debbie in ohio

My husband and I plan to visit Barbados in November or December. We love beautiful, white sand beaches, deluxe accomodations and we love to windsurf! I'm gathering info. and am finding that the best windsurfing is on the south coast, but the best accomodations are on the west coast. Is this true? Are their white sand beaches on either coast? Can you windsurf on the west coast? Is it wirth the extra money to stay on the west coast versus the south coast?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

John

We stayed on the west coast and sailed catamarans from their. There isn't much surf so if you want to jet off the curl of the waves when windsurfing, you'll need to go to the south where you get the Atlantic ocean influence. There are nice hotels on the south side, not as many and not as opulent as some (like Sandy Lane). Snorkeling is great off the west coast. I think the beaches are better on the west coast.

debbie in ohio

John, thanks for the reply! Where did you stay? Would you recommend it? Are there any hotels on the south side you would recommend? Did you feel "safer" or more secluded on the west coast?

April

It's been some years since I've been in Barbados, but I thought the south side was a bit of a dump. The west coast was much nicer.

Janice

Hi. My boyfriend and I aren't windsurfers but we were in Barbados last October and stayed on the South Coast for 11 days. We stayed at a hotel called "The Sea Breeze". It was nice and was near a windsurfing centre. The beach at the Sea Breeze is very nice with a pale, pale coral colored sand. We enjoyed our stay there. It was defintely not opulent or luxurious but was clean and quiet (I especially liked the quiet part). We had a room on the top floor overlooking the rectangular pool and also with an ocean view. There is also a kidney shaped pool which wasn't as big or as nice. I thought our room was excellently situated. I think off season is a good time to go as it is far less crowded but the weather as far as I was concerned was perfect. We didn't go on the meal plan. I found the restaurant at the hotel to be fairly uninteresting. Though they have a lovely patio area to have drinks in the evening and watch the sun set.

Another windsurfer's hotel is the "Silver Sands" on the South Coast. I don't know why but I liked the atmosphere at the Sea Breeze better. There was a good restaurant right on Maxwell Coast Road near the Sea Breeze the name of which of course I can't remember but it is modern and you can't miss it.

We did rent a car and drove to the West Coast. We were the only 2 on an absolutely perfect beach. The water was lovely and calm and you could snorkle. The high end hotels are all along there as you know, but there's absolutely no wave action for windsurfing.

Barbados was my first time in the Caribbean and I enjoyed it very much. The area called "The Gap" is kind of cheesy though. In the off season it is more quiet but in high season I get the feeling it is a kind of "Spring Break" atmosphere which doesn't do it for me at all. Give me a quiet patio, a well made drink and a sunset any day.

I would be interested to hear where you choose to go and how it was. Have fun.