Best Beaches to For A DIY Day?

[cruisexlife]

Hello,

 

We are stopping in Barbados on our next cruise. Because the cruise is so port-heavy, and many of the excursions involve beach hopping, so we are electing to go on a DIY trip to a nearby beach. We have been playing around with http://www.beachesofbarbados.com/ for a little bit, and we have decided that we like the following beaches and want to spend the day at one of them.

 

• Sandy Lane
  
• Sandy Beach
  
• Pebbles Beach
  
• Welches Beach
  
• Rockley/Accra Beach
  
• Gibbes Bay
  
• Brandon Beach
  

Have any of you been to any of these beaches? Are the waves rough? Are there places for direct sunlight where you can set your things? Are there chairs for sale on the beach, or would we have to lay out on a towel? What are the taxi fares like? Do the drivers know much about these beaches, and will they do the "meet me back here at ___ at I'll pay you then" deal like I see in many cruise reviews?

 

I know there are a lot of questions and a lot of beaches but we want to make this day memorable. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help! ;)

[cruisingbajan]

Hello,

 

We are stopping in Barbados on our next cruise. Because the cruise is so port-heavy, and many of the excursions involve beach hopping, so we are electing to go on a DIY trip to a nearby beach. We have been playing around with http://www.beachesofbarbados.com/ for a little bit, and we have decided that we like the following beaches and want to spend the day at one of them.

 

• Sandy Lane
  
• Sandy Beach
  
• Pebbles Beach
  
• Welches Beach
  
• Rockley/Accra Beach
  
• Gibbes Bay
  
• Brandon Beach
  

Have any of you been to any of these beaches? Are the waves rough? Are there places for direct sunlight where you can set your things? Are there chairs for sale on the beach, or would we have to lay out on a towel? What are the taxi fares like? Do the drivers know much about these beaches, and will they do the "meet me back here at ___ at I'll pay you then" deal like I see in many cruise reviews?

 

I know there are a lot of questions and a lot of beaches but we want to make this day memorable. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help! ;)

 

Sandy Lane is on the west coast and a fair distance from the cruise port. (not familiar with his beach at all)

 

Brandons Beach - is within walking distance of the cruise port and is a beach frequented by the locals but not much in the way of amenities.

 

Pebbles Beach - Is also popular with the locals and does not have much in the way of amenities either. It is near the Radisson Aquatica resort.

 

Rockley/Accra is very popular with the cruise ship passengers and tourist in general and is a beautiful stretch of beach.

 

Sandy Beach - is actually on the same stretch as Accra but not as popular...there is a beach bar there bearing the same name.

 

Gibbs Beach...is waaaay to the north and a bit out of the way I have never been so can't comment on it.

 

The payment arrangements are completely up to your taxi driver but more often than not they will take payment after they pick you back up.

[BoatBoy12]

It's entirely possible to go on your own.

Brandon's: nice beach close to port as another reply said. There is a beach facility' there; which means toilets and showers. Not much else; but a big beach.

Sandy Beach is really nice; one of our favourites. Although small boats moor here; it is because it is so calm. You have a pretty good chance of swimming with smaller sea turtles here. Chairs are available for rent. The beach bar in question, I think, is Crystal Waters. Have a ham cutter (sandwich) there. Also nearby (a few feet) is the new Carib Beach Bar; so new I haven't been yet. More of a real restaurant. You can easily get a cab just by walking to the main road from the beach, no need to make arrangements.

Accra or Rockley is big time: lots of stalls selling dresses, food, of course rum; a shopping centre across the street. Tiki Bar where lots of ships take people is on one end. Very nice beach also.

Dover Beach is a little smaller, at the end of St.Lawrence Gap, so you also see the gap on the way. P and O take their cruisers here. Again, showers, toilets, lots of stalls etc (Rockley of course has showers/toilets too.

Anyone of these is great, actually.

[cruisexlife]

It's entirely possible to go on your own.

Brandon's: nice beach close to port as another reply said. There is a beach facility' there; which means toilets and showers. Not much else; but a big beach.

Sandy Beach is really nice; one of our favourites. Although small boats moor here; it is because it is so calm. You have a pretty good chance of swimming with smaller sea turtles here. Chairs are available for rent. The beach bar in question, I think, is Crystal Waters. Have a ham cutter (sandwich) there. Also nearby (a few feet) is the new Carib Beach Bar; so new I haven't been yet. More of a real restaurant. You can easily get a cab just by walking to the main road from the beach, no need to make arrangements.

