Why Honeymoon in Bathsheba
Most Barbados honeymoons happen on the calm west coast, which is lovely and also fairly busy. Bathsheba gives you the opposite: long walks with nobody else on the sand, rain squalls blowing in off the ocean and dinners where the loudest sound is the surf.
It also shows you a Barbados that the resort strips hide. Fishing boats come in at Tent Bay, villagers lime outside rum shops and the old railway line that once ran along this coast is now a walking path in places. The gardens up the hill are some of the finest in the Caribbean.
For couples who like scenery and quiet more than swim-up bars, a few nights here make the whole trip feel richer. Pair it with the west coast and you get both moods of the island.
When to Go
Barbados' dry season runs roughly from December through May. On the east coast that means bright mornings, steady trade winds and clear views from the clifftops. January through April is the most reliable stretch.
June through November is wetter and more humid, with August through October the peak of the hurricane season. Barbados sits east of the usual storm track and has been spared many hurricanes, though not all of them. Showers on this side of the island are often brief and dramatic. The hills turn a deeper green.
Surf is biggest in the winter months, when Atlantic swells roll in from the north. That is the best time to watch the Soup Bowl at work. Calm, flat days are more common in summer, which is when the rock pools are easiest to enjoy.
Where to Stay
Bathsheba has no big resorts, which is the point. Lodging is a handful of small inns, guesthouses and rented cottages along the coast road and on the hillside above the village.
The Atlantis Historic Inn at Tent Bay, at the southern end of the village, is the best-known address. It is an old hotel with simple rooms looking straight at the ocean and a restaurant that draws people from across the island. Elsewhere, small guesthouses and private villas sit in gardens with ocean views. Many have no air conditioning and rely on the constant breeze, which works most of the year.
If you want more polish, base yourselves on the west coast around Holetown or Speightstown and drive over for a long day. The trip takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Spending at least one night, though, lets you see the coast at dawn, when it is at its best.
Romantic Things to Do
Time a visit to the beach for low tide. When the water is calm, the reef just offshore traps shallow rock pools between the boulders. You can sit in them up to your shoulders while waves break a few yards away. Only do this on quiet days. Stay out of the open water.
Spend a morning in the gardens. Andromeda Botanic Gardens sits on the hillside above the village with orchids, palms and ocean glimpses. Hunte's Gardens, inland in St. Joseph, is a lush planted gully that feels private even when others are there.
Drive up to Hackleton's Cliff for the view down the entire east coast, then stop at St. John's Parish Church nearby. Walk the long empty beach at Cattlewash in late afternoon. On a weekend, sit on the wall above the Soup Bowl with a cold Banks beer and watch the surfers.
Getting There and Around
Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) has nonstop flights from several US cities, including Miami, New York and Atlanta, with some routes seasonal. From the airport, Bathsheba is about 45 minutes by car across the middle of the island.
A rental car is the easiest way to explore. Driving is on the left. The roads into the Scotland District are narrow, steep and winding, with blind bends and little signage, so take it slowly and avoid driving after dark if you can. Many visitors use a GPS app and still get turned around at least once.
Taxis are a good alternative. Agree on the fare before you set off, or ask your hotel to book a driver for a full day. Public buses reach Bathsheba from Bridgetown but are slow if you are coming from the west coast.
Food and Drink
Eating here is simple and local. The village has a few small restaurants and rum shops serving fried fish, macaroni pie and rice and peas. Fish cakes with a hot pepper sauce are the classic snack.
The Atlantis Historic Inn is known for its Bajan Sunday buffet, a long and leisurely meal of local dishes such as flying fish, pepperpot and pumpkin fritters, with the Atlantic filling the windows. Book ahead for Sunday.
Flying fish and cou-cou, the national dish, is worth ordering at least once on the island. Try mauby, a bittersweet bark drink. Finish with rum punch. In the evenings options are limited, so ask your guesthouse what is open or plan dinner where you are staying.
Honeymoon Tips
- Do not swim in the open sea at Bathsheba. Currents and undertow are strong. There are no lifeguards. Use the rock pools only on calm days at low tide.
- Pack a light rain jacket and a sweater for windy evenings. The breeze here is stronger than on the west coast.
- Wear shoes with grip. The rocks are slippery and sharp.
- Bring cash for small restaurants and rum shops.
- Use insect repellent at dusk, especially in the gardens. Dengue occurs in Barbados, so if you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices before you go.
- Combine two or three nights here with four or five on the west or south coast. That split gives you calm water for swimming and a wild coast for wandering.
