. Michael, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Between Paynes Bay and town
Fitts Village Beach
A stretch of west-coast sand at Fitts Village, south of Holetown.
Fitts Village, St. James, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
A marine park off Holetown
Folkestone Marine Park
A marine park off the beach at Holetown, with snorkelling close to shore.
Folkstone, Holetown, St. James, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Beside Port St Charles
Heywoods Beach
A beach on the north-west coast at Heywoods, by Port St Charles and just north of Speightstown.
Heywoods, St. Peter, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Turquoise water and palms
Mullins Beach
A sweeping white-sand beach framed by coconut palms on the west coast at Mullins, between Holetown and Speightstown.
Mullins, St. Peter, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
The Platinum Coast at its finest
Paynes Bay & Sandy Lane Beach
Paynes Bay and Sandy Lane Beach, the calm, golden heart of the St. James coast.
Paynes Bay, St. James, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
White sand by the Hilton
Pebbles Beach
A white-sand beach on the south side of Carlisle Bay, with the Hilton as its backdrop and calm water for swimming and paddle-boarding.
Needham’s Point, St. Michael, BarbadosExplore View on map
South coast 4
Lively and breezy.
-
The south coast’s busy favourite
Accra (Rockley) Beach
A lively south-coast beach at Rockley, with reefs offshore that snorkellers can wade out to at low tide.
Rockley, Christ Church, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Miami Beach by Oistins
Enterprise (Miami) Beach
A south-coast beach just west of Oistins, known locally as Miami Beach.
Enterprise, Christ Church, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
A seaside walk on the south coast
Richard Haynes Boardwalk
A boardwalk along the sea from Hastings towards Rockley, past small coves and beaches.
Hastings, Christ Church, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
The kite- and windsurfing beach
Silver Sands Beach
A breezy beach at the southern tip of the island, a favourite for windsurfing and kite-surfing.
Silver Sands, Christ Church, BarbadosExplore View on map
South-east 2
Cliffs and coves.
-
Palms, cliffs and an empty cove
Bottom Bay
A secluded cove of white sand and coconut palms enclosed by cliffs on the south-east coast.
St. Philip, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Atlantic surf below the cliffs
Crane Beach
A dramatic beach of pale sand and Atlantic rollers below the cliffs of The Crane in St. Philip, reached by public steps.
Crane, St. Philip, BarbadosExplore View on map
East coast 3
The Atlantic.
-
An east-coast picnic beach
Bath Beach
A quiet east-coast beach at Bath, popular for picnics under the shade of its casuarina trees.
Bath, St. John, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
The wild east coast
Bathsheba & the Soup Bowl
The rock-strewn Atlantic shore of Bathsheba, with its surf break, the Soup Bowl, and rock pools at low tide.
Bathsheba, St. Joseph, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
Palms and rock formations
Martin’s Bay
A picturesque bay on the Atlantic coast of St. John, loved by photographers, with rock formations at its northern end.
Martin’s Bay, St. John, BarbadosExplore View on map
The north 2
Wild coves.
-
A cliff-backed cove in the north
Archer’s Bay
A modest beach in St. Lucy with a grassy clifftop above it and a sensational view of the Atlantic.
St. Lucy, BarbadosExplore View on map
-
A wild cove on the north coast
Little Bay
A rugged cove on the north coast of St. Lucy, with crashing waves and natural rock pools.
St. Lucy, BarbadosExplore View on map
The west coast is usually calm; the Atlantic east coast has strong waves and currents, and swimming is often not recommended there. The National Conservation Commission looks after the island’s beaches.
Explore more of Barbados
27 of the best Restaurants
8 of the best Cafés
7 of the best Bars & Rum Shops7 of the best Beach Clubs & Nightlife
28 of the best Hotels & Resorts22 of the best Attractions12 of the best Museums & Heritage13 of the best Golf & Sport
13 of the best Boats & Diving
5 of the best Spas & Wellness4 of the best Hospitals & Clinics
8 of the best Shopping4 of the best Supermarkets & Markets6 of the best Luxury Lifestyle11 of the best Property14 of the best Getting There & Around
3 of the best Motoring