Barbados surfing is often thought to be all about Soup Bowl, the fav break of Kelly Slater. But there’s LOADS more, from beginner wedges to peeling barrels.
An introduction to Barbados surfing
Ahhhh, Barbados. Just a mention of the name is usually enough to conjure images of seas as clear as cellophane wrap and beaches whiter than the whitest white thing. Yep, this is one of the world’s undisputed paradise islands, offering R&R like you’ve never seen before. But, between the millionaire hotels and yacht moorings – or, rather, on the opposite coast from them – is a side to the island that’s pretty darn good on the surf front.
So darn good, in fact, that it lays claim to the wave that one Kelly Slater (heard of that guy?) named his number one favorite spot of all time. Big words. But then Soup Bowl is one big wave, grinding out slabby barrel after slabby barrel when the winter N are in tune. That’s the epicentre of a windward coastline that has reefs and points galore, some of which keep the good flowing during the summer wet season when swells elsewhere in the Caribbean are but a trickle.
There’s no getting around the fact that Barbados surfing is a bit of a chore to reach and requires some moolah in the bank to do right. The place to base yourself is Bathsheba and that’s not really known for its bargain shacks a la Indo. Still, if you’ve got the cashflow and the cojones, these reefs could be the ride of your life. And what a place to score it!
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in the Caribbean
Barbados surfing at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Barbados surfing?
Where is Barbados?
Barbados is the most easterly of all the Caribbean Islands. It’s a member of the Lesser Antilles chain, isolated some 100 miles out from St Vincent and the Grenadines (the next closest island) and St Lucia (the second next closest). If you’re looking at it on the map, then the surf region numero uno is the east coast. Just check what it faces: The whole breadth of the open Atlantic Ocean. Bathsheba is the kingpin of surf culture on the island. It’s about 30 minutes’ transfer from the main airport south of Bridgetown.
A guide to the Barbados surf spots
Barbados is the most easterly of all the Caribbean Islands. It’s a member of the Lesser Antilles chain, isolated some 100 miles out from St Vincent and the Grenadines (the next closest island) and St Lucia (the second next closest). If you’re looking at it on the map, then the surf region numero uno is the east coast. Just check what it faces: The whole breadth of the open Atlantic Ocean. Bathsheba is the kingpin of surf culture on the island. It’s about 30 minutes’ transfer from the main airport south of Bridgetown.
Sand Bank
North of Bathsheba is the long and lovely beach of Cattlewash (named for the cattle herders who used to bring their cows to bathe in the ocean here). It’s arguably the finest beginner spot on the whole island, especially if you’re serious about improving and want the Atlantic powerhouse behind your swell forecast to let you surf every day of the trip. Sand Bank is what they call the break. We can see why. The waves here come in over small banks that have built up on the reefs. Mellow doesn’t quite do them justice. It’s more a case of super-duper mellow. They break fast to offer loads of whitewash for the total learners, but there some green wave sets at the back for those looking to cruise a little down the line.
Soup Bowl
This is it – the finest wave of all in Barbados. Not our words. The words of pros and veteran surf travelers all over. A changeable beast it may be, but when the Soup Bowl starts working there’s nothing in the whole Caribbean that can beat it. Consistency certainly isn’t an issue here – N and E swells keep it firing, and even summer trade winds can give enough power to lip up over the reef rim below and create neat wedges that are mega fun.
When people like Slater talk about the Bowl they’re usually talking about the spot during comps when it’s been sucking on a big low-pressure winter push and is grinding out its trademark barrels. When this happens, it’s a true aficionado’s wave; one that’ll curl over and put over a meter of H2O flying above your head – if you’re good enough to make the barrel section, that is. The most infamous part of the wave is the bendy finish known as End Bowl, which could just as well be called Apocalypse Bowl for those who value the top layers of their epidermis (AKA it’s jagged, sharp, shallow, and a playground for urchins).
Soups won’t light up all that often because you need a unique combo of steady groundswells in the NE or N channel plus a dip in the trades. The locals usually increase the chance of scoring that by surfing really early on or late, just before evening. Sometimes, you’ll notice the bowl dips to chest or head height. Most of the rippers depart then and the wave is a whole different customer, offering some neat cruisers for intermediates.
Parlors
The swell hoover of the Bathsheba strip, Parlors (or Parlours if you live west of the pond) is a break of many faces. Swells in the 3-5 range turn it into a neat learner and intermediate improver spot, with peeling rights that are both fat and forgiving. Larger days have enough punch to push extra moxy through the underwater reef channels and it transforms into more of a Hawaii North Shore shoulder, frothing off from left to right into shallow sections of reef that are positively bubbling with boils. Choose your day wisely.
Long Beach
A prime beginner spot on the west coast that offers the rare chance to totally escape the crowds, Long Beach waits on the far southern end of the windward part of the island. It’s decently sheltered from the strongest winter N swells and, crucially, isn’t a reef break. That adds up to one nicely accessible location for total novices looking to sample Barbados surfing. The downside is the way the westerly trades can really mess it up. Get in real early to dodge them.