Accra or Rockley is big time: lots of stalls selling dresses, food, of course rum; a shopping centre across the street. Tiki Bar where lots of ships take people is on one end. Very nice beach also.

Dover Beach is a little smaller, at the end of St.Lawrence Gap, so you also see the gap on the way. P and O take their cruisers here. Again, showers, toilets, lots of stalls etc (Rockley of course has showers/toilets too.

Anyone of these is great, actually.

 

I think I want to go eith Sandy Beach. There are chairs for rent? Cost?

Edited January 21, 2015 by cruisexlife

[cruisexlife]

Sandy Lane is on the west coast and a fair distance from the cruise port. (not familiar with his beach at all)

 

Brandons Beach - is within walking distance of the cruise port and is a beach frequented by the locals but not much in the way of amenities.

 

Pebbles Beach - Is also popular with the locals and does not have much in the way of amenities either. It is near the Radisson Aquatica resort.

 

Rockley/Accra is very popular with the cruise ship passengers and tourist in general and is a beautiful stretch of beach.

 

Sandy Beach - is actually on the same stretch as Accra but not as popular...there is a beach bar there bearing the same name.

 

Gibbs Beach...is waaaay to the north and a bit out of the way I have never been so can't comment on it.

 

The payment arrangements are completely up to your taxi driver but more often than not they will take payment after they pick you back up.

 

Thank you so much! I think I want to do Sandy Beach, but the pink-looking sand at Accra Beach is calling my name! Which would you choose? How much are chair rentals?

[BoatBoy12]

The sand at Rockley/Accra and at Sandy Beach is about the same. If you are at Rockley, you are next door to the Accra Beach Hotel, which is the beginning of the very nice 1km or so 'boardwalk' (not boards, or course, as they would rot in a season). For that reason and that Rockley is so popular (big carpark, Chefette fast food across the street, Quayside Centre shopping mall (good t-shirts, ice cream!, Just Grillin restaurant, Italian coffee house) across the street. it is much busier than Sandy Beach. Because Sandy Beach Hotel has been closed for a number of years, the beach is not all that busy.Depends what you like. Although the two beaches are fairly close to each other, you cannot walk on the beach from one to the other. It would be about 5-10 minutes from the end of Rockley, to the Blue Orchid hotel where you can 'join' Worthing Beach, and walk towards Sandy Beach. very close,but have to go up by the road. You would have to leave the beach again once or twice for a little bit depending on the tide. There are several 'public beach access' points to go along the way, or a walk on fairly poor sidewalks with lots of traffic. by the way, between Rockley and Worthing on the other side of the street is Bert's Bar, a good restaurant and bar. On Rockley, there are lots of chairs for rent, or you can have a drink and/or a snack at the Tiki Bar and they let you use a chair. On Sandy Beach, the locally famous 'Spock' will rent you a chair. The two places to get a drink/food there are the extremely casual but good Crystal Waters (barefoot and wet is okay) and the slightly more upscale New Carib (has a new name I forget, but Carib Beach Bar sign is still there). Sandy Beach is pretty well guaranteed to be very calm, with possible turtles; while Rockley can have some rockin' waves on occasion. You have all day? easy to see both.

Another possiblility, closer to the port, is the also very popular Carlisle Bay, very close to the Hilton. It is a large beach with facilities, and is where the catamarans go to 'swim with the turtles, snorkel over the wrecks'. You could snorkel right off the beach. If you are there by about ten a.m. you can take advantage of the fact that the cats feed the turtles, so they will sure be around. You would need goggles, snorkel and fins to really swim out there. I don't recall seeing many chairs there; you would have to look that up if it's essential. There are a couple little 'rum shops' restaurants across the street.

[BoatBoy12]

I forgot in my ramblings; chair fees are about $6-10 each. But you should have shade or an umbrella; not sure what they charge for those. Barbados is 11 degrees from the equator; wear sunscreen.

[cruisexlife]

I forgot in my ramblings; chair fees are about $6-10 each. But you should have shade or an umbrella; not sure what they charge for those. Barbados is 11 degrees from the equator; wear sunscreen.

 

Wow thank you soso much! :D