The Wild Soup Bowl of Bathsheba, Barbados

The beach at Bathsheba – called “The Soup Bowl” by locals- was even more striking than I expected. Definitely not a tranquil sleepy spot, it’s a much more dramatic beach, a place that looks like it’s visited by pirates and explorers – not just lazy tourists working on their tans. I immediately loved watching the rough swells crashing against the sand, and the unusual topography that seemed nearly prehistoric.

Located on the lush and wild east coast of Barbados, the small fishing village of Bathsheba is known for the distinctive boulders that rest along the shore. The massive rocks are actually huge chunks of coral broken off from reefs ages ago. They look scattered around casually, and you can almost believe they will start moving again any minute. As if they’re aware they haven’t been there forever, and may not be staying permanently.

Bathsheba is a popular destination for surfers but this beach is really too dangerous for amateur swimmers. This is the part of Barbados that faces the Atlantic Ocean…more intense winds, big waves, and frequent warnings about the strong undertow. Such a contrast to the calm and chilled out Caribbean-facing beaches on the other side of the island. We waded a bit in the shallow pools around the boulders, but still got splashed by the foam of constant breaks. Luckily there were many lovely spots on the soft golden sand to stretch out and dry off.

Unfortunately it seems that no ZR Vans travel to Bathsheba from the south coast, and taking the official blue Government buses from Bridgetown or Speightstown can take quite a long time – up to an hour. If funds allow, the best option would be to hire a taxi for a few hours and combine it with a visit to another cool spot in the area – like Hunte’s Gardens or Cherry Tree Hill. And of course leave time to stop into one the neighborhood’s colorful rum shacks for a drink or two…and maybe an intense game of dominoes.