Things to Do in Bathsheba Barbados after Staying 4 Nights

When we first decided to spend a few nights on Barbados’ east coast, nearly everyone told us it was all about the west on this island, where you’ll find calm Caribbean water, beautiful resorts and beaches, sunsets. But after 4 nights in Bathsheba, we realised this part of the island has something the west never could. Raw beauty, wild Atlantic waves and a pace of life that’s far more local.

Some people only visit on a day trip, which is fine for a quick look around. But if you really want to experience it, the best things to do in Bathsheba are worth spreading over a couple of days. There are dramatic rock formations and tidal pools as well as rum shops and one of the best surf breaks in the world.

Here’s our guide to the best things to do in Bathsheba, Barbados (updated for August 2025).

By Lauren & Jack · Updated August 2025 · Based on our 1 month trip to Barbados

Best things to do in Bathsheba

1. Watch surfers at the Soup Bowl

One of the reasons Bathsheba is famous is Soup Bowl – the surf break that’s often called one of the best in the Caribbean. Even if you don’t surf (we don’t), it’s worth coming to watch. The waves here are huge and you’ll nearly always see a handful of local surfers out there.

We walked here from our guesthouse in Bathsheba in less than ten minutes. It’s right at the northern end of Bathsheba Beach. There’s a small grassy area to sit and watch and it’s so nice to just sit for ages and soak in the atmosphere and the sound of the waves.

If you do surf, the Soup Bowl is not a place for beginners. But for spectators like us, it’s one of the best free things to do in Bathsheba. You can grab a cold drink from a bar nearby and you’ve got front row seats to some of the best surfing in Barbados.

💡 Our top tip: If you’re lucky, you might be here when a competition is on. Barbados actually hosts international surfing events at Soup Bowl and it’s a great time to visit because there’s a buzz in town and the level of surfing is incredible. You can check the World Surf League’s Barbados events page to see what’s coming up.

2. Walk along Bathsheba Beach

One of the first things we did in Bathsheba was head straight down to the beach. Bathsheba Beach isn’t the kind of place you come to for swimming as the Atlantic is far too rough. But walking here ended up being one of our favourite things to do in Bathsheba.

The stretch of sand is long and scattered with massive rock formations that look like they’ve just been dropped from the sky. It’s completely unspoiled and the constant waves crashing in make it feel completely different from any of the other beaches in Barbados.

We’d wander along in the mornings at sunrise with hardly anyone else around. And in the afternoons, locals all gather at the bars and houses across the road. That mix of rugged scenery and local life is what makes Bathsheba stand out for us.

If you’re into photography, definitely bring your camera. We aren’t usually people who spend hours at a beach you can’t swim in, but in Bathsheba, we found ourselves coming back again and again.

🎒 This island tour includes Bathsheba Beach plus other top Barbados sights, with lunch included. If we hadn’t rented a car, we’d have done this tour!

3. Andromeda Botanic Gardens & Hunte’s Gardens

If you need a break from the waves and salty air, Andromeda Botanic Gardens is just a couple of minutes inland from Bathsheba and makes a really peaceful stop. The gardens were started in the 1950s by Iris Bannochie, a Barbadian horticulturalist, and now have hundreds of species of tropical plants spread out across six acres.

We wandered through for about an hour, spotting orchids, palms, ginger lilies and even some plants we’d never seen before. The paths are well laid out so it’s a nice, easy walk around. It cost $30 BBD per person to enter when we visited, and you can also get drinks and pastries at the cafe there too.

If you’re really into gardens, Hunte’s Gardens is another option. It’s about a 20 minute drive inland from Bathsheba, set in a sinkhole filled with winding paths and towering plants. It’s a bit smaller than Andromeda. If you get a car rental in Barbados (like we did), you could see both in half a day.

🎒 If you want to see more than just the gardens, you can actually combine it with Harrisons Cave on this half day tour. It’s a great option if you don’t have a car, since transport is included, and it covers three of the Barbados’ most talked about spots in one trip.

4. Relax in the Bathsheba Pools

One of the coolest things about Bathsheba Beach is that even though the Atlantic is too rough to swim in, you can still get in the water thanks to the natural rock pools that form at low tide. These Bathsheba tidal pools are sheltered by the big boulders that make the coastline so famous.