Surfer’s Point
As the swells move south around the edge of Long Beach, they curve inwards into a well protected bay that harnesses the trades into more of a crossshore direction. The result is a spot that does well to stay clean even when the rest of the island is blowing amok. The long lefts are often pretty crumbly and lack power, but they are top for beginners and improvers.
Freights Bay
The first bay where the coast bends inwards to let the westerly trades push offshore is unsurprisingly pretty great for surfing. Cue Freights, where long, peeling lefts can wrap around the point to offer some of the longest rides on the island. It’s a goofy’s dream but also arguably the best Barbados spot for longboarders. It’s sand underneath with the occasional patch of reef. The spot is way more accessible than the east coast mainstays.
Brandons
Brandons has become the de facto city break of Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados. That means it can be busy, but never overly busy, since the serious surfers usually cross to Bathsheba to do their thing when there’s swell in. There are some good things going for this spot. First, it’s west facing, which means the trade winds are firmly offshore most of the year. Second, it’s nice and long; probably one of the longest lefts in the Caribbean, in fact. It’s formed on a shallow sand bank at the western end of Drill Hall Beach and cruves inwards into a deeper channel that you can use to paddle back to the point. User friendly and really an all-round, all-level break.
Batts Rock
Front of the queue for all the north swells that are strong enough to weave around to the leeward (west) shore of Barbados is Batts Rock. It’s an oddly user-friendly wave given it sits on this reef-fringed side of the island. A timely take off will put you on a hollow shoulder that offers barrels like they are pop tarts. There’s loads of H2O moving below, deep enough for most wipeouts. It all ends in a nice channel after a final hollow section. Will always be busy when it’s working – who wouldn’t want easy pits?
Tropicana
Tropicana is a spinning barrel that forms up over the uber-shallow beach shelf at the south end of Reeds Bay. It’s a rare west coast option on Barbados but really fires on the biggest of N swells and typhoon swells in the summer. You simply cannot surf this at low tide, because there’s not enough water over the shelf to make it work. Even when the tide is full, this is surely going to be one of the smallest gaps between reef and fin you’ve ever had to navigate. The reward is a fun, shifty peak with pipe-like barrels on the left and the right.
Maycocks
The northwestern surf break on the island is Maycocks. It’s the longest right hander on offer here when it gets rolling, which needs N-NW swells out of low-pressure systems sitting off the USA in the North Atlantic (AKA: Rare). The drop isn’t right at the point like you might think, since the wave starts, Impossibles-like, at an outside section that’s simply not makeable. Have faith, for it mellows a lot before it hits the lineup, picking up a surfer before continuing on to the inside of the bay in untroubled lines that are rippable in extremis.
Where to stay when surfing in Barbados?
The best surf stays in Barbados aren’t along the west coast where most people choose to vacation. They’re on the south and east coasts, which pick up the brunt of the swells and get the best waves. We’ve got three choices there for all sorts of travelers, from budget seekers to those on the hunt for a bit of that resort feel.
Plover Court Apartments
Okay, so this apartment complex might not be in Bathsheba (the self-proclaimed capital of Barbados surfing) but it’s still on the east coast and within a couple of minutes’ walk of Surfer’s Point, our fav all-round break on the island if we have to be honest. Basically, Plover Court Apartments will be a good base no matter your level. They’re also very well finished, with self-catering facilities and clean bedrooms in a studio style.
Rest Haven Beach Cottages
Rest Haven Beach Cottages are a simple but comfy option that gets you uber-close to the iconic stretch of breaks on the Bathsheba beach run. Soup Bowls is five minutes down the road. Parlors is just over the hillside. Okay, so it’s not the fancy boutique hotel that the oligarchs are enjoying on the other side of the island, but you came here to surf, right? At least it’s good value for money!
Sugar Bay Barbados
If you’re keen to bed down in an all-inclusive and get that proper hit of Caribbean pampering but also want to be close to the surf, Sugar Bay Barbados is a good option. It’s both highly rated and fantastically placed, getting you near the peeling lefts of Brandons and a whole run of sugar-soft sand on the south shore.
Step-by-step guide to planning your barbados surfing trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the barbados surfing…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Barbados?
October usually marks the beginning of the main surfing season in Barbados. The biggest and cleanest groundswell pulses come through from the North Atlantic then thank to the predominance of low-pressure storm systems moving both east and west, to North America and Europe. They send good N swells and very occasional N-NW swells. The first are the engine room behind the exposed east coast breaks of Bathsheba, Soup Bowl included. The latter are the sought-after jewels that will get the west coast rolling, at Maycocks and Tropicana.
All that said, it’s rarely ever totally flat in Barbados. The complete exposure to the Atlantic sees to that. Trade winds from the west dominate in the summer. They can just as easily help create windswell conditions for learners on Long Beach and at Surfer’s Point as blow out the legendary pro stomping grounds of Soup Bowl. You just gotta’ know where to go.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