We went down one morning when the tide was out and it felt like nature’s version of an infinity pool. The water was calm, shallow and crystal clear, with little fish darting around between the rocks. You don’t need snorkel gear, as depending on the tide time it can be incredibly shallow, but if you’ve got a mask it’s worth bringing it.

The pools are best visited at low tide. At high tide the waves crash right over them and it’s not safe. We checked the tide times online before we went and planned to visit around that.

It’s free to visit and easy to find (just walk along Bathsheba Beach and you’ll see them).

5. Find the remote Long Pond

If you head north from Bathsheba, just an 8 minute drive away, you’ll reach Long Pond, a huge stretch of water on the beach but separated from the Atlantic by just a bit of sand on the beach. It literally feels like you’ve been washed up on a deserted island. A whole world away from the busier west coast.

We came here on a breezy afternoon (we got onto the beach through a gap in the bushes on the Ermy Bourne Highway). The waves were pounding the beach while the pond itself was calm, almost like a lagoon. We found out that locals use the area for fishing and crabbing and we saw a couple of students doing some surveying as it’s also a turtle nesting area!

It’s not a swimming spot (at least we didn’t swim in there and didn’t see anyone else there either), but it’s perfect if you want a quiet walk and a sense of how rugged the east coast of Barbados really is.

There aren’t any facilities, so bring water and snacks if you plan to stay for a bit. We combined it with a stop at Morgan Lewis Windmill, which is just a short drive inland, and it made for a nice little loop from Bathsheba.

6. Visit Animal Flower Cave

Even though it’s about a 40 minute drive north from Bathsheba, Animal Flower Cave is one of those places that’s worth adding to your east coast itinerary. It’s the only accessible sea cave in Barbados, right under the cliffs at the island’s northern tip.

We drove up one morning and joined a short guided tour (about 30 minutes). You have to have a guide to go inside and see the cave. Inside, there are natural rock pools where you can actually swim (depending on the tide), with light streaming in through openings in the rock and the Atlantic crashing just beyond. The guides also point out the sea anemones (“animal flowers”) that the cave is named after, though we only saw a couple so guess it depends on tide and season.

Outside, the views are amazing. The cliffs here are rugged and dramatic, and there’s a small restaurant on site but the prices are crazy so we gave it a miss. Entry was $40 BBD per person when we visited.

💡 Our top tip: Take water shoes or sturdy sandals, not flip flops, because once they get wet your feet slide all over the place and the rocks are already a little slippery.

7. Cherry Tree Hill and Morgan Lewis Mill

On our way to Animal Flower Cave, we stopped at Cherry Tree Hill, which has one of the best viewpoints in Barbados From the top, you get this wide open view of the whole east coast – Bathsheba, Cattlewash and the Atlantic stretching out in front of you. It’s a quick stop so you won’t be there for long (there’s a small layby to park and a few local people selling souvenirs), but worth it for the photos alone.

Just down the hill is Morgan Lewis Mill, the last intact sugar windmill in Barbados and one of only two still standing in the Caribbean! It’s part of the Barbados National Trust and although it’s not always open for tours inside, you can still park up, walk around and see the windmill up close.

Even if you’re not a history person, it’s a good reminder of how important sugar once was to the island’s history.

🎒 If you’re not renting a car in Barbados, you can visit as part of a combination tour.

8. Harrison’s Cave

Even though it’s not exactly on the east coast, Harrison’s Cave is one of the most famous things to do in Barbados. We didn’t get there this time (sadly!), but here’s why it’s usually on every Bathsheba itinerary (and so highly reviewed).

You hop on a tram that takes you deep underground, past waterfalls, pools and giant stalactites that have been forming for thousands of years. The whole tour lasts about an hour and it’s an easy way to see a completely different side of the island away from the beaches. There are also additional things you can do like ziplining and nature trails if you want to make more of a day out of it.

🎒 If you want to bundle it all into one day, this Harrison’s Cave tour with monkey feeding and lunch included is a really good option. You get the cave tour, plus a stop to see Barbados’ famous green monkeys and lunch is taken care of too.

Where we ate in Bathsheba

We didn’t expect Bathsheba to have much choice when it came to food, but for a small village, there are some great places to eat.

Here’s where we went (and what we’d recommend):

• Round House – We stayed near here, so we went a couple of times. The restaurant is on a clifftop with views straight down over Bathsheba Beach. The menu has local and international options. Mains were around $40–50 BBD, and you’ll find things like flying fish, grilled mahi mahi and a decent curry. If you want dinner with a view, this is the place.
• The Bay Lounge – This is a little bit out of the way in a local village just north of Bathsheba at the end of a dead end road, but the big portion sizes are huge and it’s really cheap.
• Eastside Kitchen – This is a lovely little restaurant adjacent to Andromeda Botanic Gardens. You can visit this restaurant without having to go into the gardens, although we strongly recommend you do!
• Sea View Bar – Probably has one of the best restaurant views in Bathsheba. It’s a casual little place where you can get local food like fried fish, chicken wings, macaroni pie, rice and peas, etc.
• Dina’s Bar & Cafe – We only stopped here for drinks, but it’s on the roadside right next to the beach so you get a good view. Lots of people were ordering food too, which looked good.

Is it worth renting a car in Barbados?

We did rent a car in Barbados and honestly, it made a huge difference. Especially for exploring the east coast and places like Bathsheba. If you’re considering it too, we’ve written a full guide to renting a car in Barbados with tips on costs, driving and what to expect.

Public transport (the minibuses and ZR vans) is cheap and runs frequently along the west coast, but once you’re on the east side, there’s no public transport and if there is, it’s not reliable if you want to get around on a schedule.

For us, having a rental car meant we could drive up to Cherry Tree Hill, stop at random viewpoints and bars, head down to Bathsheba Pools at low tide and still get back in time for dinner without worrying about finding transport.

Driving in Barbados isn’t too stressful. They drive on the left (same as the UK), roads can be narrow and bumpy in places, but locals are used to tourists and are generally patient.

Where to Stay in Bathsheba, Barbados (inc where we stayed)

We stayed in Bathsheba for 4 nights and it really made the trip. Unlike the west coast, you won’t find big resorts here. Accommodation is smaller, more characterful and very much part of the community. It suits the east coast perfectly.

A few places to look at if you’re planning a stay:

• Rest Haven Beach Cottages – This is where we stayed. Simple, affordable self catering cottages right by the beach, run by a local family. It’s not luxury, but it feels authentic and the location is unbeatable if you want to wake up on the beach.
• Atlantis Historic Inn – One of the best known places to stay in Bathsheba. It’s right on the water, with a long history and a restaurant that’s popular with both guests and day trippers.
• Eco Lifestyle & Lodge – A boutique option in Tent Bay with a focus on sustainability. They also do fresh food and have ocean views.
• Round House – We’ve stayed here too and as well as a restaurant, they have a handful of rooms above the restaurant. It’s in a great location overlooking Bathsheba Beach.
• Santosha – A little inland, set up on the hills with a pool and self catering studios. We liked feeling completely disconnected from the world and retreating when we stayed here for a few nights.

📍 Map of places to stay in Bathsheba – Use the map below to check prices and availability for all Bathsheba accommodation (including the places we mentioned above).

Frequently Asked Questions

More Barbados Travel Guides & Tips

We ended up writing quite a lot about Barbados after our trips, so if you’re planning your own visit these blogs might help:

• Barbados vs St Lucia: Our Verdict After Visiting Both (2025) – our honest comparison after spending weeks on both islands.
• Barbados Things to Do: The Best of the West – beaches, towns and experiences along the calmer coast.
• 17 Breathtaking Beaches in Barbados Not to Be Missed – our favourite spots, from hidden gems to more well known beaches.
• Top 13 Free Things to Do in Barbados – how to enjoy the island without spending a cent.
• Shark Hole in Barbados: A Beach Most Tourists Never Visit – a tiny cove we loved that rarely makes the guidebooks.
• Your Guide to Oistins Fish Fry, Barbados – everything you need to know before going.
• Renting a Car in Barbados: Everything You Need to Know – driving tips, costs and advice from our own rental experience and driving in Barbados.
• The 8 Best Places to Eat in Barbados – South Coast – our tried-and-tested favourites for foodies (like us).

About the authors
Lauren and Jack have been slow travelling since 2021, creating first hand destination guides from the Caribbean, Asia and Europe. This Bathsheba guide was written after staying 4 nights on Barbados’ east coast, where they spent mornings on the surf beach and afternoons exploring other places like Hunte’s Garden and nearby villages. Every blog they publish is based on their own trips and experiences with practical tips they learned while visiting and personal stories to help you plan your trips. You can find out more about Lauren & Jack here.